CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Acalvio vs Malwarebytes

Acalvio sells ShadowPlex, a deception platform built to operationalize 360 Deception at enterprise scale. Malwarebytes sells antivirus, VPN, identity theft protection and scam detection software for personal devices such as computers, tablets and phones. 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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Up to four companies side by side.

  • Acalvio
  • Malwarebytes
Acalvio vs Malwarebytes: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
AcalvioAcalvio sells ShadowPlex, a deception platform built to operationalize 360 Deception at enterprise scale.acalvio.comMalwarebytesMalwarebytes sells antivirus, VPN, identity theft protection and scam detection software for personal devices such as computers, tablets and phones.malwarebytes.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.
  • Premium Security[4][5]Antivirus designed to protect personal devices and data in real-time.
  • Browser Guard[4][5]Blocks unwanted and unsafe content while browsing.
  • Privacy VPN[4][14]A VPN for staying secure and private on Wi-Fi or hotspots.
  • Identity Theft Protection[4][5]Scans the dark web and other sources for personal information.
  • Mobile Security[4][5][7]Malware detection before installation on Android devices.
  • Android Virus Scan[7]A free Android virus scan for malware, spyware, keyloggers and more.
Categories
Headquarters
Not stated on its pagesSanta Clara, United States[3]
Founded
Not stated on its pages2008[2][4]
Ownership and funding
Privately held[8]Not stated on its pages
Named customers
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Recent news
Not stated on its pages
  • October 5, 2026Malwarebytes launched Scam Link Check, a free web tool that lets anyone check whether a website link is safe before clicking it.[19]
  • July 22, 2026Malwarebytes appointed Michael Weissman to its Board of Directors and hired Joey Klein as Senior Vice President of Product.[20]
  • July 22, 2026Malwarebytes appointed Netspend CEO Michael Weissman to its board.[10]
  • June 3, 2026Malwarebytes launched a free reverse phone check for consumers to identify potential scam numbers.[9]
  • May 6, 2026Malwarebytes appointed Chung Ip as Chief Financial Officer.[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[11]
  • 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, Malwarebytes sells mainly to individuals and families who want to protect personal devices. Its pages also reference security for personal and business devices and for a team's devices. Malwarebytes offers protection for Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, and iOS devices.
Last verified
November 6, 2026November 9, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Acalvio and Malwarebytes are both filed under Identity threat detection and response.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Acalvio's primary category is Deception technology; Malwarebytes's is EDR and XDR.
  • Acalvio is also filed under Cloud detection and response and Threat intelligence. Malwarebytes is also filed under MDR and managed SOC.
  • Acalvio lists ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense, ShadowPlex Cloud Security and ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel. Malwarebytes lists Premium Security, Browser Guard, Privacy VPN, Identity Theft Protection, Mobile Security and 1 more.
  • Malwarebytes is headquartered in Santa Clara, United States.
  • Malwarebytes was founded in 2008.
  • Acalvio is privately held.

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: Malwarebytes

What Premium Security does[4][5]
Malwarebytes Premium Security is an antivirus solution designed to protect personal devices and data in real-time. Malwarebytes says Premium Security stops sophisticated cyber threats that traditional antivirus tools often miss.
What Privacy VPN does[4][14]
Malwarebytes Privacy VPN helps people stay secure and private when using Wi-Fi or hotspots. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN can be used on iPhones and iPads, as well as Android, Windows, and Mac. Malwarebytes Privacy is a no-log VPN that never tracks, stores, or shares any of your network data.
What Identity Theft Protection does[4][5]
Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection scans the dark web and other sources for personal information. It provides live agent-supported identity recovery, credit monitoring, and reporting, backed by up to $2 million in identity theft insurance.
What Mobile Security does[4][5][7]
Malwarebytes Mobile Security detects before installation some of the most harmful malware, including trojans, spyware and ransomware. Malwarebytes Mobile Security is free to download on both Google Play and the App store.
What Android Virus Scan does[7]
Malwarebytes offers a free Android virus scan to protect a phone from hackers and cyber threats like malware, spyware, keyloggers and more. Malwarebytes alerts people before they install and run potentially harmful software or apps on an Android device.

Questions about Acalvio and Malwarebytes

What do Acalvio and Malwarebytes sell?
Acalvio sells ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense, ShadowPlex Cloud Security and ShadowPlex Targeted Threat Intel. Malwarebytes sells Premium Security, Browser Guard, Privacy VPN, Identity Theft Protection, Mobile Security and 1 more.
Are Acalvio and Malwarebytes in the same category?
They share Identity threat detection and response. Acalvio's primary category is Deception technology and Malwarebytes's is EDR and XDR.
Where are Acalvio and Malwarebytes headquartered?
Malwarebytes is headquartered in Santa Clara, United States.
When were Acalvio and Malwarebytes founded?
Malwarebytes was founded in 2008.
Who owns Acalvio and Malwarebytes?
Acalvio is privately held.
Who are Acalvio and Malwarebytes sold to?
Acalvio offers deployment from Cloud, on-premises, or through managed service providers. From its own pages, Malwarebytes sells mainly to individuals and families who want to protect personal devices.
What have Acalvio and Malwarebytes announced recently?
October 5, 2026: Malwarebytes launched Scam Link Check, a free web tool that lets anyone check whether a website link is safe before clicking it.

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

Malwarebytes full record

  1. [1]threatdown.comMalwarebytes (ThreatDown) · threatdown.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Malwarebytes announces acquisition of leading online privacy company cyrus 301908393Malwarebytes via PR Newswire · prnewswire.com · published August 24, 2023 · Tier A
  3. [3]CompanyMalwarebytes · malwarebytes.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]All-in-One Protection: Antivirus, VPN & Scam Guard | Best AntivirusMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Scam detector | Real-time free scam detection for iOS and AndroidMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]How to Speed Up Your Computer | MalwarebytesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Android Virus Scan | Scan your Android phone for virusesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Malwarebytes Appoints Chung Ip as Chief Financial OfficerMalwarebytes · published May 6, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Malwarebytes Launches Free Reverse Phone Check to Help Consumers Identify Potential Scam NumbersMalwarebytes · published June 3, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Malwarebytes Strengthens Consumer Growth Strategy with Appointment of Netspend CEO Michael Weissman to BoardMalwarebytes · published July 22, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Malwarebytes for Teams Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier C
  12. [12]Antivirus with VPN | MalwarebytesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Malwarebytes tools & solutionsMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]Ad Blocker for iPhone | Ad Blocker for iOSMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]VPN for crypto | MalwarebytesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]Antivirus for Gaming | Antivirus for Gaming PCMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  17. [17]Malwarebytes Brings Real-time Scam Detection and Threat Intelligence to AI Conversations with Claude ConnectorMalwarebytes · published April 29, 2026 · Tier A
  18. [18]Malwarebytes Appoints Chung Ip as Chief Financial OfficerPR Newswire · published May 6, 2026 · Tier A
  19. [19]Malwarebytes Launches Free Scam Link Check So Anyone Can Verify a Link is Safe Before They ClickMalwarebytes · published October 5, 2026 · Tier A
  20. [20]Malwarebytes Strengthens Consumer Growth Strategy with Appointment of Netspend CEO Michael Weissman to BoardPR Newswire · published July 22, 2026 · Tier A

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