Infoblox completes Axur takeover to boost threat defence

Infoblox has completed its acquisition of Axur, bringing Axur's external threat discovery and digital risk protection capabilities into the business.

The deal adds services that scan more than 40 million URLs a day using AI to identify threats such as phishing, brand abuse, executive impersonation and credential exposure across the web, social platforms, mobile apps and the dark web.

The acquisition extends Infoblox's security work beyond corporate networks into parts of the internet organisations do not directly control. Those areas have become a growing source of risk as attackers use social media, app stores and fraudulent websites to target staff, customers and brands.

Findings from the new digital risk protection service will feed into Infoblox Threat Defence, allowing customers to block malicious destinations while takedown efforts are under way. The system can also identify which internal assets are attempting to reach those destinations and trace that activity back to the organisation within minutes of discovery.

The transaction also broadens the company's threat intelligence operation. Infoblox has focused on analysing threats through DNS activity, while Axur has concentrated on how malicious campaigns appear across the wider digital environment, including dark web forums and social platforms.

The move comes as concern grows over AI-assisted fraud and impersonation. Infoblox pointed to Australian figures showing that only 42 per cent of consumers are aware of AI-enhanced scams, even as deepfake material spreads across social media platforms, websites and messaging apps.

Product expansion

As part of the integration, Infoblox is launching Digital Risk Protection Services as the first element of what it calls its Exposure Management offering. This will form the basis of a broader approach to tracking and reducing risk across an organisation's full attack surface.

For Infoblox, the purchase marks an effort to move earlier in the attack chain by identifying malicious infrastructure before it reaches enterprise systems. Rather than relying only on controls inside the perimeter, the combined business aims to detect fake websites, fraudulent apps, impersonation campaigns and exposed credentials before they are used at scale.

Scott Harrell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Infoblox, outlined that rationale in remarks on the acquisition. "Infoblox is extending its leadership in preemptive security by expanding its ability to take down malicious infrastructure before it can be weaponised against enterprises," he said.

"By combining Axur's external threat discovery, takedown and threat intelligence with Infoblox's DNS-based security and intelligence, we expand Infoblox's preemptive protection beyond enterprises' perimeter and into arenas like social media, app stores and the dark web," Harrell added.

Intelligence focus

The deal will also strengthen Infoblox Threat Intel by adding new data sources, research expertise and investigative capability. The aim is to improve attribution and provide earlier warning of phishing, impersonation and fraud campaigns that increasingly use AI tools to multiply their reach.

Dr Renée Burton, Vice President of Threat Intelligence at Infoblox, said Axur would broaden the context available to analysts and customers. "Axur brings highly complementary data sources and expertise that meaningfully expand our intelligence portfolio," she said. "Together, we can connect external signals with DNS-level insight to give customers clearer visibility and more confidence in how they respond."

Axur has built its business around detecting threats that affect brands and digital identities outside traditional enterprise systems. These include fake domains, counterfeit profiles, phishing campaigns, unauthorised use of trademarks and exposed credentials circulating in criminal channels.

Its automated takedown work is also central to the transaction. Infoblox said the service can confirm abuse and remove attacker infrastructure at scale, giving customers a route not just to detection but also to disruption.

Fabio Ramos, Chief Executive Officer of Axur, said the deal would expand the reach of that work. "This is an important milestone for Axur," he said. "Becoming part of Infoblox allows us to scale our mission globally and combine external threat intelligence with deep network insight to deliver a more proactive, measurable approach to security, and establish the foundation for managing threats across the full attack surface."

Infoblox will integrate Axur's products and research into its wider portfolio over time, adding to a customer base it says exceeds 6,000 organisations, including many large multinational companies. The newly added service scans more than 40 million URLs each day using multi-modal AI to discover and validate threats across web services, social platforms, mobile apps and the dark web.