Proofpoint acquires Acuvity to tackle the security risks of agentic AI | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"Proofpoint has acquired AI security startup Acuvity to govern the "agentic workspace." The deal follows a wave of consolidation in the AI cybersecurity market.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/proofpoint-acuvity-deal-agentic-ai-security\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Proofpoint acquires Acuvity to tackle the security risks of agentic AI\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Proofpoint has acquired AI security startup Acuvity to govern the "agentic workspace." The deal follows a wave of consolidation in the AI cybersecurity market.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/proofpoint-acuvity-deal-agentic-ai-security\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-13T00:04:18+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-13T00:04:21+00:00\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"Greg Otto\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\"> <meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg\"> <meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gregotto\"> <meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@CyberScoopNews\">  <link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/securepubads.g.doubleclick.net\">\n<link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" 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readability=\"25.78024691358\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"34.984615384615\">\n<p> Proofpoint is snapping up the startup to solve the industry\u2019s newest headache: knowing what your autonomous AI is actually doing. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/87784\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg 4943w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> (Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"31.740414654928\"><body readability=\"65.226408572416\"><\/p>\n<p>Proofpoint announced Thursday it has acquired Acuvity, an AI security startup, as the cybersecurity company moves to address security risks stemming from widespread corporate adoption of agentic AI.<\/p>\n<p>The acquisition strengthens <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/tag\/proofpoint\/\">Proofpoint<\/a>\u2018s capabilities in monitoring and securing AI-powered systems that are increasingly handling sensitive business functions across enterprises. <\/p>\n<p>Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Ryan Kalember, Proofpoint\u2019s chief strategy officer, told CyberScoop that the acquisition was beyond a pure \u201ctechnology acquisition,\u201d with Acuvity\u2019s engineering team slated to join the California-based company. <\/p>\n<p>Acuvity specializes in visibility and governance for <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/tag\/artificial-intelligence-ai\/\">AI<\/a> applications, including the ability to track how employees and automated systems interact with external AI services and protect custom AI models developed within organizations. The startup\u2019s platform monitors AI usage across multiple deployments, from web browsers to specialized infrastructure including Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and locally installed AI tools.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The deal reflects growing concern among enterprises about security gaps created as organizations deploy agentic AI across departments, like software development, customer support, finance, and legal operations. These systems increasingly access sensitive data and execute tasks previously handled exclusively by humans.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, AI-specific attack vectors such as <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/tag\/prompt-injection\/\">prompt injection<\/a> and model manipulation have emerged as potential threats that traditional cybersecurity tools were not designed to address.<\/p>\n<p>Kalember said CISOs are seeing the potential risk combined with agentic AI growth, and are sensing the need to maintain governance without impeding innovation, particularly as the pace of AI adoption has outstripped many companies\u2019 ability to secure these systems effectively.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt has definitely been a pivot from, \u2018I got to be able to stop prompt injection\u2019 to \u2018I have to be able to figure out what the AI is even doing,\u2019\u201d he told CyberScoop.<\/p>\n<p>Last May, Proofpoint acquired Hornetsecurity Group, a Germany-based provider of Microsoft 365 security services, <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/proofpoint-to-acquire-hornetsecurity-for-over-1-billion\/\">in a deal<\/a> reportedly valued at more than $1 billion. Kalember told CyberScoop he sees Acuvity helping small- and medium-sized organizations that leverage Hornetsecurity\u2019s offerings to boost its AI security. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThat is going to be a world in which, independent of the size of the organization, they are going to very much leverage AI, and some of that will be built into the tools like M365 that is tightly coupled with the Hornetsecurity architecture,\u201d Kalember said.<\/p>\n<p>The acquisition follows a theme within the industry where <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/zscaler-splx-acquistion\/\">larger security companies<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/bugcrowd-mayhem-security-acquistion-ai-security-testing\/\">are buying<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/veeam-securiti-ai-acquisition\/\">AI-focused security startups<\/a>. Just last week, data security firm Varonis <a href=\"https:\/\/www.varonis.com\/blog\/varonis-acquires-alltrue-ai-security\">acquired<\/a> AI security firm <a href=\"http:\/\/alltrue.ai\">AllTrue.ai<\/a> for $150 million. <\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.6674641148325\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"14\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Greg Otto\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Greg Otto<\/h4>\n<p> Greg Otto is Editor-in-Chief of CyberScoop, overseeing all editorial content for the website. Greg has led cybersecurity coverage that has won various awards, including accolades from the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Society of Business Publication Editors. Prior to joining Scoop News Group, Greg worked for the Washington Business Journal, U.S. News & World Report and WTOP Radio. He has a degree in broadcast journalism from Temple University. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__container\">\n<h2 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{"id":8348,"date":"2026-02-12T18:04:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T00:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=87784"},"modified":"2026-02-12T18:04:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T00:04:18","slug":"proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2026\/02\/12\/proofpoint-acquires-acuvity-to-tackle-the-security-risks-of-agentic-ai\/","title":{"rendered":"Proofpoint acquires Acuvity to tackle the security risks of agentic AI"},"content":{"rendered":"