
Proofpoint Acquires Hornetsecurity
The acquisition significantly enhances Proofpoint's ability to provide human-centric security to small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) globally through managed service providers (MSPs), further enabling all organizations to protect their people and defend their data. By combining Proofpoint's global leadership with Hornetsecurity's deep expertise in the MSP ecosystem, the two companies will advance their shared mission to protect organizations of all sizes and the people behind them.
Hornetsecurity brings a high-performing business into the Proofpoint portfolio with over $160 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), more than 20 percent year-over-year growth, and performance above the Rule of 60 – an indicator of healthy market demand and exceptional business operations at scale.
Hornetsecurity and Proofpoint deliver world-class solutions servicing distinct segments of the market; Hornetsecurity provides solutions to over 12,000 channel partners and MSPs and more than 125,000 SMBs across Europe, while Proofpoint has established itself as a global leader in enterprise-grade security, trusted by 85 percent of the Fortune 100 and over half of the Fortune 1000. Together, the companies will deliver complementary, purpose-built platforms fueled by shared threat intelligence to serve every customer across the globe with a powerful new standard in human-centric security.
'As attackers grow more sophisticated and people remain the primary target, organizations need security that protects them wherever they work—across email, cloud applications, and every digital channel,' said Sumit Dhawan, CEO of Proofpoint. 'With the addition of Hornetsecurity, we're excited to extend our industry-leading, human-centric security platform to better serve the unique needs of MSPs and SMBs. We look forward to deepening our investment in the European markets as part of our global growth strategy.'
'Hornetsecurity's AI-powered security platform enables thousands of MSPs to deliver enterprise-grade protection to their SMB customers across Europe,' said Daniel Hofmann, founder and CEO of Hornetsecurity. 'With the breadth of human-centric risks only growing, joining Proofpoint is a natural next step in our journey to build the strongest global offering of M365 security services. By coming together, we can better serve our partners and customers and extend that protection globally to help MSPs everywhere safeguard their customers' people, data, and operations.'
With M365 at the center of how many businesses operate, it has also become a top target for attackers. Proofpoint's recently expanded partnership with Microsoft supports scalable innovation and delivers human-centric security to help mutual customers proactively detect and mitigate threats targeting people and the data they work with.
Hornetsecurity's flagship product, 365 Total Protection, is the most comprehensive cloud security solution for M365, giving MSPs a multi-tenant, unified platform to deliver integrated services including advanced email security, backup, security awareness, access and permission control, and domain fraud protection. The Hornetsecurity team will continue to drive innovation across their Total Protection product platform to deliver additional innovative solutions to their partners and customers. Through the combination of shared threat intelligence and AI models, both Proofpoint and Hornetsecurity customers and partners will benefit from improved efficacy of their leading detection ensembles against threat actors.
Upon closing, Proofpoint intends to leverage its global reach to make the power of the Hornetsecurity platform available for MSPs and their customers worldwide – advancing the shared mission of protecting every organization's people, data and operations. Hornetsecurity will serve as the central hub for all MSP and SMB customers within the group—ensuring a unified approach, enhanced service delivery, and accelerated innovation tailored to the needs of these key customer segments.
Hornetsecurity's CEO Daniel Hofmann will remain at the helm of the company, continuing to drive its strategic growth and vision. The management team will remain on board, championing the company's vision and proven product strategy—while accelerating innovation to deliver the next generation of cybersecurity solutions.
The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. Terms of the deal are confidential. 0 0
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Tahawul Tech
12 hours ago
- Tahawul Tech
Kaspersky highlights biometric, signature risks with attempts up by 21.2% in UAE
Kaspersky has detected and blocked over 142 million phishing link clicks globally in Q2 2025, the UAE saw a 21.2% increase from Q1 in phishing attempts. Currently phishing is going through a shift driven by sophisticated AI-powered deception techniques and innovative evasion methods. Cybercriminals are exploiting deepfakes, voice cloning and trusted platforms like Telegram and Google Translate to steal sensitive data, including biometrics, electronic signatures and handwritten signatures, posing unprecedented risks to individuals and businesses. AI-powered tactics transforming phishing attacks AI has elevated phishing into a highly personalized threat. Large language models enable attackers to craft convincing emails, messages and websites that mimic legitimate sources, eliminating grammatical errors that once exposed scams. AI-driven bots on social media and messaging apps impersonate real users, engaging victims in prolonged conversations to build trust. These bots often fuel romantic or investment scams, luring victims into fake opportunities with AI-generated audio messages or deepfake videos. Attackers also create realistic audio and video deepfake impersonations of trusted figures — colleagues, celebrities or even bank officials — to promote fake giveaways or extract sensitive information. For instance, automated calls mimicking bank security teams use AI-generated voices to trick users into sharing two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, enabling account access or fraudulent transactions. Additionally, AI-powered tools analyze public data from social media or corporate websites to launch targeted attacks, such as HR-themed emails or fake calls referencing personal details. Employing new tactics to bypass detection Phishers are deploying sophisticated methods to gain trust, exploiting legitimate services to prolong their campaigns. For instance, Telegram's Telegraph platform, a tool to publish long texts, is used to host phishing content. Google Translate's page translation feature generates links that look like and are used by attackers to bypass security solutions' filters. Attackers now also integrate CAPTCHA, a common anti-bot mechanism, into phishing sites before directing users to the malicious page itself. By using CAPTCHA, these fraudulent pages deflect anti-phishing algorithms, as the presence of CAPTCHA is often associated with trusted platforms, lowering the likelihood of detection. A switch in hunting: from logins and passwords to biometrics and signatures The focus has shifted from passwords to immutable data. Attackers target biometric data through fraudulent sites that request smartphone camera access under pretexts like account verification, capturing facial or other biometric identifiers that cannot be changed. These are used for unauthorized access to sensitive accounts or sold on the dark web. Similarly, electronic and handwritten signatures, critical for legal and financial transactions, are stolen via phishing campaigns impersonating platforms like DocuSign or prompting users to upload signatures to fraudulent sites, posing significant reputational and financial risks to businesses. 'The convergence of AI and evasive tactics has turned phishing into a near-native mimic of legitimate communication, challenging even the most vigilant users. Attackers are no longer satisfied with stealing passwords — they're targeting biometric data, electronic and handwritten signatures, potentially creating devastating, long-term consequences. By exploiting trusted platforms like Telegram and Google Translate, and co-opting tools like CAPTCHA, attackers are outpacing traditional defenses. Users must stay increasingly skeptical and proactive to avoid falling victim,' said Olga Altukhova, security expert at Kaspersky. Earlier in 2025 Kaspersky detected a sophisticated targeted phishing campaign which was dubbed Operation ForumTroll, as attackers sent personalized phishing emails inviting recipients to the 'Primakov Readings' forum. These lures targeted media outlets, educational institutions and government organizations in Russia. After clicking on the link in the email, no additional action was needed to compromise their systems: the exploit leveraged a previously unknown vulnerability in the latest version of Google Chrome. The malicious links were extremely short-lived to evade detection and in most cases ultimately redirected to the legitimate website for 'Primakov Readings' once the exploit was taken down. To be protected from phishing, Kaspersky recommends: Verify unsolicited messages, calls, or links, even if they appear legitimate. Never share 2FA codes. Scrutinize videos for unnatural movements or overly generous offers, which may indicate deepfakes. Deny camera access requests from unverified sites and avoid uploading signatures to unknown platforms. Limit sharing sensitive details online, such as document photos or sensitive work information. Use Kaspersky Next (in corporate environments) or Kaspersky Premium (for individual use) to block phishing attempts.


Middle East Eye
12 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Germany's zeal for Israeli genocide revives its dangerous exceptionalism
Germany is open about its uninhibited support for Israel's war of extermination and genocide in Palestine, and wants to make sure the entire world sees it. Recognition for its Zionist zeal enables Germany to rehabilitate its exceptionalism, or Sonderweg, with catastrophic consequences for Palestinians and international law. Germany is not uniquely evil among liberal democracies in offering Israel unconditional support in killing starving Palestinians. Chancellor Friedrich Merz is no more morally bereft than British Prime Minister Keir Starmer or French President Emmanuel Macron. But Germany exalts Zionist radical evil to assert its uniqueness. Germany remains as hungry for national identity as it has ever been, and nothing can stand in its way - least of all Palestinians, who appear in the German consciousness only when establishment forces fail to erase their existence. Germany's pursuit of greatness has unleashed immense violence and destruction, from genocidal conquests in Africa to two world wars and the extermination of European Jews. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Its defeat and division after World War Two, and integration into Nato and the EU, seemed to put the German threat to rest. Yet Germany has bounced back with a vengeance, thanks to economic prowess and global reordering. While it has championed the rule of law and democracy within the EU like no other, it has not hesitated to set them aside when they conflict with its core interests - whether to impose its economic model and austerity on all member states, pursue energy policy at the expense of European partners (Nord Stream 2), or break fiscal rules it had imposed on the rest. Zionist repression Germany has surpassed all European nations, restoring itself as Europe's leading power and wielding that power with little regard for easing fears of domination. Establishment forces have translated Holocaust remembrance into unconditional support for Israel, with any criticism automatically treated as antisemitism Its chief worry is how to deal with European partners begging for protection, urging it to assume greater responsibility and boost military spending. Germany is happy to oblige, proclaiming its ambition to become Europe's largest military. A German Europe, rather than a European Germany, seems like Europe's salvation. Yet Germany still lacks what every European nation, no matter how insignificant, has: national pride. Germany lost its own with the Holocaust, leaving a void that fuels a divide between revisionists seeking to "normalise" the nation and establishment forces who anchor German identity in Holocaust remembrance. Establishment forces have translated Holocaust remembrance chiefly as support for Israel, elevating its protection to a German Staatsraison (national interest) coupled with zero tolerance for criticism of Israel, which is automatically treated as antisemitism until proven otherwise. A vast network of governmental and civil society organisations is mobilised to enforce this draconian policy, which in practice amounts to systemic repression and the criminalisation of solidarity with Palestine. Even a slaughter livestreamed for over 22 months is beyond reproach, no matter that children are burned alive, buried alive, starved to death or used for target practice. Gory particularism The unspeakable horror Israel has unleashed has served as a golden opportunity for Germany to demonstrate fanatical devotion to Israel. With unwavering support for Zionist genocidaires, Germany overrides humanity's law with much the same zeal that the Nazis once unleashed spectacular cruelty to show disdain for human values. Follow Middle East Eye's live coverage of Israel's genocide in Gaza The list of German transgressions is horrifyingly long: persistent objection to ceasefire proposals; sabotaging EU efforts to adopt measures to prevent genocide; refusing calls to end a "minutely engineered, closely monitored, precisely designed mass starvation" in Gaza; blocking Palestinian initiatives at the UN; rejecting legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the Inernational Criminal Court (ICC); and even proposing to make the deliberate killing of civilians legal, obliterating the premise of international humanitarian law. Its recent arms embargo for weapons usable in Gaza omits any commitment to past or future compliance. Palestinians appear only as an amorphous "civilian population" suffering from unnamed causes. Whatever principles Germany claims stem solely from its sovereignty and magnanimity, not from universal law. These are not rogue acts but state policy, revealing a revisionist Germany that places itself above international law and its post-Nazi constitution. This virulent support for Israel is a form of gory particularism - dedication to one people by sacrificing another. Unlimited support for Israel equals unending contempt for the dignity of Palestinians. Revisionist Germany cannot serve the interests of Jews. By conflating antisemitism with anti-Zionism, Germany delegitimises the fight against actual antisemitism and silences anti-Zionist Jews, once again presuming the right to decide who the "good" Jews are. It does not serve Israel either, for backing a country in the grip of genocidal mania is the surest way to hasten its downfall, even as Palestinian lives mean nothing to either side. The proliferation of genocides dilutes Germany's unique responsibility for the Holocaust. All this when Germany could have leveraged its special relationship with Israel to save Israel from itself, despite inadvertently saving Palestinians. Racial supremacism Merz's open support for Israel's war of aggression against Iran, claiming it does "dirty work" for an undefined "us", underscores a racial supremacism that treats Israelis as tools for German aims - willing executioners in service of another's cause. Masquerading as loyalty, zealotry for Israel, in fact, rehabilitates German supremacy, evoking "Zionism uber alles" to advance "Deutschland uber alles". In praising Israel's 'dirty work', Merz exposes the orientalist roots of German genocidal Zionism Read More » Germany has given itself the liberty to wage a vicarious genocide against Palestinians as a macabre demonstration of loyalty to Israel, exploiting Holocaust responsibility to reclaim national pride. In overriding all ethical and legal norms to show devotion to Israel, it places itself above everyone else. Only Germans, it claims, can reckon with their past atrocities properly - and only they can determine what norms should apply to them or Israel. This is precisely what German philosopher Jurgen Habermas's "principles of solidarity" rationalise: mobilising atonement to displace scrutiny of Israel's atrocities into the illogical sphere, making accusations of genocidal intent against it unthinkable. Considering Habermas is heralded as the spiritual guide of post-national Germany, the alternative to neo-Nazi revisionists, we can say both forms of revisionism aim at the same goal - German supremacy - but differ on method. The radical evil Germany engages in, and the cultivation of tolerance for it, reflect not only establishment power to control the public mind but also society's failure to uphold basic norms. The grotesque fervour with which even reputable newspapers rationalise Zionist monstrosities and erase Palestinian suffering would be hard to imagine even in Orwell's world. Dark parallels We risk failing to see Germany for what it has become because Europe itself is beginning to resemble Germany in its darkest times. Across the continent, establishment forces shield Israel from accountability for atrocity crimes in exchange for absolution over their collaboration with Nazi Germany. Fascist forces weaponise support for Israel to mobilise persecution of Muslims and other minorities, gaining power with each election - often aided by democratic leaders who show the same contempt for the rule of law. Only a radical recommitment to universality can avert another descent into barbarism and protect democracy against creeping authoritarianism in Germany, Europe and beyond With the obliteration of universalism and the brutalisation of our collective conscience that Sonderweg exemplifies, Europe descends into a dark age where stigmatised populations - migrants and Muslims - fear being next in Germany's atonement list, or France's exceptional measures to disenfranchise its Muslims. Europe has never been closer to its Nazi era than it is today. With US investment in replacing democratic rule with fascist totalitarianism, we risk fulfilling Hitler's dream of a white supremacist alliance. Only a radical recommitment to universality can avert another descent into barbarism and protect democracy against creeping authoritarianism in Germany, Europe and beyond. Full accountability for collaboration with Zionist genocidaires is the first step in restoring a universal principle where all are included - without which, no one is safe. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.


Tahawul Tech
15 hours ago
- Tahawul Tech
Digital coaching emerges strategic lever for GCC workforce transformation, says WeAce
WeAce whitepaper at SPARK Dubai 2025 reveals how AI-powered mentoring is redefining leadership, nationalisation and talent retention across the region. Digital coaching is fast emerging as a cornerstone of workforce transformation strategies across the Gulf, according to new research unveiled at SPARK Dubai 2025. Hosted at The St. Regis Downtown Dubai, the exclusive forum brought together senior HR leaders, policymakers and leadership futurists to examine how leadership is evolving in a technology-enabled, inclusion-driven era. Organised by global coaching platform WeAce in partnership with SDA Bocconi School of Management, the event marked the launch of Powering Talent and Growth in the GCC, a whitepaper analysing the role of AI-powered coaching and mentoring in reshaping leadership, accelerating nationalisation and improving talent retention in the region. Once considered the preserve of senior executives, coaching is now being re-engineered as a scalable, AI-enabled solution. Platforms such as WeAce integrate multilingual interfaces, culturally relevant content and real-time analytics to create inclusive leadership development pipelines, while providing employers with measurable outcomes. 'Coaching must move beyond performance management to support purpose, wellbeing and long-term growth,' said Anuranjita Kumar, CEO and co-founder of WeAce. Key trends highlighted in the whitepaper include: AI-driven coaching adoption: By 2030, 75% of Dubai-based Fortune 500 subsidiaries are expected to use AI-powered leadership tools. Market growth: The UAE's digital coaching sector is forecast to grow from $44.6 million in 2023 to $189.3 million by 2034, at a compound annual growth rate of 14.1%. Proven ROI: Global benchmarks suggest coaching can deliver a 788% return on investment, driven by productivity and retention gains. ESG integration: By 2030, 60% of UAE leadership programmes are projected to include environmental, social and governance modules. The report also positioned digital coaching as a strategic driver for nationalisation initiatives such as Emiratisation, helping organisations build agile, future-ready leaders and attract both regional and global talent into hybrid workplaces that prioritise flexibility and growth. 'The intersection of talent, technology and trust will define competitive advantage in the Middle East,' commented Alessandro Giuliani, managing director at SDA Bocconi Asia Center. Nader Haffar, former chairman and CEO of KPMG Lower Gulf, added: 'Our future will be defined by how boldly we invest in talent, how wisely we deploy technology, and how deeply we build trust across business and society.' WeAce, active across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, combines behavioural coaching, structured mentoring and AI-powered development tools in both English and Arabic. With more than 20 enterprise clients already in the GCC, the company is scaling its solutions to support the region's long-term workforce transformation agenda.