In email security, what is the primary role of antimalware scanning?

The primary role of antimalware scanning in email security is to identify and remove harmful attachments. Such attachments may include viruses, worms, ransomware, and other types of malware that can infect systems upon opening them. By scanning incoming and outgoing emails, antimalware solutions help protect users from potentially dangerous content that could compromise data integrity and security. Ensuring that harmful attachments are detected and eliminated before they reach the recipient is crucial in maintaining a secure email environment.

In contrast, optimizing email delivery speed is not a function of antimalware scanning; rather, it pertains to the performance aspects of email infrastructure. Enhancing visual formatting of emails relates to how emails appear and are presented to recipients, which does not affect security. Categorizing emails based on sender involves organizational aspects of email management and filtering but does not directly contribute to the security of the messages themselves. Thus, the focus of antimalware scanning is specifically tied to identifying and neutralizing threats presented by harmful attachments.