Proofpoint Expands AI Security Offerings With Acuvity Acquisition - crn.com

HOME ▸ NEWS ▸ SECURITY ▸ 2026 ▸ PROOFPOINT EXPANDS AI SECURITY OFFERINGS WITH ACUVITY ACQUISITION Security Proofpoint Expands AI Security Offerings With Acuvity Acquisition BY KYLE ALSPACH FEBRUARY 12, 2026, 1:33 PM EST The cybersecurity vendor says the acquisition will bolster its capabilities around governance and control for AI agents. SHARE THIS 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 ‘Watershed’ $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 “purpose-built” 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 startup’s 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 industry’s first platform capable of “comprehensively” protecting all segments of the “agentic workspace.” The acquisition follows the completion of Proofpoint’s $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 “watershed moment” that sets the stage for massive new MSP opportunities with Proofpoint in the U.S. KYLE ALSPACH Kyle Alspach is a Senior Editor at CRN focused on cybersecurity. His coverage spans news, analysis and deep dives on the cybersecurity industry, with a focus on fast-growing segments such as security operations, AI security and identity protection. He can be reached at kalspach@thechannelcompany.com Cybersecurity Managed Service Providers SaaS AI Generative AI Mergers and acquisitions AI Agents Five Companies That Came To Win This Week How Dropzone AI Is Bringing A ‘Software-Only’ Approach To Agentic SOC: CEO AI Innovation Unveiled: 14 Vendor Partners Helping Shape The Future Of Enterprise AI At Nvidia GTC 2026 Accenture CEO: AI Tools Are Helping Us ‘Become The Most AI-Enabled Company In The World’ How Lenovo Is Helping Businesses Turn AI Strategy into Real-World Results TO TOP