ObserveIT
ObserveIT provided insider threat management software combining behavioral analytics with first-party endpoint visibility for enterprise security teams. Acquired by Proofpoint in 2019 and rebranded as Proofpoint Insider Threat Management in 2021.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What ObserveIT does
ObserveIT, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Boston, built an insider threat management platform that combined behavioral analytics with first-party endpoint visibility to correlate user activity and data movement, enabling enterprise security teams to identify risky behavior by careless, malicious, or compromised users and to accelerate incident response. Following its 2019 acquisition by Proofpoint, the product was rebranded 'Proofpoint Insider Threat Management' in 2021 and integrated into Proofpoint's Data Security and Governance portfolio, sitting alongside Enterprise DLP, Adaptive Email DLP, Data Security Posture Management, and Digital Communications Governance on the Proofpoint Nexus/Zen/Satori platform layer.
The product was historically sold via enterprise field sales, a free trial evaluation path, and a three-tier partner program (Channel Partners & Distributors, MSP Partners, Technology and Alliance Partners), with quote-based annual or multi-year subscription contracts. Revenue derives from recurring software licensing plus professional services (Advisory Services, Applied Services). Target segments span Federal Government (FedRAMP-certified), Higher Education, Healthcare, Financial Services, State and Local Government, ISPs, and SMBs, with localized presence across North America, EMEA, APAC, and Latin America.
Since the Proofpoint acquisition, the business no longer operates as a standalone company; standalone financials are not disclosed. Capital raised prior to acquisition totaled approximately $53M across three venture rounds (2013, April 2018, July 2018) from investors including Bain Capital Ventures, NightDragon, Spring Lake Equity Partners, and MDI Ventures. Pre-acquisition headcount was 51-100, with named leaders including an SVP Products & Strategy and a VP Finance.
ObserveIT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ObserveIT
- Legal name
- Proofpoint, Inc.
- Website
- https://observeit.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- ObserveIT provided insider threat management software combining behavioral analytics with first-party endpoint visibility for enterprise security teams. Acquired by Proofpoint in 2019 and rebranded as Proofpoint Insider Threat Management in 2021.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ObserveIT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Insider Threat Management Software
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Insider Threat Program Design & Risk Assessments (BPAKADAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Security Analytics & Detection Engineering (HDADAGAE), Endpoint Security for End Users (EDR/XDR, Patch/Vuln, Zero Trust Endpoint) (BPAEAIAG)
Keywords
Where ObserveIT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ObserveIT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Insider Threat Management Software: Subscription-based software licensing for insider threat management capabilities, including endpoint visibility, behavioral analytics, and incident response tools. Revenue generated through annual or multi-year contracts with enterprise customers.
- Professional Services: Advisory Services and Applied Services providing expert guidance, hands-on execution, and measurable impact for customers implementing Proofpoint solutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise subscription with full feature access |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free trial available for evaluation |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels12 records
ObserveIT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ObserveIT (now branded Proofpoint Insider Threat Management) provides an insider threat management software platform that combines behavioral analytics with first-party endpoint visibility to correlate user activity and data movement. The platform enables enterprise security teams to identify risky behavior by careless, malicious, or compromised users, detect insider-led data breaches, and accelerate incident response times.
Product overview
ObserveIT is now Proofpoint Insider Threat Management, representing a rebranded core product within Proofpoint's broader Data Security and Governance portfolio. The product is part of a platform-plus-modules architecture where the core Insider Threat Management solution correlates user activity and endpoint data to detect insider threats. It integrates with other Proofpoint modules including Enterprise DLP, Data Security Posture Management, Adaptive Email DLP, and Digital Communications Governance. These products are supported by Proofpoint's unified platform layer (Proofpoint Nexus, Proofpoint Zen, and Proofpoint Satori) which provides AI-powered threat intelligence and security operations capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Proofpoint Insider Threat Management (formerly ObserveIT) A security solution that provides visibility into risky behavior by careless, malicious, and compromised users by correlating activity and data movement with first-party endpoint visibility. Helps enterprise security teams identify user risk, detect insider-led data breaches, and accelerate incident response time, reportedly reducing MTTD and costs by up to 56%.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces costs and time to response by 56%, leading to positive ROI within five months of purchase
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ObserveIT
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ObserveIT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
ObserveIT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Channel Partners & DistributorscoreReseller and distribution partners that sell and distribute Proofpoint security solutions including Insider Threat Management to end customers. Partners access dedicated Partner Portal with tools and credentials.
- MSP PartnerscoreManaged Service Provider partners that deliver Proofpoint security solutions as a managed service offering to mid-market customers who prefer subscription-based security services.
- Technology and Alliance PartnerscoreTechnology integration partners providing interoperability and ecosystem connectivity for Proofpoint security platform. Includes technology alliance partners enabling integrated security workflows.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ObserveIT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Proofpoint: Parent company and broader security platform owner; ObserveIT now operates as Proofpoint Insider Threat Management within Proofpoint's human-centric security portfolio, sharing threat intelligence and customer base.
- Microsoft Purview (Insider Risk Management): Microsoft's integrated insider risk management capability bundled into the Microsoft 365 E5 stack; competes with Proofpoint ITM primarily through bundling leverage and existing Microsoft enterprise relationships.
- CrowdStrike (Falcon Insider Threat): Endpoint security platform with an insider threat / UEBA module; competes via a single-agent architecture and broader Falcon platform reach, appealing to customers consolidating on CrowdStrike.
- Palo Alto Networks (Cortex): Broad cybersecurity platform with Cortex XDR and associated UEBA/insider risk capabilities; competes with Proofpoint ITM as a platform-level alternative for enterprises consolidating security spend.
Direct peers
- Code42: Insider risk and data loss detection vendor focused on file movement and user activity monitoring for enterprises, directly competing in the same insider threat category with similar behavioral analytics and endpoint visibility.
- Digital Guardian: Endpoint DLP and insider threat prevention vendor with agent-based monitoring of user behavior and data movement; competes head-to-head with Proofpoint ITM in regulated and IP-sensitive environments.
- Forcepoint: Insider threat and data security vendor combining user behavior analytics with DLP, serving government and enterprise customers in the same category as Proofpoint ITM.
Emerging players
- Splunk (UEBA): User behavior analytics capabilities within the Splunk security platform that overlap with insider threat detection; typically integrated by SOC teams alongside or instead of dedicated insider risk products.
- Cyberhaven: Data detection and response (DDR) vendor tracing sensitive data lineage across endpoints, cloud, and SaaS; competes in the emerging insider risk and data movement category adjacent to Proofpoint ITM.
- Egnyte: Data security posture and insider risk platform focused on file collaboration environments; competes for the same buyer persona around sensitive data governance and insider-driven leakage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ObserveIT social profiles
Digital presenceObserveIT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ObserveIT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
ObserveIT subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
ObserveIT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ObserveIT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ObserveIT
What does ObserveIT do?
ObserveIT (now branded Proofpoint Insider Threat Management) provides an insider threat management software platform that combines behavioral analytics with first-party endpoint visibility to correlate user activity and data movement. The platform enables enterprise security teams to identify risky behavior by careless, malicious, or compromised users, detect insider-led data breaches, and accelerate incident response times.
Is ObserveIT a public or private company?
ObserveIT is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was ObserveIT founded?
ObserveIT was founded in 2002. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is ObserveIT based?
ObserveIT is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does ObserveIT make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Insider Threat Management Software is the primary driver. The others are professional Services.
Who are ObserveIT's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Proofpoint, Microsoft Purview (Insider Risk Management), CrowdStrike (Falcon Insider Threat) and Palo Alto Networks (Cortex). Direct peers are Code42, Digital Guardian and Forcepoint. Emerging players are Splunk (UEBA), Cyberhaven and Egnyte.
Does ObserveIT have an API?
No public API is recorded for ObserveIT.
What industry is ObserveIT in?
ObserveIT's product category is Insider Threat Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAKADAM, Insider Threat Program Design & Risk Assessments, with a secondary code of HDADAGAE, Security Analytics & Detection Engineering. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7370.