The Defence Works

What The Defence Works does

The Defence Works was a UK-based security awareness training provider founded in 2017 and headquartered in Salford. It built a subscription-based platform that delivered phishing simulation, personalized learning content, and behavioral metrics benchmarking to organizations seeking to address the human-element risk in cybersecurity. The product was organized around the proprietary ACE framework, which guided customers through assessing user vulnerability, changing risky behavior, and evaluating program impact over time.

The company was acquired by Proofpoint, a US-based cybersecurity vendor headquartered in Sunnyvale, and has been fully integrated into Proofpoint's portfolio as Proofpoint Security Awareness Training (with the ZenGuide module providing risk-based content delivery). Under Proofpoint, the product is sold via enterprise field sales, channel partners, an MSP program, and technology alliance partners, with verticalized go-to-market motions targeting federal government, higher education, healthcare, financial services, state and local government, and SMBs. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and customers engage through "Contact Sales" and "Request a Demo" flows. As a standalone entity, The Defence Works is no longer operating independently; its products and methodology now form one component of Proofpoint's broader human-centric security platform.

Name

The Defence Works

Legal name

The Defence Works

Website

https://thedefenceworks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Defence Works was a UK-based security awareness training SaaS founded in 2017 that delivered phishing simulation and behavior-change programs to enterprises; it has been fully absorbed into Proofpoint as Proofpoint Security Awareness Training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Security Awareness Training

NAICS

Computer Training (611420)

akta.pro primary industry

Phishing, Social Engineering & Business Email Compromise (BEC) Training (EDABAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Security Awareness & Phishing Simulation (Email/Collab-focused) (HDADAKAJ)

Keywords

• Security awareness training
• Phishing simulation
• Cyber behavior change
• Security education platform
• Human risk management

Headquarters

HQ city

Salford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Security Awareness Training Subscription: Proofpoint Security Awareness Training (formerly The Defence Works) operates as a subscription-based security awareness training platform. The ACE framework enables organizations to assess vulnerability, change behavior, and evaluate program impact, suggesting a recurring revenue model typical of enterprise security training solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Defence Works provides a security awareness training platform that assesses user vulnerability through realistic phishing simulations, changes user behavior via personalized learning content, and evaluates program impact using behavioral metrics and benchmarking. Delivered primarily through the proprietary ACE framework and Proofpoint ZenGuide module, it serves enterprise and government organizations seeking to reduce human-targeted cyber risk.

Product overview

Proofpoint Security Awareness Training (previously The Defence Works) is a security awareness education platform that provides a holistic approach to user education through the ACE framework: Assess user vulnerability via phishing simulation, Change user behavior through personalized learning experiences and positive reporting reinforcement, and Evaluate program impact using behavioral metrics and benchmarking data. The core product operates alongside the ZenGuide module for targeted training delivery. This offering is part of Proofpoint's broader security portfolio that includes email protection, data loss prevention, AI security, and collaboration security solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Proofpoint Security Awareness Training (formerly The Defence Works) A holistic security awareness education platform that assesses user vulnerability through phishing simulation, changes user behavior via personalized learning, and evaluates program impact using behavioral metrics and benchmarking data, based on the proprietary ACE (Assess, Change, Evaluate) framework. Targeted at enterprise organizations seeking to reduce human-targeted cyber risk.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 60% of working adults do not know what phishing is, highlighting the critical need for security awareness training

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ProofpointflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerProofpoint acquired The Defence Works, an innovator in security awareness education. The Defence Works is now fully integrated as Proofpoint Security Awareness Training, combining Proofpoint's threat intelligence with The Defence Works' training methodology using the ACE framework (Assess, Change, Evaluate).

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Infosec IQ: Infosec IQ, the security awareness training division of Infosec Institute, delivers phishing simulation, compliance training, and behavior-based learning for enterprises. It is a direct peer offering subscription-based security awareness training with similar use cases around user vulnerability assessment and behavior change.
• NINJIO: NINJIO provides security awareness training using short, episodic content based on real breach stories, with phishing simulation and reporting tools. It competes in the same enterprise security awareness category as The Defence Works, offering subscription-based training with CISO-friendly metrics.
• KnowBe4: KnowBe4 is the market-leading security awareness training and phishing simulation platform, serving enterprise customers globally. It is the most directly comparable competitor to The Defence Works/Proofpoint Security Awareness Training, with overlapping phishing simulation, training content, and behavior-change methodologies.
• Cofense: Cofense (formerly PhishMe) provides phishing defense, simulation, and intelligence solutions focused on the human layer. It directly competes with The Defence Works in phishing simulation and suspicious email reporting, serving enterprise security teams with comparable subscription-based offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Microsoft Attack Simulation Training: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Attack Simulation Training offers built-in phishing simulation and security awareness content to Microsoft 365 enterprise customers. As a broad incumbent, Microsoft bundles awareness training into its larger productivity and security ecosystem, competing with The Defence Works on price and integration within M365 shops.
• Sophos Phish Threat: Sophos Phish Threat is the phishing simulation and awareness training component of the broader Sophos security portfolio. As a broad incumbent, Sophos offers awareness training alongside endpoint, network, and email security products, competing with The Defence Works especially among mid-market customers.

Emerging players

• AwareGO: AwareGO delivers security awareness training focused on human behavior change through short, scenario-based video content and simulations. It targets SMB and mid-market customers seeking enterprise-style awareness training, overlapping with The Defence Works' mission of building sustainable security habits.
• Hoxhunt: Hoxhunt is a security awareness and phishing simulation platform with a gamified, AI-personalized approach that adapts training frequency and content to individual user risk profiles. It targets enterprise security teams with behavior-change objectives similar to The Defence Works' ACE framework.
• CybSafe: CybSafe is a cloud-based security awareness and human risk management platform that combines training, phishing simulation, and behavioral analytics. It targets enterprise CISOs seeking measurable security culture improvement, directly overlapping with The Defence Works' behavioral metrics and benchmarking capabilities.
• Phished: Phished is an AI-driven security awareness and phishing simulation platform that automates personalized training journeys. It competes with The Defence Works in subscription-based enterprise awareness training, with comparable behavior-change objectives and CISO reporting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheDefenceWorks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIvtJgsrUzFo90NKeiVozhQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/proofpoint
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/proofpoint
• Instagraminstagram.com/proofpoint

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Defence Works