Thought Leadership
The US IT security provider Proofpoint has announced the acquisition of the German company Hornetsecurity. As revealed on Thursday, the corporation aims to strengthen its offerings in Microsoft 365 security solutions.
Specific financial details of the transaction were not published. However, CNBC reports, citing insiders, that the purchase price is said to be well over one billion US dollars.
Hornetsecurity has made a name for itself as a provider of security solutions for Microsoft 365. The portfolio includes email security as well as products for data protection, compliance, and security awareness. According to company information, the solutions are distributed through a network of more than 12,000 MSPs and channel partners, reaching over 125,000 customers worldwide.
Strategic Addition for SMB Market
For Proofpoint, the acquisition represents a strategic expansion, especially in the small and medium-sized business (SMB) segment. The US corporation sees this as an opportunity to further advance its “Human-centric Security” strategy. Economically, according to Proofpoint, Hornetsecurity brings an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of over 160 million US dollars to the deal.
“As attacks become more sophisticated and people remain the primary target, companies need security solutions that protect them comprehensively – across email, cloud applications, and all digital channels,” explains Sumit Dhawan, CEO of Proofpoint, in a statement. “We are pleased that with Hornetsecurity, we can expand our industry-leading, people-centered security platform to better meet the special requirements of MSPs and SMBs. We look forward to intensifying our investments in the European markets as part of our global growth strategy.”
Hornetsecurity founder and CEO Daniel Hofmann also sees strategic advantages: “Hornetsecurity’s AI-powered security platform enables thousands of MSPs to provide enterprise-level protection to their SMB customers across Europe. The range of person-centered risks is growing. That’s why joining forces with Proofpoint is a natural next step on our journey to build the strongest global offering of M365 security services.”
Consolidation Wave Continues
The acquisition is part of a series of acquisitions that Proofpoint has made in recent years. In 2022, Illusive Networks (specialist in deception technology) and the Singaporean company Dathena (data protection) were already acquired. Last year, Tessian followed to improve the detection of risky user activities, and in 2024, DSPM provider Normalyze was added.
