The 20 Coolest Cloud Security Companies Of The 2023 Cloud 100

CRN breaks down 20 of the top cloud cybersecurity vendors will make waves in 2023—from startups like Ermetic and Laminar to Palo Alto Networks and Check Point Software Technologies.

Cyberattacks on cloud infrastructure are always top of mind for many organizations, with cybersecurity vendors constantly having to innovate to protect cloud data, applications and hardware from threats.

These 20 cloud security companies stand out from the pack and are leading the way in 2023—from security market leaders like Palo Alto Networks, Check Point Software Technologies and Sophos, to security startups like Ermetic and Laminar.

These 20 cybersecurity companies are making cybersecurity jobs and customers’ lives easier by offering a slew of cloud security products and services around advanced threat detection, securing applications and data, comprehensive vulnerability coverage, and hybrid cloud security packages, to name a few.

Cloud Security Market In 2023

Worldwide spending on information security and risk management is expected to reach $188 billion in 2023, with cloud security showing the strongest growth over the next two years, according to data from IT research firm Gartner.

End-user spending on cloud security for information security and risk management is expected to grow by 27 percent in 2023 to $6.7 billion, up from $5.3 billion in 2022.

As more businesses migrate to the cloud and with the COVID-19 pandemic creating a new hybrid workforce, cloud security vendors are playing a more critical role in protecting organizations than ever before.

In fact, many security market leaders like Check Point, Netskope, Proofpoint, Sophos and Palo Alto Networks spent millions on acquiring fellow cybersecurity companies last year to drive growth and better meet customer demand.

As part of CRN’s 2023 Cloud 100, here are 20 red-hot cloud security companies that are thwarting cyberattacks and driving innovation to help businesses of all shapes and sizes in 2023.

Aqua Security

Dror Davidoff

Co-Founder, CEO

Aqua Security has a vast portfolio of container security, serverless, supply chain and dynamic threat analysis cybersecurity offerings. It dubs its Aqua Platform as the industry’s most integrated cloud-native application protection platform, prioritizing risk and automating prevention, detection and response across the life cycle.

Check Point Software Technologies

Gil Shwed

Founder, CEO

Check Point has been beefing up its cloud offerings across the board, including through the acquisition of Tel Aviv, Israel-based Spectral. Spectral is a startup focusing on developer-first security tools and was the company’s fifth cloud security acquisition in three years.

Ermetic

Shai Morag

Co-Founder, CEO

Ermetic, a cloud infrastructure security company, raised $70 million in new funding last year for its identity-first cloud offering. The startup also recently appointed Scott Hoard, a former Fortanix channel executive, as the new head of global channel sales.

Fortinet

Ken Xie

Founder, Chairman, CEO

Fortinet has a wide range of cloud security offerings. The company’s FortiGate Cloud is a cloud-based SaaS offering, delivering a range of management and services for Fortinet FortiGate firewalls. Fortinet also has launched a new managed cloud-native firewall service.

Illumio

Andrew Rubin

Co-Founder, CEO

Illumio, a zero trust segmentation company, provides offerings designed to stop breaches from spreading across the hybrid attack surface. Its CloudSecure delivers agentless visibility for cloud-native applications and infrastructure across multi-cloud and hybrid environments.

Imperva

Pam Murphy

CEO

Imperva provides data security software that is designed to protect data through all stages of its digital transformation, with cloud-based security services among its portfolio of offerings. Imperva has raised nearly $100 million to date.

Lacework

Jay Parikh

CEO

Lacework is a data-driven cloud security company that secures cloud-native applications across the entire life cycle -- from code to cloud. Its platform collects, analyzes and correlates data to narrow it down to the handful of security events that matter. It works across customers’ AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud and Kubernetes environments.

Laminar

Amit Shaked

Co-Founder, CEO

Cloud data security startup Laminar raised $30 million in June, bringing the total it has raised to $67 million since its founding in 2021. Laminar in October launched Laminar Labs to help businesses protect their most sensitive cloud data.

Netskope

Sanjay Beri

Founder, CEO

Netskope is known for its secure access service edge architecture aimed at redefining cloud, data and network security. In the first week of 2023, Netskope said it had raised $401 million via convertible notes it plans to use to further develop its SASE products and channel-centric go-to-market strategy.

Orca Security

Avi Shua

Co-Founder, CEO

Orca Security describes itself as a pioneer of agentless cloud security and compliance, work¬ing for AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. In October, the company released what it called the first agentless API security offering for multi-cloud environments.

Palo Alto Networks

Nikesh Arora

Chairman, CEO

Palo Alto Networks has over the past four years been on an acquisition binge, largely to broaden its cloud offerings. In late 2022, the company acquired Cider Security and its application security and supply chain security, as part of its approach to secure the entire application security life cycle from code to cloud.

Proofpoint

Ashan Willy

CEO

Proofpoint , known for its email, compliance and other security tools, has a solid presence in the cloud with its Proofpoint Cloud App Security Broker. The company recently enhanced its Threat Protection Platform to boost customers’ visibility and detection of email fraud and better defend against third-party and supplier compromises.

Qualys

Sumedh Thakar

President, CEO

Qualys is a cloud security stalwart, providing a number of cloud-based IT, security and compliance offer¬ings. In October, the company said it was acquiring the assets of Blue Hexagon, bringing AI/machine learning to the Qualys Cloud Plat¬form. Qualys is also a founding member of the Cloud Security Alliance.

Securonix

Nayaki Nayyar

CEO

Securonix , a provider of next-gen SIEM and XDR offerings, was hot in 2022 -- to the tune of $1 billion. That’s the amount Vista Equity Partners and other financial firms invested in Securonix last February. Securonix said its next-gen SIEM and XDR are powered by the most advanced analytics and built on a scalable, flexible cloud-native architecture.

Semperis

Mickey Bresman

CEO

Semperis, a provider of identify offerings for hybrid Active Directory users, raised about $200 million in Series C funding in 2022, bringing its total raised to $250 million since its founding in 2015. The company said its product is purpose-built to help security teams charged with defending hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

Skyhigh Security

Gee Rittenhouse

CEO

Skyhigh Security, formerly McAfee Enterprise, launched in March as a new cloud security company focused on the security service edge market. Skyhigh recently hired its first-ever global channel chief, Scott Goree, formerly head of worldwide distribution sales and channel renewal sales at Nutanix.

Sophos

Kris Hagerman

CEO

Sophos has a number of cloud-based offerings available, and the security star keeps adding to its product lineup. In 2022, the company acquired cloud-based security alert investigation and triage automation solution provider SOC.OS, enabling Sophos to expand its Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem solution.

Trellix

Bryan Palma

CEO

Trellix was formed in early 2022 through the merger of FireEye and McAfee Enterprise, creating an extended detection and response business that integrates capabilities in the endpoint, network and security operations fields with a solid cloud strategy. In September, the company unveiled its first independent partner program.

Trend Micro

Eva Chen

Co-Founder, CEO

Trend Micro offers cybersecurity platforms for hybrid cloud and products that span across clouds, networks and devices. The company launched Trend Micro One last year to make it easier for customers and partners to view and assess their attack surfaces and risk postures.

Zscaler

Jay Chaudhry

Founder, Chairman, CEO

Zscaler grew its portfolio in 2022 with the purchase of ShiftRight, a startup specializing in closedloop security workflow automation. Zscaler now plans to integrate Shift- Right’s technology with a number of its corporate products moving forward.