KnowBe4 Completes Acquisition of SecurityAdvisor and Cements Vision For the Future of the Human Defense Layer for Cybersecurity

Rhea-AI Summary

KnowBe4 has successfully completed its acquisition of SecurityAdvisor, aimed at enhancing defenses against social engineering attacks, particularly ransomware. This acquisition introduces a new cybersecurity category termed Human Detection and Response (HDR), which integrates KnowBe4’s training platform with real-time user behavior analytics. HDR aims to fortify the Human Defense Layer in cybersecurity, providing Security Operations Centers (SOC) with deeper insights into user behavior to enhance security measures. The integration process will commence shortly, promising to improve overall cybersecurity effectiveness.

Positive

• Acquisition of SecurityAdvisor enhances KnowBe4's cybersecurity offerings.
• Introduction of Human Detection and Response (HDR) creates a new market category.
• Integration of real-time behavior analytics with training improves user security awareness.

Negative

• The integration process may present challenges that could delay full operational capabilities.

TAMPA BAY, Fla., Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- KnowBe4, the provider of the world's largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, today announced that it has officially closed on the acquisition of SecurityAdvisor in a move that will enable a new advancement in the fight against social engineering attacks, the primary method for ransomware infection.  

SecurityAdvisor has built more than 50 integrations to leading cybersecurity products including Crowdstrike, Zscaler, Okta, Netskope and many others, which analyze real-time user behavior that poses a potential security risk and pushes micro-learning modules to educate and inform the user in direct response to their risky behavior. Combining KnowBe4's leading platform for security awareness training and simulated phishing testing with real-time behavior analysis and micro-learning results in the creation of a new cybersecurity category called "Human Detection and Response (HDR)".

"HDR represents a significant leap forward in enabling your users to defend against the ongoing problem of social engineering attacks," said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO, KnowBe4. "We will now be able to correlate the training and testing of users with their real-world behavior to provide the Security Operations Center (SOC) with a much richer picture of your company's human firewall. This user behavior data can also be fed back to the SOC, highlighting areas for closing gaps within their current technology stack and improving the efficacy of the products that they already have in place. HDR will provide the SOC an entirely new capability that sits within the Human Defense Layer of their cyber architecture."

The Human Defense Layer represents a set of technologies, processes and policies that is focused on both defending users against attacks, as well as equipping and educating users to defend themselves and their company against the many types of social engineering attacks including phishing, business email compromise, credential theft, breached passwords and even deep fakes.

"For too long, the human layer of cybersecurity has been neglected, leaving users vulnerable and establishing a soft target for cybercriminals that they continue to leverage, leading to the plague of ransomware that we are seeing today," continued Sjouwerman. "It is time for our industry to step up and acknowledge that the Human Defense Layer must become a core pillar of the cybersecurity architecture that sits alongside endpoint, network, cloud and identity."

With the closing of the SecurityAdvisor acquisition, the first since KnowBe4 went public on the NASDAQ in April 2021, KnowBe4 looks to revolutionize the way Security Operations Centers monitor end user behavior. The next several months will be spent integrating the product into the core KnowBe4 platform, building in automation capabilities and extending the ecosystem.

For more information on KnowBe4, visit www.knowbe4.com.

About KnowBe4
KnowBe4, the provider of the world's largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 44,000 organizations around the globe. Founded by IT and data security specialist, Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security by raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud, and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security. Kevin Mitnick, an internationally recognized cybersecurity specialist and KnowBe4's Chief Hacking Officer, helped design the KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Tens of thousands of organizations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilize their end users as their last line of defense.

Media Contact
Amanda Tarantino
Public Relations Officer
KnowBe4
amandat@knowbe4.com  

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SOURCE KnowBe4

FAQ

What is the purpose of KnowBe4's acquisition of SecurityAdvisor?

The acquisition aims to enhance defenses against social engineering attacks and improve user security awareness through Human Detection and Response.

What are the key features of the Human Detection and Response (HDR) system?

HDR combines real-time user behavior analysis with training to strengthen responses to potential security threats.

When was the acquisition of SecurityAdvisor completed?

The acquisition was officially completed on November 16, 2021.

What impact will the acquisition have on KnowBe4's market position?

The acquisition is expected to position KnowBe4 as a leader in the emerging Human Defense Layer category in cybersecurity.

How does the SecurityAdvisor acquisition affect KnowBe4's existing products?

It will integrate SecurityAdvisor's capabilities into KnowBe4's platform, enhancing the overall security training and awareness offerings.