CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Acalvio vs Guardz

Acalvio sells ShadowPlex, a deception platform built to operationalize 360 Deception at enterprise scale. Guardz sells an MSP-ready security platform that brings identity, endpoint, email, data, awareness, and exposure protection together. CISO Tribune files both under Identity threat detection and response. This page sets the two records side by side: what each sells, where it is based, who owns and funds it, the customers it names and its recent news, each fact numbered to its source.

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  • Acalvio
  • Guardz
Acalvio vs Guardz: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
AcalvioAcalvio sells ShadowPlex, a deception platform built to operationalize 360 Deception at enterprise scale.acalvio.comGuardzGuardz sells an MSP-ready security platform that brings identity, endpoint, email, data, awareness, and exposure protection together.guardz.com
What it sells
  • ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense[5]ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense uses AI-powered deception to surface stealthy attacker behavior during reconnaissance, lateral movement, and privilege escalation.
  • ShadowPlex Cloud Security[1][8]ShadowPlex Cloud Security delivers AI-powered deception and honeytokens to IAM and cloud-native services across public clouds.
  • ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel[1][10]ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel provides threat intelligence from external-facing decoys, including APIs and IPv6 IIoT devices, to detect reconnaissance and credential attacks early.
  • Email Security[2][8]An API-based and AI-native engine to prevent credential theft, ransomware, and impersonation threats.
  • Security Awareness Training[2][4][10]Pre-scheduled security awareness training that alters behavior.
  • Phishing Simulation[14]AI-generated phishing attacks tailored by tone, industry, and language.
Categories
Headquarters
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Founded
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Ownership and funding
Privately held[8]Privately held[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
Named customers
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Recent news
Not stated on its pages
  • November 2, 2026Guardz added browser protection from Palo Alto Networks' Prisma Browser for Business to its security platform for managed service providers serving small businesses.[17]
  • March 3, 2026Guardz announced a strategic partnership with FoxPointe Solutions, a cybersecurity advisory firm focused on governance, risk management and virtual CISO services.[18]
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: listed, seen November 3, 2026[13]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
Who it fits
Acalvio offers deployment from Cloud, on-premises, or through managed service providers. Acalvio describes deception-powered preemptive defense for mission-critical government systems and for complex financial environments. Acalvio describes AI-powered deception for healthcare environments, across identity systems, clinical apps, and cloud workloads. The Acalvio Active Defense Platform covers IT, OT, and Cloud environments.From its own pages, Guardz sells mainly to MSPs, and describes its platform as built for them. Guardz says small businesses find it difficult to keep up with their external posture. Guardz says MSPs can use a prospecting tool to attract new clients by showing the extent of SMEs' exposure. Guardz says even non-security experts can respond to cyber events. Guardz says it gives clients visibility and control with configurable admin roles.
Last verified
November 6, 2026September 30, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Acalvio and Guardz are both filed under Identity threat detection and response.
  • Both are privately held.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Acalvio's primary category is Deception technology; Guardz's is MDR and managed SOC.
  • Acalvio is also filed under Cloud detection and response and Threat intelligence. Guardz is also filed under EDR and XDR and Email security.
  • Acalvio lists ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense, ShadowPlex Cloud Security and ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel. Guardz lists Email Security, Security Awareness Training and Phishing Simulation.

What it sells: Acalvio

What ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense does[5]
ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense uses AI-powered deception to surface stealthy attacker behavior during reconnaissance, lateral movement, and privilege escalation. Advanced Threat Defense correlates detected behaviors to MITRE ATT&CK TTPs for rapid investigation. ShadowPlex operates agentlessly across IT, cloud, and OT environments, deploying deception assets without interfering with production traffic or operations.
What ShadowPlex Cloud Security does[1][8]
ShadowPlex Cloud Security is deployed via native cloud APIs and protects cloud-native workloads and IAM infrastructure. ShadowPlex Cloud Security unifies threat detection across AWS, Azure, and GCP with no agents. ShadowPlex Cloud Security places deception in identity repositories like Instance Metadata and Secrets Store.
What ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel does[1][10]
ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel delivers threat intelligence with IPs, credentials, and attack patterns. ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel uses decoys for web apps, APIs, and IPv6 IIoT services to detect reconnaissance and credential attacks. ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel shares indicators in real time in STIX and other standard formats. ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel is delivered as a managed cloud service or as an on-premises/cloud appliance.

What it sells: Guardz

What Email Security does[2][8]
Guardz email protection uses an API-based and AI-native engine to prevent credential theft, ransomware, and impersonation threats. Check Point Harmony powers Guardz Email Security.
What Security Awareness Training does[2][4][10]
Guardz helps teams plan, launch and track automated training campaigns. Campaign frequency can be set monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly.
What Phishing Simulation does[14]
Simulations can be generated in English, French, German, Hebrew, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Italian. Failed simulations trigger an awareness issue.

Questions about Acalvio and Guardz

What do Acalvio and Guardz sell?
Acalvio sells ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense, ShadowPlex Cloud Security and ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel. Guardz sells Email Security, Security Awareness Training and Phishing Simulation.
Are Acalvio and Guardz in the same category?
They share Identity threat detection and response. Acalvio's primary category is Deception technology and Guardz's is MDR and managed SOC.
Who owns Acalvio and Guardz?
Acalvio is privately held. Guardz is privately held.
Who are Acalvio and Guardz sold to?
Acalvio offers deployment from Cloud, on-premises, or through managed service providers. From its own pages, Guardz sells mainly to MSPs, and describes its platform as built for them.
What have Acalvio and Guardz announced recently?
November 2, 2026: Guardz added browser protection from Palo Alto Networks' Prisma Browser for Business to its security platform for managed service providers serving small businesses.

About Acalvio

Acalvio sells ShadowPlex, a deception platform built to operationalize 360 Deception at enterprise scale. ShadowPlex deployment is agentless across identity, cloud, network, endpoints, and OT/ICS. Acalvio extends preemptive defense across identity, cloud, OT, advanced threats, agentic AI, and targeted threat intelligence. Acalvio has four ShadowPlex offerings powered by 360 Deception, its approach to preemptive cybersecurity and disruption of AI-driven attacks. Built on 360 Deception, the Acalvio platform unifies preemptive threat detection across identity, cloud, and modern environments. The Acalvio platform uses dynamic deception, honeytokens, deceptive credentials, and evolving attack paths to expose malicious activity before attackers can escalate access or gain control.[1][3][4][6][9]

360 Deception goes beyond decoys to manipulate the signals attackers and autonomous systems rely on to validate targets, credentials, and movement paths. Preemptive cyber deception works to deny, deceive, and disrupt before the attacker reaches impact.[3]

ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense uses AI-powered deception to surface stealthy attacker behavior during reconnaissance, lateral movement, and privilege escalation. Advanced Threat Defense correlates detected behaviors to MITRE ATT&CK TTPs for rapid investigation. ShadowPlex integrates AI into every phase of deception, from network discovery to adversary analysis. ShadowPlex operates agentlessly across IT, cloud, and OT environments, deploying deception assets without interfering with production traffic or operations.[5]

ShadowPlex uses deception to protect credentials at rest and in use, exposing misuse, lateral movement, and privilege escalation. ShadowPlex automatically recommends token types, volume, and placement based on Active Directory structure and endpoint characteristics.[6][7]

ShadowPlex Cloud Security delivers AI-powered deception and honeytokens to IAM and cloud-native services across public clouds. ShadowPlex Cloud Security is deployed via native cloud APIs and protects cloud-native workloads and IAM infrastructure. ShadowPlex Cloud Security unifies threat detection across AWS, Azure, and GCP with no agents. ShadowPlex Cloud Security places deception in identity repositories like Instance Metadata and Secrets Store. Acalvio CDR is agentless and API-driven, and integrates directly with cloud control planes and infrastructure services. Acalvio CDR delivers detections enriched with adversary behavior context to a SIEM, SOAR, or XDR platform.[9]

ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel provides threat intelligence from external-facing decoys, including APIs and IPv6 IIoT devices, to detect reconnaissance and credential attacks early. ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel delivers threat intelligence with IPs, credentials, and attack patterns. ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel uses decoys for web apps, APIs, and IPv6 IIoT services to detect reconnaissance and credential attacks. ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel shares indicators in real time in STIX and other standard formats. ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel is delivered as a managed cloud service or as an on-premises/cloud appliance. When delivered as a service, Acalvio hosts and manages the decoys, isolating attacker traffic from the production network. Acalvio integrates with CrowdStrike Falcon® Identity Protection, Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, and other SIEM/SOAR solutions. Acalvio integrates with EDR/XDR platforms including CrowdStrike Falcon, Microsoft Defender, Palo Alto Cortex XDR, and VMware Carbon Black, and with SIEM/SOAR solutions.[1][6][10]

Acalvio plants honeypots and honeytokens across sensitive systems, without disrupting operations. Acalvio baits insiders with decoy assets such as files, credentials, or systems to trigger early warning before critical assets are touched. Acalvio engages ransomware early with deceptive assets that expose encryption behaviors. Acalvio uses deception as an enforcement layer to expose policy violations and unauthorized access. In healthcare, Acalvio uses AI-powered deception to detect adversary behavior early across identity systems, clinical apps, and cloud workloads, without adding risk to care delivery.[11][13]

Based in Silicon Valley, Acalvio serves midsize to Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. Acalvio offers deployment from Cloud, on-premises, or through managed service providers. The Acalvio Active Defense Platform is backed by 25 patents and enables advanced threat defense across IT, OT, and Cloud environments. The Acalvio Active Defense Platform provides Identity Protection, Advanced Threat Defense, and Threat Hunting products. The Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) solutions from Acalvio with Honeytokens enable Zero Trust security models. Acalvio offers deception-powered, preemptive cybersecurity for complex financial environments.[1][2][3][4][6][9]

Acalvio on the record

Sources

Acalvio full record

  1. [1]acalvio.comAcalvio · acalvio.com · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Acalvio technologies secures investment from gv formerly google venturesAcalvio · acalvio.com · published November 3, 2016 · Tier A
  3. [3]Acalvio | Cyber Deception Technology for Preemptive CybersecurityAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Deception Technology Platform & Products | AcalvioAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Advanced Threat Defense with Deception | AcalvioAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) | AcalvioAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Honeytoken Protection for CrowdStrike Falcon | AcalvioAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Cloud Security with Agentless Deception | AcalvioAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) | AcalvioAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]ShadowPlex Threat Intel | AcalvioAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Insider Threat Detection | AcalvioAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Cyber Deception Solutions for Enterprise Security | AcalvioAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Healthcare Cybersecurity Solutions & Services | AcalvioAcalvio · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

Guardz full record

  1. [1]guardz.comGuardz · guardz.com · undated page, accessed September 30, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Msp business plan the ultimate blueprint for growthGuardz · guardz.com · published June 12, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]About usGuardz · guardz.com · undated page, accessed September 30, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]AI-Native Security Platform Built for MSPs by GuardzGuardz · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Guardz: Unified Cybersecurity Platform Built for MSPGuardz · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]AI-Native Security Platform Built for MSPs by GuardzGuardz · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]AI-Native Security Platform Built for MSPs by GuardzGuardz · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]AI-Native Security Platform Built for MSPs by GuardzGuardz · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]AI-Native Security Platform Built for MSPs by GuardzGuardz · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Security Awareness Training for MSPs and EmployeesGuardz · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]All-In-One Cloud App Security Solution | GuardzGuardz · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Protect Your Business from External Cyber Threats | GuardzGuardz · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Guardz Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features - G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier C
  14. [14]Adaptive Phishing Simulation Platform for MSP SecurityGuardz · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]AI-Native Security Platform Built for MSPs by GuardzGuardz · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]Cyber Risk Prospecting report - Thank-you | Guardz.comGuardz · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  17. [17]Exclusive: Guardz brings Palo Alto Networks browser protection to MSPs serving small businessesSiliconANGLE · published November 2, 2026 · Tier B
  18. [18]Guardz Partners with Foxpointe Solutions to Deliver Strategic, Scalable Cybersecurity for MSPs and Their ClientsGuardz · published March 3, 2026 · Tier A

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