Hightail Buys AdeptCloud To Add High Level Security And Privacy Features To File-Sharing

File-sharing company Hightail (formerly YouSendIt), has acquired startup AdeptCloud, a file sharing and collaboration company focused on security, control and privacy. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. AdeptCloud had raised $700,000 in outside funding.

As we reported earlier this year Hightail rebranded from YouSendIt, a file sharing pioneer that was founded in 2004. Over the past year, Hightail has evolved its offerings to go beyond its core “sending” capabilities, through acquisitions as well as through organic product development. Part of this evolutions, explains former AOL exec Brad Garlinghouse (who took the helm at the company as CEO just over a year ago), is in security.

Security and privacy in file sharing is a huge pain point and barrier for many large companies looking to share content in the cloud, he says. Hightail already offers security features like read receipt, password protection, and document tracking but AdeptCloud takes security in file sharing to a whole new level. For example, you could share a file without metadata being visible to AdeptCloud/Hightail, Garlinghouse explains further. A unified AdeptCloud/Hightail experience will be rolling out in Q4, he adds, and the team, whose founders include engineers from Palantir and Coherent Navigation, will be joining Hightail’s security team.

Garlinghouse seems to have injected new vigor into the company, which cites 43 million professionals as users. The company is expanding internationally, opening up offices in the UK and Australia. Hightail has hit a record Q2 and is continuing to grow. He says security will be a differentiator for Hightail against competitors like Box and others in the space.