Cloud Email Security Buy: Proofpoint Acquires Tessian

Proofpoint has reached an agreement to buy Tessian for an undisclosed sum. The transaction is expected to close late in 2023 or early in 2024, according to the companies.

This is technology M&A deal number 293 that MSSP Alert and sister site ChannelE2E have covered so far in 2023.

Proofpoint, founded in 2002, is based in Sunnyvale, California. The company has 4,485 associated members listed on LinkedIn. Proofpoint's areas of expertise include threat protection, information protection and email security.

Tessian, founded in 2013, is based in Boston, Massachusetts. The company has 220 associated members listed on LinkedIn. Tessian's areas of expertise include threat protection, email data loss prevention (DLP) and cloud email security.

Proofpoint Bolsters Its Email Security Capabilities

With the acquisition, Proofpoint will add Tessian's email DLP solutions to its portfolio:

Tessian Guardian protects customer data and helps customers meet regulatory compliance and confidentiality requirements.

Tessian Enforcer protects against data exfiltration and safeguards intellectual property.

Tessian Defender provides a context-aware, artificial intelligence-based email defense that detects and prevents email attacks and provides users with in-the-moment contextual warnings to help them decide if an email is safe.

Proofpoint customers can deploy Tessian's AI-powered email security platform across their Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace environments, the companies indicated. That way, their customers can guard against accidental data loss and malicious insiders across their Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace environments.

Proofpoint Appoints Interim CEO

The Tessian acquisition news comes just days after Proofpoint named CFO Rémi Thomas as its interim CEO. Thomas replaces Ashan Willy, who has stepped down as Proofpoint's CEO to pursue an opportunity outside of the cybersecurity space, the company said.

Meanwhile, Proofpoint remains focused on delivering "world-class technology through relentless innovation… to address some of their most challenging market needs," Thomas said.

Proofpoint also continues to look for ways to "deliver strong financial results and invest organically and inorganically," Thomas indicated.

Organizations utilize Proofpoint's solutions to "stop targeted threats, safeguard their data and make their users more resilient against cyberattacks," the company noted. In addition, Proofpoint offers a partner program for MSSPs, MSPs and other technology providers.