Rapid7 Lands in Leader Quadrant for Exposure Assessment, Navigates Shifting Cybersecurity Landscape

November 12, 2025 – Rapid7 (NASDAQ: RPD) has been recognized as a Leader in the inaugural 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Exposure Assessment Platforms, solidifying its position as a key player in the evolving landscape of proactive cybersecurity. However, while the recognition validates Rapid7’s vision, the company faces headwinds including slowing growth and intensifying competition.

The report, released this week, positions Rapid7 alongside Tenable as leaders in a burgeoning market driven by the need for continuous threat exposure management (CTEM). Gartner’s assessment highlights Rapid7’s strength in integrating exposure assessment with its broader security portfolio, including threat detection, incident response, and vulnerability management.

“This recognition is a testament to our commitment to helping organizations move beyond reactive security measures and proactively manage their ever-expanding attack surfaces,” stated a Rapid7 spokesperson. “We believe CTEM is the future of security, and this report validates our investment in this space.”

The Rise of Exposure Assessment

The emergence of dedicated Exposure Assessment Platforms reflects a fundamental shift in cybersecurity strategy. Traditional vulnerability management, focused on identifying known weaknesses, is increasingly insufficient in today’s dynamic threat environment. Organizations now need to continuously discover, assess, and prioritize all potential attack vectors across complex and distributed IT environments.

“The attack surface has exploded,” explains a cybersecurity analyst at a leading research firm, speaking anonymously. “With the proliferation of cloud services, remote work, and IoT devices, organizations are struggling to maintain visibility and control. Exposure Assessment Platforms provide the tools and insights needed to manage this complexity.”

The market is driven by the need for continuous discovery and monitoring, automated prioritization of risks, and integration with security operations workflows. Gartner’s CTEM framework underscores this need, emphasizing the importance of proactively identifying and mitigating exposures before they can be exploited.

Rapid7’s Strengths and Challenges

The Gartner report specifically recognized Rapid7’s strengths in areas such as its InsightVM platform, its integration with its threat intelligence services, and its ability to provide actionable insights to security teams. Analysts also noted the company’s commitment to open APIs and integration with third-party security tools.

However, Rapid7 is not without its challenges. While the company has demonstrated consistent revenue growth, the rate of growth has slowed in recent quarters. Recent financial results reveal an ARR growth of approximately 4%, falling short of earlier projections. This slowdown has triggered investor concern, reflected in a significant decline in the company’s stock price year-to-date.

“They’re facing increased competition, especially from established players like Tenable, as well as emerging vendors,” notes another industry analyst, also speaking anonymously. “They need to demonstrate that they can accelerate growth and differentiate their offerings to maintain their leadership position.”

Competitive Landscape Heats Up

The Exposure Assessment market is becoming increasingly crowded, with a growing number of vendors vying for market share. Tenable was also named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, recognized for its comprehensive risk management capabilities and mature platform. Vicarius, named a ‘Niche Player’ in the report, also presents a competitive threat, offering innovative solutions for automated vulnerability remediation.

“The competition is fierce,” says a security consultant who works with multiple vendors. “Vendors are racing to add new features and capabilities, and customers are demanding more value for their money.”

Rapid7 is responding to this competition by investing in innovation, expanding its product portfolio, and strengthening its partnerships. The company recently launched its AI-powered Command Platform, designed to automate security workflows and improve threat response times. They’ve also announced new integrations with leading cloud security providers and security information and event management (SIEM) systems.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Exposure Assessment

The Exposure Assessment market is expected to continue growing rapidly in the coming years, driven by the increasing complexity of IT environments and the escalating threat landscape. Analysts predict that organizations will increasingly adopt integrated security platforms that combine exposure assessment with other security functions, such as vulnerability management, threat detection, and incident response.

“The future of security is about proactively managing risk, not just reacting to threats,” says a security executive at a large enterprise. “Exposure Assessment Platforms are becoming essential tools for organizations that want to stay ahead of the curve.”

Rapid7’s success in this evolving market will depend on its ability to continue innovating, delivering value to customers, and differentiating its offerings from the competition. While the company faces challenges, its recognition as a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant demonstrates its commitment to the future of proactive cybersecurity and its position as a key player in the emerging Exposure Assessment market. However, maintaining this position will require a renewed focus on accelerating growth and addressing investor concerns, especially given the current challenging economic climate and increased competition. The company’s focus on AI-driven automation and integration within a unified security platform will be critical to its long-term success.