CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Imperva vs Upwind

Imperva sells an Application Security Platform that protects against application and API attacks without impacting legitimate users. Upwind sells security for cloud workloads, APIs and agents, combining their context with runtime intelligence to identify critical risks and catch new attacks in real time. CISO Tribune files both under API security. 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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  • Imperva
  • Upwind
Imperva vs Upwind: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
ImpervaImperva sells an Application Security Platform that protects against application and API attacks without impacting legitimate users.imperva.comUpwindUpwind sells security for cloud workloads, APIs and agents, combining their context with runtime intelligence to identify critical risks and catch new attacks in real time.upwind.io
What it sells
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF)[9][12]Imperva WAF protects applications in any environment, cloud or on-premises.
  • Advanced Bot Protection[4][5][9][11][17]Imperva Advanced Bot Protection protects websites, mobile apps and APIs from sophisticated automated attacks.
  • API Security[4][5][9][17]Imperva API Security provides continuous protection of all APIs.
  • DDoS Protection[5][9][12]Imperva’s advanced DDoS protection defends against volumetric, protocol-based and Layer 7 attacks.
  • Client-Side Protection[9][13]Imperva Client-Side Protection safeguards against client-side attacks like formjacking, digital skimming and Magecart.
  • AI Application Security[5][14]Imperva AI Application Security is engineered for the unique architecture of LLMs.
  • Data Security Fabric[15]Imperva Data Security Fabric is purpose-built for hybrid multicloud environments.
  • Content Delivery Network[9]Imperva's Secure Content Delivery Network (CDN) accelerates the delivery of content and applications.
  • Cloud Security[1]A CNAPP that combines posture, workload and runtime signals to find and prioritize cloud risks.
  • AI Security[8]Monitors AI workloads and agents within the cloud environment to identify risky configurations and behaviour.
  • Agentic Security[1][7]Watches autonomous AI agents and their skills or MCP connections for malicious or high-risk activity.
  • Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)[1]Checks cloud account and resource configuration against security policy on an ongoing basis.
  • Cloud Infrastructure Entitlements Management (CIEM)[1]Analyses identity permissions across cloud platforms to reduce excess access.
  • Cloud Detection & Response (CDR)[1]Correlates runtime signals and cloud activity logs to detect and respond to threats as they occur.
Categories
Headquarters
Redwood Shores, United States[3]Not stated on its pages
Founded
Not stated on its pages2022[2][4]
Ownership and funding
Owned by Thales[1][5][7][8][10]Privately held[4][11]
Named customers
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Recent news
  • August 24, 2026Thales Imperva introduced the SSL Integration Center, a framework connecting Imperva Cloud WAF with certificate lifecycle management platforms, launching with a DigiCert integration.[19]
  • August 3, 2026Thales launched Imperva for AWS, which provides web application, API and bot protection for AWS environments.[6]
Not stated on its pages
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: listed, seen November 6, 2026[7]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: listed, seen November 6, 2026[8]
  • G2: listed, seen November 10, 2026[11]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
Who it fits
From its own pages, Imperva sells mainly to organizations that need to protect applications and APIs in public or private cloud, hybrid and on-premises environments. Imperva addresses retail organizations that need to protect customers' data and secure applications, APIs, and cloud networks. Imperva addresses businesses aiming to comply with PCI DSS 4.0 standards while defending against client-side attacks. Imperva describes support for compliance in highly regulated industries across hybrid and multicloud environments. Imperva describes a purpose-built solution to secure AI applications for homegrown GenAI.Upwind's API offering is aimed at organizations that run APIs in the cloud. Upwind's AI security offering is aimed at organizations that run AI applications on cloud infrastructure. Upwind's code security features address teams practising shift-left security in AI-native development.
Last verified
September 27, 2026November 5, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Imperva and Upwind are both filed under API security.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Imperva's primary category is WAF and WAAP; Upwind's is Cloud-native application protection (CNAPP).
  • Imperva is also filed under Bot and abuse management and DDoS protection. Upwind is also filed under Cloud security posture management and Cloud detection and response.
  • Imperva lists Web Application Firewall (WAF), Advanced Bot Protection, API Security, DDoS Protection, Client-Side Protection and 3 more. Upwind lists Cloud Security, AI Security, Agentic Security, Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Cloud Infrastructure Entitlements Management (CIEM) and 1 more.
  • Imperva is headquartered in Redwood Shores, United States.
  • Upwind was founded in 2022.
  • Imperva is owned by Thales. Upwind is privately held.

What it sells: Imperva

What Web Application Firewall (WAF) does[9][12]
Imperva says managed rules written and tested by the Imperva Threat Research team before deployment allow more than 94% of Imperva customers to deploy the Imperva WAF in blocking mode. Imperva’s Attack Analytics automatically correlates thousands of security alerts into narratives. Imperva’s Terraform provider automates Cloud WAF deployments.
What Advanced Bot Protection does[4][5][9][11][17]
Advanced Bot Protection safeguards websites, mobile apps and APIs from bot attacks, including all OWASP 21 Automated Threats. Imperva says its multi-layered approach detects malicious bots by combining direct client interrogation, behavior analysis, machine learning, connection characteristics and threat intelligence feeds.
What DDoS Protection does[5][9][12]
Imperva offers a guaranteed 3-second mitigation SLA for Layers 3 and 4 DDoS attacks. Imperva DDoS Protection for Networks shields entire infrastructures with 13 Tbps of multi-terabit scrubbing capacity. Imperva DDoS Protection for Websites works alongside a cloud web application firewall (WAF) to block attacks and malicious bots.
What Client-Side Protection does[9][13]
Imperva Client-Side Protection enables security teams to manage client-side resources and JavaScript while streamlining compliance with PCI DSS 4.0 requirements 6.4.3 and 11.6.1. Client-Side Protection automatically blocks known malicious domains based on data from the Imperva Threat Research Team.
What Data Security Fabric does[15]
Imperva Data Security Fabric protects all your data assets. Imperva data security reveals critical insight including sensitive data location, users, access, and risk. Imperva offers out-of-the-box support for over 100 data repositories, on-prem or in cloud.

Questions about Imperva and Upwind

What do Imperva and Upwind sell?
Imperva sells Web Application Firewall (WAF), Advanced Bot Protection, API Security, DDoS Protection, Client-Side Protection and 3 more. Upwind sells Cloud Security, AI Security, Agentic Security, Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Cloud Infrastructure Entitlements Management (CIEM) and 1 more.
Are Imperva and Upwind in the same category?
They share API security. Imperva's primary category is WAF and WAAP and Upwind's is Cloud-native application protection (CNAPP).
Where are Imperva and Upwind headquartered?
Imperva is headquartered in Redwood Shores, United States.
When were Imperva and Upwind founded?
Upwind was founded in 2022.
Who owns Imperva and Upwind?
Imperva is owned by Thales. Upwind is privately held.
Who are Imperva and Upwind sold to?
From its own pages, Imperva sells mainly to organizations that need to protect applications and APIs in public or private cloud, hybrid and on-premises environments. Upwind's API offering is aimed at organizations that run APIs in the cloud.
What have Imperva and Upwind announced recently?
August 24, 2026: Thales Imperva introduced the SSL Integration Center, a framework connecting Imperva Cloud WAF with certificate lifecycle management platforms, launching with a DigiCert integration.

About Imperva

Imperva sells an Application Security Platform that protects against application and API attacks without impacting legitimate users. Imperva Web Application Firewall (WAF) protects applications in any environment. Imperva Advanced Bot Protection protects websites, mobile apps and APIs from sophisticated automated attacks without impacting legitimate users.[4][9]

Imperva API Security provides continuous protection of all APIs using deep discovery and classification of sensitive data. Imperva DDoS Protection automatically mitigates DDoS attacks, safeguarding applications and networks while minimizing downtime. Imperva Client-Side Protection safeguards against client-side attacks like formjacking, digital skimming and Magecart and streamlines regulatory compliance with PCI DSS 4.0. Imperva's Secure Content Delivery Network (CDN) accelerates the delivery of content and applications while protecting against attacks.[9][13]

Imperva WAF protects applications in any environment, cloud or on-premises, and offers automated policy creation. Imperva says managed rules written and tested by the Imperva Threat Research team before deployment allow more than 94% of Imperva customers to deploy the Imperva WAF in blocking mode. Imperva’s Attack Analytics automatically correlates thousands of security alerts into narratives. Imperva’s Terraform provider automates Cloud WAF deployments.

Advanced Bot Protection safeguards websites, mobile apps and APIs from bot attacks, including all OWASP 21 Automated Threats. Imperva says its multi-layered approach detects malicious bots by combining direct client interrogation, behavior analysis, machine learning, connection characteristics and threat intelligence feeds. Imperva’s advanced DDoS protection defends against volumetric, protocol-based and Layer 7 attacks, with a 3-second SLA. Imperva offers a guaranteed 3-second mitigation SLA for Layers 3 and 4 DDoS attacks. Imperva DDoS Protection for Networks shields entire infrastructures with 13 Tbps of multi-terabit scrubbing capacity. Imperva DDoS Protection for Websites works alongside a cloud web application firewall (WAF) to block attacks and malicious bots.[11][12]

Imperva Client-Side Protection enables security teams to manage client-side resources and JavaScript while streamlining compliance with PCI DSS 4.0 requirements 6.4.3 and 11.6.1. Client-Side Protection automatically blocks known malicious domains based on data from the Imperva Threat Research Team. Client-Side Protection deployment uses the Imperva Cloud Application Security solution, with a fast detection process that starts within minutes. Imperva AI Application Security is engineered for the unique architecture of LLMs. AI Application Security operates as a SaaS reverse proxy positioned between applications and Large Language Models.[13][14]

Imperva Data Security Fabric is purpose-built for hybrid multicloud environments. Imperva provides centralized data security across legacy and modern cloud environments. Imperva data security reveals critical insight including sensitive data location, users, access, and risk. Imperva data security offers over 260 built-in integrations on an open platform to speed investigation and response. Imperva offers out-of-the-box support for over 100 data repositories, on-prem or in cloud.[15][16][18]

BSE uses Imperva Application Security and Imperva Data Security to help fortify its applications, APIs and data. Imperva Web Application Firewall, Advanced Bot Protection and API Security work together to stop malicious automation and protect retail business logic. Imperva Data Risk Analytics helps retailers comply with GDPR and CCPA requirements by using machine learning to identify suspicious data access. Imperva Cloud Security supports PCI and GDPR compliance mandates.[2][14][17]

Imperva on the record

Sources

Imperva full record

  1. [1]Thales completes acquisition imperva creating global leaderThales Group · thalesgroup.com · published December 4, 2023 · Tier A
  2. [2]AboutImperva · imperva.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Greg clark joins imperva board of directorsImperva · imperva.com · published June 4, 2014 · Tier A
  4. [4]Application securityImperva · imperva.com · published August 23, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Cyber Security Leader | Imperva, Inc.Imperva · undated page, accessed October 25, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Thales Launches Imperva for AWS to Help Organizations Protect Applications and APIsBusiness Wire · published August 3, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Imperva Data Security Fabric Reviews & Product Details - G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 25, 2026 · Tier C
  8. [8]Thales Group (Imperva) Reviews - Gartner Peer InsightsGartner Peer Insights · undated page, accessed October 25, 2026 · Tier C
  9. [9]Best Application Security | Imperva WAAP ProtectionImperva · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Web Application Firewall (WAF) | Cloud & On-Prem | ImpervaImperva · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Advanced Bot Protection | Stop Advanced Bots | ImpervaImperva · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Advanced DDoS Protection & Mitigation Services | ImpervaImperva · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Client-Side Protection | PCI 4.0 Compliance | ImpervaImperva · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]Enterprise AI & LLM Security | Stop Prompt Injection | ImpervaImperva · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]Data Security Solutions | Protecting Data Everywhere | ImpervaImperva · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]Plans and Services | Imperva Cyber SecurityImperva · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  17. [17]Retail & eCommerce Cyber Security | Secure Online Transactions | ImpervaImperva · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  18. [18]Data Security Fabric | Protect All Data Types | ImpervaImperva · undated page, accessed November 6, 2026 · Tier A
  19. [19]Bring Your Own CA: Introducing the Thales Imperva SSL Integration Center, Featuring DigiCert Trust Lifecycle ManagerImperva · published August 24, 2026 · Tier A

Upwind full record

  1. [1]upwind.ioUpwind · upwind.io · undated page, accessed November 5, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]NewsroomUpwind · upwind.io · undated page, accessed November 5, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Upwind Security: Cloud & AI Security for the Realtime EraUpwind · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]About - UpwindUpwind · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Upwind Case Studies: Real-World Cloud Security Success StoriesUpwind · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Run - UpwindUpwind · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Agentic Security - UpwindUpwind · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]AI Security Platform - UpwindUpwind · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Runtime API Security: Discover and Protect APIs in Real TimeUpwind · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Build - UpwindUpwind · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Upwind Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & FeaturesG2 · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier C

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