Proofpoint to Acquire Hornetsecurity and Expand Human-Centric Security Solution Worldwide

Proofpoint plans to acquire Hornetsecurity Group to enhance its ability to provide human-centric security to small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) around the world through managed service providers (MSPs).

The company has entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition and expects the acquisition to close in the second half of the year, subject to customary closing conditions, according to a Thursday (May 15) press release.

The deal will add Hornetsecurity Group’s artificial intelligence-powered Microsoft 365 security, data protection, compliance and security awareness services, which are provided across Europe, to Proofpoint’s cybersecurity and compliance solutions for businesses of all sizes around the globe, according to the release.

Upon the closing of the acquisition, Proofpoint plans to make the Hornetsecurity platform available for MSPs and their customers worldwide, per the release.

“As attackers grow more sophisticated and people remain the primary target, organizations need security that protects them wherever they work — across email, cloud applications and every digital channel,” Proofpoint CEO Sumit Dhawan said in the release. “With the addition of Hornetsecurity, we’re excited to extend our industry-leading, human-centric security platform to better serve the unique needs of MSPs and SMBs.”

Hornetsecurity founder and CEO Daniel Hoffman will remain at the helm of the company, and Hornetsecurity’s management team will remain on board, according to the release.

The company’s platform enables thousands of MSPs to provide security services to their SMB customers across Europe, Hoffman said in the release.

“With the breadth of human-centric risks only growing, joining Proofpoint is a natural next step in our journey to build the strongest global offering of M365 security services,” Hoffman said. “By coming together, we can better serve our partners and customers and extend that protection globally to help MSPs everywhere safeguard their customers’ people, data and operations.”

Chief operating officers are adopting generative AI-driven solutions to improve cybersecurity management as cyberattacks grow more sophisticated, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence report “The AI MonitorEdge Report: COOs Leverage GenAI to Reduce Data Security Losses.”

The report found that the share of COOs who reported that their companies have implemented AI-powered automated cybersecurity management systems increased from 17% in May 2024 to 55% in August 2024.

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