Proofpoint has closed its USD 1.8 billion acquisition of Germany-based Hornetsecurity, taking a step forward in its Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Small to Midsize Businesses (SMBs) strategy.
Announced Dec. 8, 2025, the transaction establishes Hornetsecurity as a dedicated business unit within Proofpoint, with a continued focus on Microsoft 365 security, data protection, and compliance technologies.
Hornetsecurity brings a substantial European footprint, supporting more than 125,000 customers through over 12,000 MSPs and channel partners. The company reports nearly USD 200 million in ARR, growing at 20% year-over-year (YoY).
Proofpoint said the acquisition will help broaden its reach in markets where organizations rely on outsourced security services and seek more consolidated cloud protections.
Expanded Coverage for Microsoft 365 Environments
Hornetsecurity’s primary offering, 365 Total Protection, combines email security, backup, compliance tools, security awareness training, and access controls into a single, multi-tenant console for MSPs.
The approach aims to reduce the overhead associated with managing multiple point products, particularly in companies where Microsoft 365 is the core productivity platform.
Hornetsecurity founder and CEO Daniel Hofmann will lead the new MSP Platform business unit as executive vice president and general manager. Proofpoint stated that existing products, partner programs, and support channels will remain in place, with access to additional threat research and intelligence resources over time.
For MSPs and SMBs, the acquisition indicates continued investment in Microsoft 365 security, backup, and compliance capabilities.
“We’re thrilled to officially welcome Hornetsecurity to Proofpoint and further our mission to protect the emerging agentic workspace for customers of every size,” said Proofpoint CEO Sumit Dhawan.
“As threats grow faster and more targeted, our combined expertise will raise the bar for innovation and resilience—helping customers and partners worldwide safeguard what matters most.”
More broadly, the move reflects ongoing consolidation in the cloud email and identity security market, where providers are seeking to simplify how customers manage threats, misconfigurations, and user-related risks across distributed environments.
