Imperva
Cybersecurity company providing enterprise protection for applications, APIs, websites, databases, and other sensitive data assets.
Last updated October 16, 2026
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Overview
Imperva is a cybersecurity brand focused on protecting enterprise applications, data, websites, APIs, and digital services from attacks, misuse, and unauthorized access. The company began in 2002 under the name WebCohort, founded by Shlomo Kramer, Amichai Shulman, and Mickey Boodaei. Its initial focus was application and database protection, and the business adopted the Imperva name in 2004. In 2003, it shipped SecureSphere Web Application Database Protection, a product combining web application firewall capabilities with database security functions. Imperva developed from a specialist security-software vendor into a broader application and data security platform. Its application-security portfolio has included web application firewalls, distributed-denial-of-service protection, API security, bot management, account-takeover protection, attack analytics, application delivery, and runtime application self-protection. Its data-security products have included database activity monitoring, data discovery and assessment, data-risk analytics, data masking, and file security. These capabilities are designed for on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments and are typically sold to organizations needing to protect internet-facing applications and regulated or commercially sensitive information. The company expanded through both internal development and acquisitions. It acquired or incorporated capabilities associated with Incapsula, a cloud application-security provider; Skyfence; Tomium Software’s real-time mainframe security auditing assets; Camouflage, a data-masking business; Prevoty, a runtime application self-protection specialist; Distil Networks, known for bot-management technology; and jSonar, a database-security company. These transactions broadened Imperva’s coverage from traditional network and database controls toward cloud delivery, runtime protection, automated traffic analysis, and modern data-security operations. Imperva became a public company in 2011, listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol IMPV. During the public-company period it underwent several leadership changes, including the appointment of Anthony Bettencourt as chief executive in 2014 and Chris Hylen as president and chief executive in 2017. Imperva also made security research and threat-response contributions, including a free scanner in 2016 intended to identify devices infected with or vulnerable to the Mirai botnet. In 2018, the company reported identifying a Google Chrome vulnerability involving the handling of HTML audio and video tags. Private-equity firm Thoma Bravo acquired Imperva in 2019, taking the company private. The same year, Imperva disclosed a security incident affecting some Incapsula users and reported that sensitive information had been exposed. Chris Hylen left the chief executive role in October 2019, Charles Goodman served as interim chief executive, and Pam Murphy was appointed CEO in January 2020. Imperva later became part of Thales after Thales agreed in 2023 to acquire it from Thoma Bravo for approximately $3.6 billion. The transaction was completed on December 4, 2023. Imperva now operates as a Thales cybersecurity business, while retaining its identity and product focus in application and data security.
History
Imperva was established in 2002 as WebCohort by Shlomo Kramer, Amichai Shulman, and Mickey Boodaei. Its early objective was to help organizations defend enterprise applications and databases against unauthorized access and web-based attacks. The company shipped its first product in 2003, SecureSphere Web Application Database Protection, and changed its name to Imperva in 2004. The business grew around the intersection of application and data security. Its SecureSphere product family addressed web application firewall and database-protection requirements, while later offerings extended into cloud-based application defense, denial-of-service mitigation, data activity monitoring, data masking, runtime protection, and automated traffic analysis. Imperva’s strategy emphasized layered controls that could be deployed across data centers, public clouds, and hybrid infrastructures. Imperva expanded its capabilities through acquisitions. In 2014 it acquired Incapsula, a cloud application-security company, as well as Skyfence and real-time mainframe security-auditing assets from Tomium Software. In 2017 it sold Skyfence to Forcepoint. Imperva acquired Camouflage, a data-masking company, in 2017; Prevoty, a runtime application self-protection specialist, in 2018; and Distil Networks, a bot-management provider, in 2019. In 2020 it acquired database-security startup jSonar for an undisclosed amount. Imperva went public in 2011 on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol IMPV. Leadership changed several times during the public-company era. Anthony Bettencourt became CEO in 2014, followed by Chris Hylen as president and CEO in 2017. Bettencourt later resigned as board chairman in 2018. Imperva also conducted security research and public threat-response work, including a 2016 scanner for devices infected with or exposed to the Mirai botnet. In 2018, the company identified a Google Chrome vulnerability related to HTML audio and video tags. In 2019, Thoma Bravo acquired Imperva, ending its period as a listed company. That year Imperva disclosed a security incident affecting some Incapsula users and reported exposure of sensitive information. Hylen departed as CEO in October 2019, Charles Goodman served as interim CEO, and Pam Murphy was named CEO in January 2020. Thales announced an agreement to purchase Imperva in July 2023 for approximately $3.6 billion. The transaction closed on December 4, 2023. Under Thales ownership, Imperva remains an enterprise cybersecurity brand focused on application, API, bot, DDoS, runtime, and data-security technologies.
- 2023
Thales acquisition completed
[1]Thales completed its approximately $3.6 billion acquisition of Imperva on December 4, 2023.
- 2020
jSonar acquired
[1]Imperva acquired database-security startup jSonar for an undisclosed amount.
- 2019
Thoma Bravo acquisition
[1]Thoma Bravo acquired Imperva and took the company private.
- 2018
Prevoty acquired
[1]Imperva acquired Prevoty to add runtime application self-protection capabilities.
- 2017
Skyfence sold to Forcepoint
[1]Imperva divested Skyfence to Forcepoint for $40 million.
- 2014
Incapsula and other assets acquired
[1]Imperva acquired Incapsula, Skyfence, and real-time mainframe security-auditing assets from Tomium Software.
- 2011
Initial public offering
[1]Imperva began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol IMPV.
- 2004
WebCohort renamed Imperva
[1]The company adopted the Imperva name.
- 2003
First product shipped
[1]Imperva shipped SecureSphere Web Application Database Protection, an early web application firewall and database-protection product.
- 2002
Company founded as WebCohort
[1]Shlomo Kramer, Amichai Shulman, and Mickey Boodaei founded the company under the WebCohort name.
Products and positioning
Enterprise cybersecurity platform combining application security, API and bot protection, and data-security controls across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
Application security · 2003
Imperva Web Application Firewall
A web application firewall designed to inspect and block malicious HTTP and HTTPS traffic targeting enterprise web applications. It is part of Imperva’s broader application-security stack and can be deployed to protect applications across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
Network and application security
Imperva DDoS Protection
Distributed-denial-of-service protection intended to maintain the availability of websites, applications, and digital services during volumetric or application-layer attacks.
Application security
Imperva API Security
Security capabilities for discovering, analyzing, and protecting application programming interfaces, including controls intended to identify abusive or unauthorized API activity.
Application security · 2019
Imperva Bot Management
Technology for distinguishing automated traffic from legitimate users and managing malicious bots, scraping, automated abuse, and related account or application threats. Imperva strengthened this area through its 2019 acquisition of Distil Networks.
Data security
Imperva Data Security
A set of data-security capabilities covering database activity monitoring, data discovery and assessment, data-risk analytics, data masking, and file security. The offering is intended to help organizations understand how sensitive data is used and reduce exposure across enterprise environments.
Application and database security · 2003
SecureSphere Web Application Database Protection
Imperva’s first reported product, shipped in 2003. It combined web application firewall functions with database-protection capabilities and established the company’s original focus on securing applications and the data behind them.
Controversies
2019
Incapsula security incident
Imperva notified customers that it had learned of a security incident affecting some Incapsula users and exposing sensitive information. The disclosure concerned the security of Imperva’s own service environment and became a significant event in the company’s corporate history.
2019
Imperva publishes post-mortem on customer data breach
Imperva published a post-mortem describing a security breach in which a hacker used a stolen AWS API key to access its cloud infrastructure and download a customer database snapshot. The company said customers who had signed up before September 15, 2017, were affected.
Marketing campaigns
- 2016Mirai device scanner
Global
Imperva published a free scanner intended to help organizations identify devices infected with, or vulnerable to, the Mirai botnet.
Outcome. The tool supported public awareness and defensive checking during the Mirai botnet threat period.
Brand decisions
2023
Thales acquires ImpervaM&ABackground
Thales sought to expand its cybersecurity portfolio, while Imperva offered established application and data-security capabilities.
Action taken
Thales agreed to acquire Imperva from Thoma Bravo for approximately $3.6 billion, completing the transaction on December 4, 2023.
Aftermath
Imperva became part of the Thales Group and remained an active cybersecurity brand.
Acquisition value. $3.6 billion (Announced July 2023; completed December 4, 2023)
2019
Thoma Bravo takes Imperva privateM&ABackground
Imperva was a listed cybersecurity company expanding its application and data-security portfolio through acquisitions.
Action taken
Thoma Bravo acquired Imperva, ending its public listing.
Aftermath
Imperva continued as a private-equity-owned cybersecurity business and subsequently expanded through the jSonar acquisition.
2011
Public-market listingStrategyBackground
Imperva had expanded as an enterprise cybersecurity vendor and pursued access to public capital markets.
Action taken
The company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker IMPV.
Aftermath
Imperva operated as a public company until its acquisition by Thoma Bravo in 2019.
Recent events
Imperva announces acquisition of jSonar[4]
Reported:
Imperva announced that it is acquiring database security company jSonar; the purchase price was not disclosed.
Imperva appoints Moshe Lipsker to global product development role[4]
Reported:
Imperva appointed its VP Engineering and Israel Site Manager, Moshe Lipsker, as Senior Vice President, Global Product Development, replacing James Lok. Lipsker will retain his Israel Site Manager role.
Imperva appoints Pam Murphy as CEO[5]
Reported:
Imperva announced Pam Murphy’s appointment as CEO, effective immediately, succeeding interim CEO Charles Goodman.
Imperva CEO Chris Hylen steps down[6]
Reported:
Chris Hylen stepped down as Imperva’s CEO effective October 21. Imperva Chairman Charles Goodman was to serve as interim CEO while a search for a permanent CEO was underway.
Imperva CEO Chris Hylen steps down; Charles Goodman becomes interim CEO[7]
Imperva said Chris Hylen stepped down as CEO effective October 21, and Chairman Charles Goodman would serve as interim CEO while the company searched for a permanent successor. The article reports that Hylen's departure followed disclosure of a data breach, while Hylen said it was a personal decision unrelated to the security incident.
Imperva publishes post-mortem on customer data breach[3]
Reported:
Imperva published a post-mortem describing a security breach in which a hacker used a stolen AWS API key to access its cloud infrastructure and download a customer database snapshot. The company said customers who had signed up before September 15, 2017, were affected.
Sources7 sources
- 1Impervaen.wikipedia.org
- 2Imperva official websiteimperva.com
- 3Imperva publishes post-mortem on customer data breachzdnet.com
- 4Imperva宣布收购jSonarcalcalistech.com
- 5Imperva任命Pam Murphy为首席执行官infosecurity-magazine.com
- 6Imperva首席执行官Chris Hylen卸任calcalistech.com
- 7Imperva首席执行官Chris Hylen离任，Charles Goodman出任临时首席执行官crn.com
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