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Clearswift
UK business

Clearswift is an information security company based in the UK. It offers cyber-security services to protect business's data from internal and external threats.

The company is owned by Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based HelpSystems.

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History

Clearswift was founded as NET-TEL in 1982.12 One of the co-founders, John Horton, had previously worked at GEC and Acorn Computers.3

In 1988, NET-TEL launched Route400, the world's first mail client for MS-DOS (using the X.400 protocol). It was later ported to other platforms.45

In 1998, NET-TEL switched its main business to content filtering, as the popularity of the Microsoft Exchange Client took away the mail client market.6

In 2001, NET-TEL was rebranded as Clearswift, after a round of venture capital fundraising.7

In 2002, Clearswift acquired Content Technologies from Baltimore Technologies, along with the MIMEsweeper brand.8

Clearswift extended the MIMEsweeper line to include web and instant messaging filtering. These were marketed as protecting against the leakage of confidential company information on social networking sites - Clearswift argues that instead of banning Web 2.0 sites and services entirely, businesses can actually gain a competitive advantage by making use of them, provided their use is monitored.910

In 2003, the company received $6.07 million from its shareholders, including venture capital funds managed by Amadeus Capital Partners, BA Capital Partners, Cazenove Private Equity, and Kennet Partners.11 Also, it was reported that Clearswift were the providers of a new email filtering system at the House of Commons, responsible for blocking Welsh language emails as "inappropriate content", and preventing MPs receiving copies of a Sexual Offences Bill.12 Clearswift would not confirm that the House of Commons was a customer, citing customer confidentiality reasons.13

In April 2005 Clearswift began to market an SMTP appliance (email gateway) based upon the technology.14

In January 2008, failure to renew a domain name caused loss of email services to 5% of Clearswift's customers.15

In Dec 2009, Clearswift sold the Deep-Secure, Bastion and Flashpoint products in to a spin-off company, "Deep Secure".

In November 2011, Clearswift was sold to Lyceum Capital.16

In August 2012, Clearswift acquired Jedda Systems Pty Ltd.17

In February 2013, Clearswift acquired Microdasys in order to strengthen its web product line.18

In January 2017, Clearswift was acquired by Swiss defense company RUAG as part of its RUAG Defence Cyber division.19

In December 2019, Clearswift was acquired by HelpSystems to expand its cybersecurity portfolio.20

Research & development

Clearswift has its main engineering office based in Arlington Business Park21 (Theale, UK). A smaller engineering office is in Adelaide, Australia which was part of the Jedda acquisition.22

References

  1. NET-TEL Computer Systems Ltd - News Archived 2012-03-16 at the Wayback Machine http://www.net-tel.co.uk/frames/news.shtml ↩

  2. NET-TEL Computer Systems Ltd - Company - Profile Archived 2012-03-16 at the Wayback Machine http://www.net-tel.co.uk/frames/profile.shtml ↩

  3. "The security of mutual support". https://www.ft.com/cms/14dfd4ac-8d49-11da-9daf-0000779e2340.html ↩

  4. NET-TEL Computer Systems Ltd - Products - Messaging Clients Archived 2012-03-16 at the Wayback Machine http://www.net-tel.co.uk/frames/prod-2.shtml ↩

  5. "FT.com / Services & tools / Search".[permanent dead link‍] http://search.ft.com/nonFtArticle?id=060125000846 ↩

  6. "FT.com / Services & tools / Search".[permanent dead link‍] http://search.ft.com/nonFtArticle?id=060125000846 ↩

  7. "Lyceum continues IT sector interest". 29 November 2011. http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/news-and-market-deals/mergers-and-acquisitions/1676113/lyceum-continues-it-sector-interest.thtml ↩

  8. Fortune favours bold Clearswift | Information Age Archived 2013-01-26 at archive.today http://www.information-age.com/article/2002/april/fortune_favours_bold_clearswift ↩

  9. Tindal, Suzanne. "Analysts: Don't ban social networking sites - ZDNet". ZDNet. https://www.zdnet.com/article/analysts-dont-ban-social-networking-sites/ ↩

  10. BBC. "BBC - Radio 4 - In Business". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/inbusiness/inbusiness_20080117.shtml ↩

  11. "Find Local Contractors - Home Remodeling Contractors on Ecnext". goliath.ecnext.com. http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-3339638/Clearswift-Secures-6-07-Million.html#abstract ↩

  12. "Plaid up in arms as Commons spam filter bans Welsh". The Register. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/02/05/plaid_up_in_arms_as/ ↩

  13. "Lyceum continues IT sector interest". 29 November 2011. http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/news-and-market-deals/mergers-and-acquisitions/1676113/lyceum-continues-it-sector-interest.thtml ↩

  14. "Newsroom". http://www.clearswift.com/news/item.aspx?ID=807 ↩

  15. "Domain name gaffe launches Clearswift clients into e-mail panic". The Register. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/23/domain_name_snafu/ ↩

  16. "Lyceum acquires Clearswift and exceeds £100m IT investment milestone - Clearswift". www.clearswift.com. http://www.clearswift.com/about-us/pr/press-releases/lyceum-acquires-clearswift-and-exceeds-%C2%A3100m-it-investment-milestone/ ↩

  17. "Clearswift Extends Delivery of Data Leak Prevention Strategy - Clearswift". www.clearswift.com. http://www.clearswift.com/about-us/pr/press-releases/clearswift-extends-delivery-data-leak-prevention-strategy/ ↩

  18. "Clearswift Strengthens Commitment to Safeguarding Critical Information - Clearswift". www.clearswift.com. https://www.clearswift.com/about-us/pr/press-releases/clearswift-strengthens-commitment-to-safeguarding-critical-information/ ↩

  19. "RUAG completes acquisition of cyber security company Clearswift | RUAG". www.ruag.com. Retrieved 6 April 2017. https://www.ruag.com/en/about-ruag/media-room/news/ruag-completes-acquisition-cyber-security-company-clearswift ↩

  20. "HelpSystems Bolsters Data Loss Prevention with Clearswift Buy - ITJungle". www.ITJungle.com. 4 December 2019. https://www.itjungle.com/2019/12/04/helpsystems-bolsters-data-loss-prevention-with-clearswift-buy/ ↩

  21. "Clearswift (Contact Us)". Retrieved 3 September 2016. https://www.clearswift.com/contact-us#location ↩

  22. "Clearswift's Jedda acquisition paves way for accelerated growth". https://www.clearswift.com/blog/2013/09/05/clearswift%E2%80%99s-jedda-acquisition-paves-way-accelerated-growth ↩