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Check Point
Israeli security company From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Check Point Software Technologies is a multinational cybersecurity company with headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel and Redwood City, California. Check Point’s Infinity Platform delivers AI-powered threat prevention across the networks from end point to cloud to mobile and beyond. The company protects over 100,000 organizations globally and is home to the Check Point Research team. It is a partner organization of the World Economic Forum.[5]
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History
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Check Point was established in Ramat Gan, Israel in 1993, by Gil Shwed (CEO as of 2016[update]), Marius Nacht (Chairman as of 2016[update]) and Shlomo Kramer (who left Check Point in 2003).[6] Shwed had the initial idea for the company's core technology known as stateful inspection, which became the foundation for the company's first product, FireWall-1; soon afterwards they also developed one of the world's first VPN products, VPN-1.[7] Shwed developed the idea while serving in the Unit 8200 of the Israel Defense Forces, where he worked on securing classified networks.[8][9]
Initial funding of US$250,000 was provided by venture capital fund BRM Group.[10]
In 1994 Check Point signed an OEM agreement with Sun Microsystems,[7] followed by a distribution agreement with HP in 1995.[11] The same year, the U.S. head office was established in Redwood City, California.
By February 1996, the company was named worldwide firewall market leader by IDC, with a market share of 40 percent.[12] In June 1996 Check Point raised $67 million from its initial public offering on NASDAQ.[13]
In 1998, Check Point established a partnership with Nokia, which bundled Check Point's Software with Nokia's computer Network Security Appliances.[13]
In 2003, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Check Point over violation of the Securities Exchange Act by failing to disclose major financial information.[14]
On August 14, 2003, Check Point opened its branch in India's capital, Delhi (with the legal name Check Point Software Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.). Eyal Desheh was the first director appointed in India.
During the first decade of the 21st century Check Point started acquiring other IT security companies, including Nokia's network security business unit in 2009.[15]
In 2018, the company discovered malware, which it named "AdultSwine", that was found programmed into around 60 apps on the Google Play Store, primarily those aimed at children. The bug would display pornographic ads that, when clicked on, would instruct victims to download more malicious software in an attempt to steal personal data.[16][17] It's estimated that between 3 and 7 million users may have been infected.[18]
In 2019, researchers at Check Point found a security breach in Xiaomi phone apps.[19] The security flaw was reported preinstalled.[20]
Over the years many employees who worked at Check Point have left to start their own software companies. These include Shlomo Kramer, who started Imperva; Nir Zuk, who founded Palo Alto Networks; Ruvi Kitov and Reuven Harrison of Tufin; Yonadav Leitersdorf, who founded Indeni; and Avi Shua, who founded Orca Security.
In December 2024, Gil Shwed moved to become Executive Chairman of the Board of Check Point. Nadav Zafrir joined Check Point as the new Chief Executive Officer.[21]
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Acquisitions
2004: Zone Labs (Endpoint Security)[22]
2009: Nokia Security (Enterprise Network Security)[23]
2015: Hyperwise (Threat Prevention)[24]
2018: Dome 9 (Cloud Security Posture)[25]
2021: Avanan (Cloud Email Security)[26]
2023: Perimeter 81 (SASE/SSE Platform)[27]
2023: Atmosec (Software as a Service platform)[28]
2024: Cyberint (External Risk Management)[29]
2025: Veriti (Threat Management)[30]
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Products
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Quantum Force Firewalls : Quantum is a portfolio of high-performance firewalls to secure enterprises of all sizes and in all enterprises. Check Point Quantum Remote Access VPN is an enterprise-grade solution that provides secure access to a host organization’s assets. It provides businesses and organizations with unyielding security, a comprehensive approach, and best-in-class features.[31]
Check Point’s Quantum Force firewalls serve as intelligent enforcement points, capable of blocking malicious traffic. When threats are identified, Check Point’s dynamic policy engine enables automatic response through Check Point’s AI Security Management.[32]
Harmony Email & Collaboration: Harmony is a unified cloud security platform combining firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS), secure web gateway, zero-trust network access (ZTNA), SaaS protection, and SD-WAN. The platform, powered by Check Point’s ThreatCloud AI, boasts a 99% threat detection rate and AI-driven security capabilities to proactively block malware, phishing, and anomalous behaviour.[33]
The hybrid security architecture, integrating on-device and cloud-based protections, promises 10x faster secure access, high-performance connectivity, and deep visibility into SaaS applications.[33][34]
CloudGuard: From code to cloud, Check Point CloudGuard allows organizations to prevent threats and prioritize risks throughout their cloud environments. With proven resilience against evasions, enterprise-grade reliability, and highest industry block rate, Check Point emerges as an undisputed leader in cloud network security.[35] [36]
Check Point CloudGuard Network Security provides 100% evasion protection, blocking all TCP, IP, and HTTP-based evasions, including network segmentation techniques, fragmentation manipulations, deceptive transfer encoding, padding, and header modifications.[35]
Infinity External Risk Management: Check Point Infinity External Risk Management is a solution that protects against threats like credential theft, fraud, and brand impersonation. The platform has been bolstered by the recent acquisition of Veriti to integrate their threat management exposure capabilities into the platform. The combined platform enables seamless integration with an ecosystem of more than 70 vendors, synergy with Wiz for cloud exposure insights, as well as safe and context-aware threat remediation.[37][38]
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Check Point Research
The Check Point research team consists of over 200 analysts and researchers cooperating with other security vendors, law enforcement and various CERTs. Their data sources include open sources, the ThreatCloud AI network and dark web intelligence.[39]
Critics
As of December 2023, Check Point Software continues to operate in Russia, selling its cybersecurity products in the country. Despite the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the company has maintained its office in Moscow and has faced criticism for its decision to remain active in Russia.[40]
SofaWare legal battle
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SofaWare Technologies was founded in 1999, as a cooperation between Check Point and SofaWare's founders, Adi Ruppin and Etay Bogner, with the purpose of extending Check Point from the enterprise market to the small business, consumer and branch office market. SofaWare's co-founder Adi Ruppin said that his company wanted to make the technology simple to use and affordable, and to lift the burden of security management from end users while adding some features.[41] In 2001 SofaWare began selling firewall appliances under the SofaWare S-Box brand;[42] in 2002 the company started selling the Safe@Office and Safe@Home line of security appliances, under the Check Point brand.[41] By the fourth quarter of 2002 sales of SofaWare's Safe@Office firewall/VPN appliances had increased greatly, and SofaWare held the #1 revenue position in the worldwide firewall/VPN sub-$490 appliance market, with a 38% revenue market share.[43]
Relations between Check Point and the SofaWare founders went sour after the company acquisition in 2002. In 2004 Etay Bogner, co-founder of SofaWare, sought court approval to file a shareholder derivative suit, claiming Check Point was not transferring funds to SofaWare as required for its use of SofaWare's products and technology. His derivative suit was ultimately successful, and Check Point was ordered to pay SofaWare 13 million shekels for breach of contract. In 2006 the Tel Aviv District Court Judge ruled that Bogner SofaWare could sue Check Point by proxy for $5.1 million in alleged damage to SofaWare.[44] Bogner claimed that Check Point, which owned 60% of Sofaware, had behaved belligerently, and withheld money due for use of SofaWare technology and products[44] Check Point appealed the ruling, but lost.[45]
In 2009 the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that a group of founders of SofaWare, which includes Bogner, had veto power over any decision of SofaWare. The court ruled that the three founders could exercise their veto power only as a group and by majority rule.
In 2011 Check Point settled all litigation relating to SofaWare. As part of the settlement it acquired the SofaWare shares held by Bogner and Ruppin, and began a process of acquiring the remaining shares, resulting in SofaWare becoming a wholly owned subsidiary.[46]
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References
External links
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