Bitdefender to acquire Mesh, enhancing email security platform

Bitdefender has entered into an agreement to acquire Mesh, a global email security company, with plans to integrate Mesh's email security technology into Bitdefender's extended detection and response platform and managed detection and response services.

Email threats

Cybersecurity risks associated with email account for a significant proportion of digital attacks, including ransomware, phishing and business email compromise (BEC). The threat landscape in 2024 has seen continued exploitation of email, with the FBI reporting approximately USD $2.8 billion in losses due to BEC scams alone. The 2024 Bitdefender Cybersecurity Assessment Report, derived from a survey of 1,200 cybersecurity professionals worldwide, lists phishing and social engineering among the most prevalent threats organisations face.

The transaction is subject to regulatory and customary closing conditions. The integration will see Mesh's email security features incorporated into Bitdefender GravityZone, a unified security, compliance, and risk analytics platform. Mesh implements a dual-layered security approach, pairing perimeter-based protection through its secure email gateway with mailbox-level defence managed by an API-based deployment model. This integration is expected to broaden threat visibility and enhance the global threat intelligence network operated by Bitdefender.

Platform improvements

Bitdefender's global network comprises more than 41,000 channel and managed service provider (MSP) partners. The addition of Mesh's capabilities is expected to enable a centralised platform optimised for MSPs, supporting efficient multi-tenant email security management. Key features include 24x7 protection, the reduction of operational overheads, automated policy enforcement, real-time threat insights, and compatibility with existing workflows, thereby facilitating scalable security solutions for a broad customer base.

"We are pleased to announce our intent to acquire Mesh, a strategic move that will complement our GravityZone XDR platform and power our MDR service to help businesses combat email-borne threats as they continue to evolve," said Andrei Florescu, president and general manager of Bitdefender Business Solutions Group. "Mesh brings leading-edge innovation from a deeply experienced team that shares our commitment to effective, real-world security. Together, we will further strengthen our ability to provide proven and trusted email protection to our global customer base."

Founded in 2020, Mesh is backed by investors Elkstone and Enterprise Ireland. The company has become established among hundreds of MSP partners and thousands of end customers globally, with a reputation for effective detection, an MSP-centric architecture, and an operationally simple service design. Mesh's solutions focus on responding to the unique challenges posed by email-based threats.

"This is the beginning of something even bigger," said Brian Byrne, chief executive officer and co-founder of Mesh. "We've always focused on building practical, powerful email security that just works – and Bitdefender shares that same mindset. We're excited to join forces and bring stronger protection to even more organisations."

Market context

Email remains the most widely exploited cyberattack vector. The upcoming integration of Mesh's architecture with Bitdefender's platforms is designed to address growing concerns among business customers, with new offerings that target detection efficacy and alignment with the requirements of MSPs.

No financial terms were disclosed in relation to this transaction.