Proofpoint acquires Tessian to bolster AI-driven cybersecurity defences

Cybersecurity and compliance mogul, Proofpoint, has revealed the successful completion of its acquisition of Tessian, a front-runner in the application of advanced AI to detect and safeguard against accidental data loss and progressive email threats.

By bringing together Proofpoint's premier threat and data loss protection technology with Tessian's AI-focused behavioural and adaptable detection, the two companies strive to offer organisations the most thorough defence possible against human-related risks, regardless of their chosen deployment model.

This is particularly crucial considering that human error and targeted attacks on individuals constitute over 90% of successful cyber-attacks, from ransomware to Business Email Compromise (BEC). Furthermore, more than 90% of data loss, of which 65% results from misrouted emails, are also attributed to such human factors.

The joined solution differs from others in the market that solely depend on threat intelligence or limit their detections to AI. The collaborative platform developed by Proofpoint and Tessian can effectively tackle a comprehensive array of human-oriented threats, encompassing everything from social engineering to malware to credential phishing.

In addition, the collective solution enables organisations to prevent data loss across crucial collaboration channels, spanning from emails to the cloud to the endpoint, by utilising an industry-first combination of user activity, behavioural AI, and data classification.

Proofpoint plans to introduce these robust joint solutions to the market by early 2024. The union with Tessian is expected to bolster Proofpoint's threat and information protection platforms by incorporating potent layers of AI-powered defence that tackle problematic user behaviours, such as misdirected emails and data exfiltration.

Darren Lee, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Proofpoint's Security Products and Services Group, stated, "Tessian's innovative technology will further enhance Proofpoint's threat and information protection platforms."

"We're delighted to welcome the Tessian team to Proofpoint and look forward to helping organisations address the most frequent form of data loss at the most critical stages of the attack chain."

Cybersecurity leaders acknowledge email as a significant risk vector that many organisations must focus on. Jerry Kowalski, Chief Information Security Officer at Jefferies, said "We look forward to seeing how the combination of Tessian's behavioural-based approach with Proofpoint's industry-leading data will protect companies against the most advanced forms of email risk and data loss."

Tessian was recently classified as a 'Strong Performer' by Forrester Research, in The Forrester Wave: Enterprise Email Security, Q2 2023. The company acquired the highest possible scores in the Vision, Support, and Customer Success criteria.

Eric Hahn, former CTO of Netscape, founded Proofpoint in 2002. It has since grown to more than 3,600 employees serving over 8,000 enterprises worldwide. The company went public in 2012. In 2020 it generated more than $1 billion in revenue, making it the first SaaS-based cybersecurity and compliance company to meet that milestone.