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Imperva

Sam Ingalls
Last Updated January 25, 2022 5:41 am
The Imperva logo.

Imperva is a cybersecurity company focused on protecting web applications, APIs, data, cloud networks, and edge networks for business clients. With two decades of experience, Imperva is an industry-recognized enterprise security vendor in application security.

This article looks at Imperva’s products and solutions, competitors, partner ecosystem, recognition, and vendor background.

Imperva Products and Solutions

Imperva’s products and solutions are available as standalone solutions or combined to form the vendor’s Sonar Platform for securing applications, data, and edge networks. Together, Sonar offers comprehensive security with orchestration, analysis, and automation capabilities.

Application Security

Imperva’s application security suite is the vendor’s specialty, offering web application firewalls (WAF), API security, and protection for advanced bot attacks, client-side attacks, runtime application risks, and serverless functions.

  • WAF: protection against web application attacks and access to global SOC
  • API Security: detect vulnerabilities in apps and protect APIs
  • Advanced Bot Protection: protection against attacks affecting traffic flows
  • Client-Side Protection: prevent JavaScript service poisoning and data breaches
  • Runtime App Self-Protection: built-in runtime environments security
  • Serverless Protection: guard and remediate serverless function vulnerabilities
Read more: Top Web Application Firewall (WAF) Solutions 2022

Data Security

Imperva’s data security solutions cover user behavior analytics, privacy and risk management, and cloud infrastructure for enterprise organizations.

  • Data User Behavior Analytics: detect malicious and non-compliant user behavior
  • Data Privacy: automate and maintain data privacy compliance 
  • Database Risk & Compliance: on-premises and cloud risk visibility and protection
  • Cloud Data Protection: multi-cloud and hybrid DBaaS
  • Cloud Data Security: cloud data protection for AWS and Azure networks
A screenshot of the Sonar platform's edge security dashboard shows performance, traffic, and request data.
The Sonar platform’s edge security dashboard shows performance, traffic, and request data.

Edge Security

As organizations adopt edge networks with a multitude of IoT devices and 5G connectivity, Imperva’s edge security solutions include protection against DNS and DDoS attacks and securing content delivery networks (CDN).

Also read: Top Edge Computing Companies for 2022 | CIO Insight

Imperva Competitors

Imperva Partner Ecosystem

Imperva’s offerings include options for channel partners and managed security service providers (MSSPs) to deliver the vendor’s cybersecurity solutions or technology alliance partners to integrate technologies for unique solutions. 

Channel Partner Program

Indirect sales partners can join the Imperva Partner Program for partner-sourced deals and deal registration, market development funds (MDF), and sales support while selling the vendor’s industry-recognized products. Channel partners can move through the vendor’s tiered system (Silver, Gold, Platinum) for even more benefits. Imperva currently boasts over 500 channel partners in 70 countries.

Managed Security Service Provider Program

Imperva also offers its products and platform to managed security service providers helping business clients downstream. The MSSP program comes with a service creation commitment, flexible partner engagement tiers, and a scalable pricing methodology aligned with the industry.

Read more: Top Database Security Solutions for 2022 | eSecurity Planet

Technology Alliance Program (TAP)

For security technology vendors, the Imperva Technology Alliance Program (TAP) helps partners integrate the company’s technologies into custom solutions.

Imperva’s TAP partners include 40 reputable IT vendors, including AWS, BMC Software, CA Technologies, Cisco, Cloudera, Cyberark, FireEye, HPE, IBM, LogRhythm, Microsoft, Oracle, Proofpoint, Qualys, Rapid7, Red Hat, SAP, Splunk, Teradata, and VMware.

A screenshot of the SecureSphere Audit dashboard offers to monitor data access for GDPR compliance.
The SecureSphere Audit dashboard offers to monitor data access for GDPR compliance.

Recognition and Reviews

Gartner Magic Quadrant and Peer Insights

Imperva has one of the longest active streaks on the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Web Application Firewalls – positioned as a Leader every since 2014.

On Gartner Peer Insights, Imperva holds an average score of 4.6 / 5 stars with 329 reviews for the Web Application and API Protection solution category. Customer reviews highlight improved compliance and risk management, business process outcomes, cost management, and added efficiencies.

The Forrester Wave

Forrester CategoryQuarterPosition
DDoS Mitigation SolutionsQ1 2021Leader
Bot ManagementQ1 2020Leader
Runtime Application Self-ProtectionQ1 2018Leader*
*via the acquisition of Prevoty, now Imperva RASP
Also read: A Guide to DevSecOps: What is it and Why is it Required? | ENP

Imperva: Company Background

Ten years after Check Point Software Technologies took the information security industry by storm, co-founder Shlomo Kramer and entrepreneurs Amichai Shulman and Mickey Boodaei launched WEBcohort in 2002. Rebranded to Imperva in 2004, its first product was its flagship WAF solution.

In 2021, the San Mateo, California-based company had more than 1,700 employees across 30 offices locations in 19 countries. Imperva currently serves over 6,200 enterprise clients in 150 countries.

Growth, Acquisitions, and Financials

Imperva has acquired eight companies in its two-decade history, including Skyfense, Incapsula, Camouflage, Prevoty, Distill Networks, and jSonar. In 2017, the company sold its cloud access security broker (CASB) solution Skyfence to Forcepoint for $40 million.

In 2011, Imperva was listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker IMPV. Private equity firm Thoma Bravo acquired Imperva for $2.1 billion in January 2019.

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