Mimecast completes acquisition of AI collaboration security platform, Aware

Human Risk Management (HRM) platform, Mimecast, has the acquisition of Aware, an AI collaboration security platform. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The deal follows hot on the heels of Mimecast’s acquisition of threat management and data loss prevention, Code42, in late July.

It signifies further ambition by Mimecast to provide a single platform and revolutionize solutions to the expanded “human attack surface” that “legacy tools weren’t built to understand”, the provider noted in a statement announcing the deal.

The provider also highlighted the role of collaboration tools – such as Slack and Microsoft Teams – have in the increasing volume of security risks faced by organizations.

"This vulnerability can lead to “security gaps, blind spots, and missing context, and exposing businesses to the risk of regulatory fines, reputational damage, and loss of valuable intellectual property”, Mimecast stated.

The Aware platform uses targeted AI models to identify risks found within unstructured data – information that doesn't have a predetermined structure or format – to prevent the loss of sensitive data, improve compliance, and mitigate human risk factors.

HR the gateway to information goldmines

Alongside the acquisition of Code42, the latest deal builds on Mimecast’s acquisition of Elevate at Security at the start of 2024, as well as the adoption of its new Human Risk Management platform.

This marks a significant departure from Mimecast’s historic focus on endpoint device security to a strategy of acquiring specialist technology providers for particular human risk vulnerabilities.

Speaking to UNLEASH, Mimecast CEO Marc Van Zadelhoff says the “stark reality” is that HR departments have become “lucrative targets” for cybercriminals.

These departments serve as gateways to a goldmine of sensitive information, including Private Personal Information such as home addresses, bank details, dates of birth and National Insurance numbers and much more”, Van Zadelhoff explains.These departments serve as gateways to a goldmine of sensitive information, including Private Personal Information such as home addresses, bank details, dates of birth and National Insurance numbers and much more”, Van Zadelhoff explains.

Meanwhile, increased adoption of remote and hybrid working models also allow cybercriminals to breach security defenses via collaboration tools, he adds.

Hence, the acquisition of Aware to address this specific vulnerability.

“Securing human risk must be the cornerstone of our cybersecurity efforts and our acquisition of Aware will allow us to seamlessly integrate with the collaboration tools that organizations rely on,” Van Zadelhoff tells UNLEASH.

“It follows hot on the heels of our recent acquisition of Code42, which allows security professionals to protect corporate data and reduce data loss from insiders, and all while fostering an open and collaborative culture for employees.”