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Active Exploits Protection

Identify and Stop Exploit-Driven Attacks Before Execution

Focus on the CVE vulnerabilities attackers are actively exploiting, prioritize patching, and stop the exploits with real-time detection.

Overview and Benefits

Reduce exposure to active exploits faster

As frontier AI accelerates CVE vulnerability discovery and exploitation, traditional vulnerability management tools fall behind. A more effective approach identifies and stops exploit-driven attacks before they execute. Beyond prioritizing the vulnerabilities that pose real risk, it sees adversary exploit attempts and stops attacks earlier in the attack chain.

Gain superior first-mile protection

Identify and prevent exploit activity in email while extending protection across network- and exploit-driven malware.

Prioritize and act on real risks

Leverage dynamic CVE prioritization scores based on exploit activity gathered from global network and email telemetry.

Apply immediate protection

Reduce exposure to critical vulnerabilities by applying continuously updated network-based rules built on global intelligence.

Why It Matters

Prioritizing the wrong vulnerabilities leaves you exposed

Security teams face growing volumes of vulnerabilities, but not all pose the same risk. CVSS scores, vulnerability scanning, and traditional threat intelligence surface large numbers of critical vulnerabilities without context. This makes it harder to prioritize remediation, delaying incident response and leaving the most dangerous threats unaddressed. 

40K+
new CVEs annually create overwhelming noise for security teams ¹
31%
of breaches stem from exploited vulnerabilities, making them the #1 initial access vector ²
60
days to patch on avg., giving attackers weeks to exploit open vulnerabilities ³
Product Details

Prioritize and protect against exploited vulnerabilities 

Proofpoint Active Exploits Protection helps organizations identify and prevent exploit activity at the earliest stage of the attack chain, before payload execution or endpoint compromise. It reduces exposure faster by prioritizing vulnerabilities using real-world exploit intelligence, sourced from our unique global sensor network and email telemetry—visibility traditional network and endpoint security vendors can't match.

Unique Exploit Intelligence

Continually surface actively exploited CVEs using broad visibility across network- and email-based exploit activity.

Exploit-Based Vulnerability Prioritization

Focus on vulnerabilities attackers are actively exploiting instead of relying on CVSS scores or static rankings. 

Enhanced Network-Based Protection

Apply Suricata- and Snort-compatible rules to detect and block exploit-driven threats through your existing network security controls.

Closed-Loop Protection

Close CVE gaps and improve protection coverage for new and emerging exploits reported by customers.

Correlated Threat Intelligence

Combine sensor data with NVD, EPSS, CISA KEV, and other sources in one unified view with AI-driven analysis.

Flexible Intelligence Integration

Embed exploit intelligence in your existing SIEMs, TIPs, and vulnerability management workflows.

Enhance Active Exploits Protection with expert intelligence

Proofpoint Threat Intelligence Services is an add-on that enhances Active Exploits Protection with analyst-driven research and insight. Our experts work with your team to analyze exploit activity, investigate threats targeting your organization, and answer specific intelligence questions. The service also provides peer benchmarking and executive reporting to help you understand exposure, prioritize remediation, and make informed risk management decisions.

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Comparison

Proofpoint Active Exploits Protection vs. traditional threat intelligence tools

Capabilities Active Exploits Protection Traditional Threat Intelligence Tools
Exploit activity prevention at the earliest stage of the attack chain
Yes
No
Unique visibility into exploit-driven threats through the email channel
Yes
No
Vulnerability prioritization using real-world exploit activity
Yes
No
Rich threat intelligence derived from global network and email telemetry
Yes
No
Daily updated network-based protection for unpatched vulnerabilities (IDS/IPS rules)
Yes
No
Intel enriched with years of historical and campaign context
Yes
No
Correlated threat intelligence across global sensors, CISA KEV, NVD, and EPSS in a unified view
Yes
No
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Take control of vulnerability prioritization and stop real-world exploits.

FAQ

FAQ

  • What is vulnerability prioritization?

    Vulnerability prioritization is the process of deciding which security issues to fix first. Instead of treating all vulnerabilities the same, it looks at real attacks...

    Vulnerability prioritization is the process of deciding which security issues to fix first. Instead of treating all vulnerabilities the same, it looks at real attacks and likely impact—not just potential impact—to highlight what matters most. This helps teams reduce risk across the attack surface and focus time and resources where they have the greatest effect. 

  • How does exploit-based vulnerability prioritization differ from traditional vulnerability management tools?

    Traditional vulnerability management tools scan systems and score issues using the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). This helps identify vulnerabilities, but it does not show which ones attackers...

    Traditional vulnerability management tools scan systems and score issues using the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). This helps identify vulnerabilities, but it does not show which ones attackers are using. Exploit-based vulnerability prioritization fills that gap by focusing on real-world attacks, so teams can act on what actually puts them at risk and avoid wasting effort on lower-risk issues.

  • What is a CVE vulnerability, and why does it matter?

    A CVE vulnerability is a known security flaw listed in a public database. Thousands are reported each year, but only a small number are used in real attacks. By focusing on those active threats, teams can spend less...

    A CVE vulnerability is a known security flaw listed in a public database. Thousands are reported each year, but only a small number are used in real attacks. By focusing on those active threats, teams can spend less time reviewing noise and more time stopping attacks that matter to their business and users.

  • How does exploit detection improve vulnerability management?

    Exploit detection shows when attackers are actively using a vulnerability. This gives security teams clear direction on what to fix first, instead of relying only on scores or assumptions. It also helps improve incident re...

    Exploit detection shows when attackers are actively using a vulnerability. This gives security teams clear direction on what to fix first, instead of relying only on scores or assumptions. It also helps improve incident response by linking vulnerabilities to real attack activity and showing how threats are actually unfolding.

  • How does exploit-based vulnerability prioritization improve patch management?

    Exploit-based vulnerability prioritization helps teams focus patch management on what matters most. Instead of patching every high CVSS score, teams can fix the security vulnerabilities most likely to be...

    Exploit-based vulnerability prioritization helps teams focus patch management on what matters most. Instead of patching every high CVSS score, teams can fix the security vulnerabilities most likely to be used in an attack. This reduces effort, speeds up response, and improves overall risk management across systems and environments.

  • How does Active Exploits Protection reduce risk across the attack surface?

    Active Exploits Protection reduces risk by enabling organizations to identify exploit activity before payload execution, endpoint compromise, or lateral movement occurs. It also shrinks exposure windows with prioritized vulnerability intelligence...

    Active Exploits Protection reduces risk by enabling organizations to identify exploit activity before payload execution, endpoint compromise, or lateral movement occurs. It also shrinks exposure windows with prioritized vulnerability intelligence and immediate protection, allowing security teams to focus on active exploits while enhancing protection with continuously updated network- and email-based threat detection.

Footnote
  1. NIST, 2026
  2. Verizon, 2026
  3. ServiceNow, 2026