- What: Proofpoint acquired Acuvity, an AI security startup, to enhance its AI security offerings.
- Impact: The acquisition will bolster Proofpoint's capabilities in governance and control for AI agents.
Proofpoint Expands AI Security Offerings With Acuvity Acquisition The cybersecurity vendor says the acquisition will bolster its capabilities around governance and control for AI agents. Proofpoint announced Thursday that it has acquired a startup focused on AI security and governance, Acuvity. The cybersecurity vendor did not disclose terms of the acquisition deal. [Related: Proofpoint CEO On Closing âWatershedâ $1.8B Hornetsecurity Deal, IPO Plans ] Proofpoint said the Acuvity acquisition will bolster its capabilities around delivering visibility and governance for AI agents, as well as providing security controls around agentic technologies. Acuvity offers advancements in detection models and control points for agents that are âpurpose-builtâ for the current era of AI, Proofpoint said in a news release. The Acuvity platform provides full visibility for agents across endpoints, web browsers and Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, as well as enforcement, the company said. The startupâs technology can also deliver visibility and enforcement for AI tools that are locally installed, such as OpenClaw, Proofpoint said. Proofpoint said the acquisition will allow it to offer the industryâs first platform capable of âcomprehensivelyâ protecting all segments of the âagentic workspace.â The acquisition follows the completion of Proofpointâs $1.8 billion acquisition of Microsoft 365 security specialist Hornetsecurity in December, marking the largest acquisition in the vendor's 23-year history. Speaking with CRN , Proofpoint CEO Sumit Dhawan called the Hornetsecurity acquisition a âwatershed momentâ that sets the stage for massive new MSP opportunities with Proofpoint in the U.S.