Proofpoint

Proofpoint, Inc - a provider of cloud-based email security systems, offers a comprehensive solution to protect against threats such as spam and viruses, to prevent the leakage of confidential and personal data across all email protocols, encrypt confidential email messages, optimize the corporate email infrastructure in general and comply with regulatory and security standards.

Proofpoint focuses on creating and developing email security systems based on cloud and hybrid technologies, virtual and hardware solutions.

Proofpoint delivers a range of cloud-based enterprise email security and compliance solutions, used by leading businesses worldwide to protect against spam and viruses, protect privacy, encrypt, and archive email messages:

• Proofpoint Enterprise Protection is a best-in-class security system for inbound and outbound corporate email that protects your critical email infrastructure from external threats, including spam, phishing, unpredictable surges in email volumes, malicious ON , and other unwanted or dangerous threats.
• Proofpoint Targeted Attack Protection is based on advanced technologies such as Big Data analysis, URL interception, and sandbox mechanisms for malware. The solution provides unprecedented protection for users wherever they are located - outside the corporate firewall, outside the corporate network, when using mobile devices or using public terminals.
• Proofpoint Enterprise Privacy - Proofpoint's cutting-edge data loss prevention system - provides the ability to protect outbound mail and other message streams, such as webmail, blog posts, forum messages, and other activity based on HTTP or FTP traffic.
• Proofpoint Encryption is a powerful system that allows you to encrypt electronic messages, which is implemented based on company policies. Encryption policies are applied automatically and continuously, without requiring any additional actions from users.
• Proofpoint Enterprise Governance is an Enterprise Information Governance Solution that enables companies to continuously monitor, classify, set policies for storing, securing, archiving, and deleting unstructured enterprise data across the enterprise.

History

2022: Acquisition of Dathena Science

On January 10, 2022, it became known that Proofpoint, a developer of cybersecurity solutions, announced the purchase of the Singaporean company Dathena Science, the creator of data protection based on artificial intelligence technologies. The amount for which Proofpoint buys the company was not disclosed. More details here.

2021: Thoma Bravo bought Proofpoint for $12.3 billion

At the end of April 2021 Thoma Bravo , it announced the acquisition of Proofpoint, a software developer cyber security. The deal is estimated at $12.3 billion.

One important source of revenue growth for Proofpoint, which Thoma Bravo may seek to expand after the deal, is its portfolio of data loss prevention products. They help companies detect and block the misuse of confidential business documents. In addition, Proofpoint is also present in another, especially fast-growing part of the cyber attack prevention market - cloud security.

Thoma Bravo acquired Proofpoint

Proofpoint also competes in a related SaaS security segment, where it offers several file protection products stored on platforms such as Microsoft 365.

We believe that as a private company, we can show even more flexibility to continue to invest in innovation, relying on our leadership and ahead of cybercriminals, "said Gary Steele, Chief Executive Officer of Proofpoint. - Thoma Bravo has experience investing in software, it provides capital and strategic support to technology organizations, and our partnership will accelerate the growth and scaling of Proofpoint even faster.

The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021. Prior to this, under the terms of the purchase agreement, Proofpoint is provided with a 45-day window in which the company can consider the offers of other potential buyers.

Thoma Bravo's approach to creating value is based on partnering with the organization in which we invest and finding opportunities both to improve their existing operations and to create technology platforms that contribute to significant growth, "added Seth Boro, managing partner of Thoma Bravo.[1]

2017: Cloudmark purchase for $110 million

The provider of cybersecurity systems Proofpoint in November 2017 announced the purchase of Cloudmark, a company engaged in the release of security and threat analysis for Internet providers and mobile operators.^[2]

As a result of Cloudmark's takeover, Proofpoint expects a revenue increase of $20-25 million

Cloudmark is a rather old company: it was founded in 2001, and as of November 2017, according to its own statements, protects about 12% of mailboxes and 20% of mobile accounts in the world from various cyber threats. The company's flagship products are the Cloudmark Security Platform and the Global Threat Network cloud service, designed to protect messaging systems (primarily email) and quickly disseminate information about current threats, phishing campaigns, active distribution of Trojans, etc.

Cloudmark's clients include Comcast, Verizon, Swisscom, Cox Communications, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. and other eminent providers and telecom operators.

Upon completion of the deal, Cloudmark Threat Network will become part of the Proofpoint Nexus platform used to analyze threats in email, social media, mobile environments and SaaS applications.

The deal amounted to $110 million. Earlier, Cloudmark attracted investments totaling $39 million from industry venture capital investors.

As a result of the takeover of Cloudmark, Proofpoint expects revenue to increase by $20-25 million already in 2018.

2012: Hit the Forrester rating in the DLP category

In the analysis report of Forrester Email Content Security in Q4 2012 - Proofpoint was mentioned among the leaders in the market review of corporate e-mail protection systems. Conducting comparative testing, analysts noted Proofpoint technologies as the highest rating in the following categories: DLP, product development strategy, performance and functionality.

"Proofpoint products are among the strongest, among all that we tested as part of this report. Proofpoint has shown that DLP functions need not be restricted. Of course, Proofpoint has the strongest DLP functionality in this Forrester Wave Report, "commented Rick Holland, lead analyst at Forrester.

The authors of the report once again draw attention to the importance of a reliable email protection system within the corporate security system as a whole. The main emphasis is on the fact that it is electronic mail that is one of the most common vectors of targeted attacks on the one hand, on the other hand, the rigidity of the requirements of industry standards for the protection of confidential data in correspondence.

Forrester experts say that the offers of various suppliers differ at the level of the technologies involved: using a large amount of data to protect against targeted attacks, more reliable and at the same time simple encryption of confidential correspondence, multifunctional leak prevention systems. The report also noted a growing interest in security-as-a-service, virtual models for implementing email security solutions, and that "for most companies, days of physical devices for email protection are numbered."

"With the increasing number of targeted and complex layered attacks, the requirements of privacy standards are becoming more stringent, companies need a robust corporate email security system more than ever," says Gary Steele, CEO of Proofpoint, regarding the current market situation. - "Forrester analysts" findings confirm our successful strategy to develop the direction of cloud security services that will help the world's largest enterprises secure their data at the right level. "

Notes