We detected 30,118 customers using Proofpoint Email Security, 1,933 companies that churned or ended their trial, and 793 customers with estimated renewals in the next 3 months. The most common industry is Financial Services (11%) and the most common company size is 51-200 employees (20%). Our methodology involves monitoring new entries and modifications to company DNS records.
Note: We can't detect companies that use Proofpoint Email Security for outbound-only encryption (very rare)
About Proofpoint Email Security
Proofpoint Email Security detects and blocks email threats including phishing, business email compromise, ransomware, and malware using AI-powered threat detection and multi-layered security. The platform integrates with Microsoft and Google environments to protect users across email and collaboration tools like Teams, Slack, and SharePoint while preventing data loss through advanced machine learning.
📊 Who in an organization decides to buy or use Proofpoint Email Security?
Source: Analysis of 100 job postings that mention Proofpoint Email Security
Job titles that mention Proofpoint Email Security
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Based on an analysis of job titles from postings that mention Proofpoint Email Security.
Job Title
Share
Security Engineer
22%
Systems Administrator
18%
Email Security Engineer
12%
Security Analyst
10%
My analysis shows Proofpoint Email Security is purchased by security and IT leadership, though the postings focus heavily on the practitioners. Security Engineers (22%) and Systems Administrators (18%) dominate the hiring landscape, followed by specialized Email Security Engineers (12%) and Security Analysts (10%). These roles report to Security Managers, Infrastructure Managers, and CISOs who control purchasing decisions. The strategic priorities are clear: organizations want to defend against phishing, business email compromise, and malware while maintaining compliance with regulatory standards.
Day-to-day users are technical practitioners who configure policies, investigate incidents, and manage mail flow. They spend their time tuning security rules, analyzing threat intelligence, responding to phishing attempts, and integrating Proofpoint with Microsoft 365 environments. Many roles combine Proofpoint administration with broader responsibilities like managing firewalls, endpoint security, and SIEM platforms. The hands-on work involves monitoring dashboards, remediating threats, and ensuring email delivery remains reliable while blocking malicious content.
The pain points center on staying ahead of sophisticated threats while reducing operational friction. Companies seek professionals who can "protect against phishing, business email compromise, and data loss threats" and "take our defenses to the next level." One posting emphasizes the need to "safeguard the enterprise against cyber security threats" with "expert-level knowledge of email security." Another highlights "protecting their greatest assets and biggest security risk: their people." These phrases reveal that organizations view email as their primary attack vector and need skilled engineers to protect users without disrupting business operations.
🔧 What other technologies do Proofpoint Email Security customers also use?
Source: Analysis of tech stacks from 30,118 companies that use Proofpoint Email Security
Commonly Paired Technologies
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Shows how much more likely Proofpoint Email Security customers are to use each tool compared to the general population. For example, 287x means customers are 287 times more likely to use that tool.
I noticed that Proofpoint Email Security users are typically mature, security-conscious enterprises that operate in highly regulated environments. The presence of tools like OneTrust for consent management, Zscaler for secure access, and Akamai for content delivery tells me these companies take compliance and data protection seriously. They're managing complex operations at scale, likely with distributed workforces and significant regulatory requirements around customer data.
The pairing of Proofpoint with Docusign's Agreement Management platform is particularly telling. These companies aren't just signing documents, they're managing sophisticated contract workflows that require both security and audit trails. Add in Smartsheet appearing 174 times more often, and I see organizations that need to coordinate complex projects across multiple teams while maintaining strict security protocols. The Zscaler correlation makes perfect sense here too. If you're protecting email with Proofpoint, you're probably also implementing zero-trust network access for remote workers.
My analysis shows these are established, sales-led organizations in their growth or maturity stage. The Smartsheet and Docusign combination suggests lengthy sales cycles with multiple stakeholders involved in deal approvals. These aren't product-led startups experimenting with freemium models. They're companies closing enterprise deals that require legal review, security assessments, and formal procurement processes. The investment in comprehensive security infrastructure (Proofpoint, Zscaler, Akamai) indicates they have the budget and risk profile of mid-market to enterprise businesses, likely in financial services, healthcare, or professional services.
👥 What types of companies is most likely to use Proofpoint Email Security?
Source: Analysis of Linkedin bios of 30,118 companies that use Proofpoint Email Security
Company Characteristics
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Shows how much more likely Proofpoint Email Security customers are to have each trait compared to all companies. For example, 2.0x means customers are twice as likely to have that characteristic.
Trait
Likelihood
Funding Stage: Post IPO debt
14.9x
Industry: Banking
10.4x
Company Size: 1,001-5,000
9.9x
Funding Stage: Series C
9.4x
Funding Stage: Private equity
8.6x
Company Size: 5,001-10,000
7.2x
I noticed that Proofpoint Email Security users span an incredibly diverse range of industries, but they share a common thread: these are organizations handling sensitive operations that can't afford communication disruptions. I'm seeing healthcare systems managing patient data, financial institutions processing transactions, government agencies overseeing public services, manufacturers producing critical components, and retailers operating extensive supply chains. These aren't just companies with email accounts. They're organizations where a security breach or communication failure could impact thousands of people, disrupt essential services, or compromise regulated data.
The scale signals are unmistakable. I'm looking at enterprises with 500+ employees dominating this list, many with 1,000+ or even 10,000+ team members. Multiple locations, national or international operations, and references to serving "millions" of customers or patients are common. While there are some smaller firms in the 50-200 employee range, even these describe themselves as established players with years of operational history rather than startups in growth mode.
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