Sophos has acquired Arco Cyber in a move aimed at strengthening governance, risk management and compliance capabilities for organisations across India and globally.
The acquisition forms part of Sophos’ broader strategy to extend what it calls Sophos CISO Advantage—a framework designed to scale the knowledge, judgement and operational discipline of a world-class Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to organisations, whether or not they have dedicated security leadership in place.
At a time when AI-assisted and agentic systems are reshaping cybersecurity operations, Sophos says it is combining real-time AI-driven insights with strong human oversight to ensure that security decisions remain accountable and risk-informed.
From tools to governance
Arco Cyber brings capabilities that allow organisations to continuously validate the effectiveness of their security controls, align them with risk and compliance frameworks, and generate executive-ready insights for board-level decision-making.
Joe Levy, CEO of Sophos, said the deal addresses a persistent gap in the cybersecurity market.
“There is no shortage of exemplary security technology in the market. What’s missing for most organisations is the ability to govern those tools, understand whether controls are actually working, and make informed decisions about risk. Arco has built a platform and a team that offers clarity, accountability, and proof. That work directly supports our strategy, and it gives customers a stronger foundation for simplifying compliance and managing cyber risk with confidence.”
Rather than simply layering additional tools onto existing stacks, Sophos is positioning the integration as a governance-led evolution—bringing assurance, risk validation and executive visibility into the same operational fabric as detection and response.
Strengthening the MSP and MSSP ecosystem
A central pillar of Sophos CISO Advantage is its partner-first delivery model. Many organisations, particularly mid-sized enterprises, rely heavily on Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) to interpret risk signals and guide day-to-day security decisions.
The integration of Arco’s assurance technology is designed to equip partners with AI-driven governance, continuous control validation and clearer risk intelligence—shifting their role from technology operators to strategic security advisers.
By embedding these capabilities within Sophos Central, Sophos aims to provide a unified platform that supports advisory services, managed detection and response (MDR), and partner-delivered governance at scale.
Closing the cybersecurity leadership gap
The move also reflects a stark industry reality. Of an estimated 359 million organisations worldwide, fewer than 32,000 have a dedicated CISO. Even among those that do, demonstrating measurable security effectiveness to boards, regulators and insurers remains a growing challenge.
Phil Harris, Research Director for Governance, Risk and Compliance Solutions at IDC, noted the shift in expectations.
“As cybersecurity matures beyond alerts and point solutions, organisations are increasingly focused on proving impact, not just activity. Boards, regulators, and insurers want clear evidence that security investments are reducing risk and strengthening governance. Platforms that integrate detection and response with assurance, advisory, and risk-based measurement are better aligned with how organisations actually operate. The Sophos and Arco Cyber combination represents a new category of platform-led cybersecurity that connects operations, assurance, and risk-based outcomes.”
For organisations with a CISO, Sophos CISO Advantage promises a more integrated way to manage risk and communicate progress. For those without one, it aims to provide structured, CISO-level guidance—supported by AI, but grounded in human expertise.
Matt Helling, CEO and co-founder of Arco Cyber, described the rationale behind the integration.
“Arco was founded to help organisations move from assumption to proof in cybersecurity. By joining Sophos, we can deliver against that mission and reach far more customers who are struggling to demonstrate control effectiveness, prioritise risk, and justify security decisions. Sophos shares our belief that cybersecurity should deliver clarity, confidence, and control—not just data. Together, we can help organisations of all sizes turn security into a managed, defensible business discipline.”
As regulatory scrutiny intensifies and AI-driven threats accelerate, the acquisition signals a broader market shift: cybersecurity is no longer defined solely by prevention and response, but by demonstrable governance, measurable resilience and board-level accountability.