Egress Software Technologies

Egress Software Technologies, founded in London in 2007, is a cybersecurity firm specializing in human-layer security for email. The company was established by CEO Tony Pepper, COO Neil Larkins, and CSO John Goodyear. The founding team previously worked together at Reflex Magnetics, a data security company that was later acquired by Check Point Software Technologies. This shared experience in the data security sector provided the foundation for Egress, which they launched to address the growing trend of data sharing via email. Pepper, originally a Politics graduate, transitioned into technology by earning a Master's in Software Engineering, while Larkins holds a degree in Engineering.

The company's core business revolves around its Intelligent Email Security platform, which is designed to mitigate insider risk and defend against sophisticated inbound and outbound email threats. Egress operates on the principle that people are often the most significant security risk, whether through accidental mistakes, hacking, or rule-breaking. To address this, the platform utilizes contextual machine learning and neural networks to analyze user behavior, identify anomalies, and dynamically adapt policy controls to prevent data breaches before they occur. The suite of products includes Egress Defend, which stops advanced phishing attacks; Egress Prevent, which mitigates misdirected emails and data exfiltration; and Egress Protect, which provides government-certified email encryption. The company serves a diverse client base, including government agencies and financial institutions, through a subscription-based model and partnerships with Value Added Resellers (VARs) and Managed Service Providers (MSPs).

Egress has marked its growth with several key milestones. In March 2010, it launched its first product, Egress Switch (now Egress Protect). The company secured Series A funding in February 2014 and a significant $40 million Series C round in December 2018, led by FTV Capital and Albion VC, which fueled a period of hyper-growth. A notable strategic move was the 2021 acquisition of Aquilai, an anti-phishing provider, which led to the launch of Egress Defend. In April 2024, it was announced that Egress would be acquired by KnowBe4, a major provider of security awareness training. The acquisition, completed in July 2024, aims to create a single, integrated platform that combines AI-based email security with tailored training to manage human risk more effectively.

Keywords: email security, human layer security, data loss prevention, anti-phishing, email encryption, insider risk management, cybersecurity, cloud email security, machine learning, data protection, compliance, threat intelligence, secure file sharing, data security, KnowBe4, adaptive security, secure collaboration, unstructured data protection, contextual machine learning, AI-driven security, human-activated breaches