CyberHound

CyberHound is the trading identity of an Australian technology company formerly known as Netbox Blue Pty Ltd. The business was founded in Brisbane in 1999 by John Oxnam, Justin Cook and Trent Davis and developed products for controlling, filtering and securing internet and email traffic. Its solutions have been directed particularly at organizations that need centralized policy enforcement, content control, reporting and protection against online threats, including schools, small and medium-sized businesses and other institutional users. The company is privately held and has been headquartered in Fortitude Valley, Queensland. Its product history is associated with appliance-based and virtualized security systems rather than with consumer software sold directly to individuals. The platform has combined several functions that are commonly purchased separately: web-category filtering, email and spam filtering, antivirus protection, firewall capabilities, internet quota administration, compliance monitoring and management of online communications. In the education sector, CyberHound's technology has also been positioned as a tool for addressing cyberbullying and controlling student access to online services. The business operated for many years under the Netbox Blue name. In 2006, John Fison became chairman and a director and shareholder of Netbox Blue. The company also formed technology and channel relationships with larger vendors. A partnership with IBM was reported in late 2006. In 2008, Netbox Blue introduced an internet and email filtering appliance designed specifically for education customers. That same year, Canon IT Solutions Japan entered into a distribution arrangement for the company's SpamChecker appliance, which had been developed through a period of co-development with Canon Japan and adapted for the Japanese small and medium-sized business market. Netbox Blue expanded its technology partnerships in later years. Its relationship with ESET made ESET NOD32 Antivirus available as an option within Netbox Blue's unified threat-management and virtualized security products. In 2012, a partnership with EdgeWave allowed EdgeWave to offer Netbox Blue's SafeChat social-media management technology to its customers. These arrangements show the company's strategy of combining its own filtering and policy-management software with complementary antivirus, communications and distribution capabilities. The corporate identity later became CyberHound, with Cyberhound Pty Ltd identified as the company's Australian operating entity. In January 2016, Bloomberg acquired certain Netbox Blue intellectual property and assets for use in Bloomberg Vault, a system used to monitor social-media communications. The transaction involved selected technology and assets rather than a stated acquisition of the entire company. Trent Davis subsequently worked for Bloomberg. CyberHound's documented business scope remains focused on internet compliance, management and security solutions, although the available reference material does not provide a current product catalog, ownership update, financial information or a definitive account of its present operating scale.

CyberHound developed from Netbox Blue Pty Ltd, an Australian technology company founded in Brisbane in 1999 by John Oxnam, Justin Cook and Trent Davis. From its early years, the company concentrated on internet and email security, filtering, management and compliance products for organizations rather than on consumer-facing applications. Its technology was intended to give administrators centralized control over web access, email content, network security and usage policies. A significant governance development occurred in 2006, when John Fison became chairman of Netbox Blue and was also described as a director and shareholder. During the same period, the company established a partnership with IBM. These developments placed Netbox Blue within a broader enterprise-technology ecosystem and supported its effort to sell integrated security and management capabilities through business channels. In 2008, Netbox Blue introduced an appliance designed specifically for the education sector. The product combined category-based web filtering and email filtering with spam and virus protection, a firewall, internet quota management and controls intended to help schools respond to cyberbullying. The education focus distinguished the platform from general-purpose network appliances by emphasizing institutional supervision, student safety and policy enforcement alongside conventional threat prevention. The company also pursued international distribution. In April 2008, Canon IT Solutions Japan agreed to distribute Netbox Blue's SpamChecker appliance to Japanese customers. The appliance provided email filtering and content control and was described as the result of nine months of co-development between Netbox Blue and Canon Japan. Its positioning targeted small and medium-sized businesses seeking a relatively straightforward security and communications-control system. Netbox Blue later formed a partnership with ESET. Through that relationship, ESET NOD32 Antivirus became an option within Netbox Blue's unified threat-management and virtualized security products. The arrangement allowed SMB customers to obtain antivirus protection as part of a broader integrated security and management offering rather than deploying each component independently. In June 2012, Netbox Blue partnered with EdgeWave in the United States. The arrangement enabled EdgeWave to offer SafeChat, Netbox Blue's social-media management technology, to EdgeWave customers. This partnership broadened the company's scope beyond traditional web and email filtering into management of social communications and online interaction. The company subsequently operated under the CyberHound name, with Cyberhound Pty Ltd identified as an Australian-owned and privately held provider. Its head office is in Fortitude Valley, Queensland. In January 2016, Bloomberg acquired some Netbox Blue intellectual property and assets for Bloomberg Vault, a platform used to monitor social-media communications. The available account describes a purchase of selected assets rather than a full corporate acquisition. Trent Davis later worked for Bloomberg. Publicly available reference material does not provide enough information to establish the company's current ownership structure, financial performance, leadership team or detailed present-day product portfolio. The documented historical record nevertheless establishes CyberHound's identity as an Australian B2B provider of internet compliance, content control and security technology.

1. 2016Bloomberg acquired selected technology assets

   Bloomberg acquired certain Netbox Blue intellectual property and assets for Bloomberg Vault's social-media monitoring use.

   Source
2. 2015Netbox Blue name changed to CyberHound

   The company was identified as Cyberhound Pty Ltd, formerly Netbox Blue Pty Ltd, by November 2015.

   Source
3. 2012EdgeWave partnership

   EdgeWave agreed to provide Netbox Blue's SafeChat social-media management technology to its customers.

   Source
4. 2008Education security appliance launched

   Netbox Blue launched an internet and email filtering appliance designed for education customers.

   Source
5. 2008Canon IT Solutions Japan agreement

   Canon IT Solutions Japan agreed to distribute the SpamChecker appliance in Japan.

   Source
6. 2006John Fison became chairman

   John Fison became chairman of Netbox Blue and was also identified as a director and shareholder.

   Source
7. 2006IBM partnership

   Netbox Blue entered into a partnership with IBM.

   Source
8. 1999Company founded in Brisbane

   John Oxnam, Justin Cook and Trent Davis founded the business that later became associated with CyberHound.

   Source

An Australian B2B security and compliance technology provider focused on integrated control of internet access, email, social communications and network threats, with particular relevance to schools and small and medium-sized organizations.

• Education internet and email filtering applianceEducation-sector security appliance2008

  Launched in 2008, this appliance was designed for schools and combined category-based web filtering with email filtering, spam and virus protection, firewall functions, internet quota management and cyberbullying-related safeguards. Its emphasis was centralized administration of student access, communications and network policy.

• SpamCheckerEmail filtering and content-control appliance

  SpamChecker was the name used for Netbox Blue's appliance in Japan. It provided email filtering and content control and was developed with Canon Japan over a nine-month co-development period for distribution to Japanese small and medium-sized businesses.

• SafeChatSocial-media management technology

  SafeChat was a Netbox Blue technology for managing social-media communications. Through the 2012 EdgeWave partnership, the product became available to EdgeWave customers, extending Netbox Blue's activities from network and email controls into social-communication management.

• Unified threat-management and virtualized security suiteNetwork security software and appliance platform

  Netbox Blue's integrated security line combined internet and email management with threat-protection functions. An ESET partnership made NOD32 Antivirus available as an option, giving SMB customers access to antivirus capabilities within a wider unified security and management environment.

• 2016Transferred selected technology assets to BloombergM&A

  Bloomberg required technology for monitoring social-media communications within Bloomberg Vault.

  What changed. Bloomberg acquired some Netbox Blue intellectual property and assets for use in Bloomberg Vault.

  Aftermath. The reported transaction involved selected intellectual property and assets; the available source does not describe it as an acquisition of the entire company.

  Source
• 2012Extended into social-media managementStrategy

  The company was broadening its scope from conventional web and email filtering toward management of social communications.

  What changed. Netbox Blue partnered with EdgeWave so that EdgeWave could offer SafeChat to its customers.

  Aftermath. The partnership provided a distribution path for SafeChat in the United States and related customer markets.

  Source
• 2008Entered the education-security appliance marketProduct launch

  Schools needed tools that could combine online safety, access control, communications filtering and network protection in one managed system.

  What changed. Netbox Blue launched an internet and email filtering appliance specifically for education customers, adding cyberbullying protection, category filtering, spam and virus protection, quota management and firewall functions.

  Aftermath. The launch established education as a documented target segment for the company's integrated internet-management and security technology.

  Source
• 2008Expanded through Canon IT Solutions JapanStrategy

  Netbox Blue sought an international distribution route for its email filtering and content-control technology.

  What changed. The company entered a distribution agreement with Canon IT Solutions Japan for the SpamChecker appliance, which had been co-developed with Canon Japan for the SME market.

  Aftermath. The arrangement gave Netbox Blue a channel into Japan and localized its appliance offering for business customers there.

  Source

• 2016Bloomberg acquired selected Netbox Blue intellectual property and assets

  Bloomberg acquired certain intellectual property and assets of Netbox Blue for use in Bloomberg Vault's social-media monitoring capabilities. The reported transaction did not establish that Bloomberg acquired the entire company.

  M&A
  Source
• 2012EdgeWave partnership added SafeChat technology

  A partnership enabled EdgeWave to provide Netbox Blue's SafeChat social-media management technology to its customers.

  Other
  Source
• 2008Education-focused filtering appliance launched

  Netbox Blue introduced an internet and email filtering appliance for education customers, combining filtering, cyberbullying protection, spam and virus controls, quota management and firewall functions.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2008Canon IT Solutions Japan distribution agreement

  Canon IT Solutions Japan agreed to distribute the SpamChecker appliance for email filtering and content control in the Japanese SME market.

  Other
  Source
• 2006John Fison became chairman of Netbox Blue

  John Fison became chairman and was also identified as a director and shareholder of the company.

  Leadership change
  Source
• 2006Netbox Blue partnered with IBM

  The Australian security company entered into a partnership with IBM, extending its relationships with major enterprise technology vendors.

  Other
  Source

1. CyberHound