Uncertainty and instability marked the end of 2022 for many in the tech sector, a trend that faded into early 2023. After the IT talent drought, mass layoffs occurred at many of the tech companies largest in the world as recession predictions. rose and the war in Ukraine dragged on with no end in sight.
Global concern about cybersecurity has never been higher, with attacks fast and furious and increasing in number, and 65% of organizations planning to increase spending on cybersecurity by 2023. This means CISOs can see pressured to do more with what they have as budgets. is reduced even as the demand for security increases. And they should be aware of what could change if one of their vendors is acquired in this climate.
Corporate deals are down from 2021 highs as investors proceed with caution, eyeing rising interest rates and the possibility of a recession. There were some signs that cybersecurity might be an outlier in 2023, that M&A activity might remain somewhat more robust than in other parts of the tech world. “There are abundant opportunities for innovation in cybersecurity as new technological advances, such as ChatGPT’s near-human capabilities, introduce new and largely unaddressed security risks,” DataTribe noted in its Q4 2022 Insights.
While they recognize the ever-increasing importance of cybersecurity and the ever-increasing demand to protect against increasingly sophisticated and numerous bad actors, businesses are likely to be active but cautious in the coming year.
Below are the deals that CSO has selected as the most significant of the year. (This list is updated periodically as new offers are announced).
OpSec Security agrees to buy Zacco
April 4: Brand integrity firm OpSec Security has agreed to buy the intellectual property of Danish intellectual property protection and management company Zacco, the two companies said in a statement. Zacco combines traditional legal expertise with digital brand management and security. The addition of Zacco “will combine the respective strengths of the two companies to help clients maximize the value of their intellectual property portfolios, take advantage of new opportunities and counter the vulnerabilities and threats these may bring,” he said. say OpSec.
TrustCloud and Branddocs merge
April 11: In a reverse takeover, secure digital transaction and video verification services Branddocs acquired secure digital transaction choreography platform TrustCloud for an undisclosed amount. The new company will operate as TrustCloud, combining Branddocs’ customer base and internal network of fraud detection experts, AI/ML technologies, multi-orchestration capabilities and the TrustCloud modular platform to deliver globally compatible, frictionless services and independent of the supplier. .
Columbus acquires ICY Security
April 11: Columbus has acquired ICY Security in an expansion aimed at meeting customer demand for cybersecurity services. ICY Security, based in Denmark, is among the largest consulting and implementation companies in the Nordic countries in the area of identity and access management (IAM). “The acquisition of ICY Security is an important investment to expand Columbus’ offerings following our customers’ growing need for cybersecurity services,” Columbus CEO and President Søren Krogh Knudsen said in a statement.
Akamai acquires Neosec
April 19: Content delivery network and cloud security service provider Akamai Technologies has agreed to buy private API detection and response platform Neosec. The acquisition will expand Akamai’s visibility into the rapidly growing API threat landscape, the company said in a statement. “The combination is designed to make it easier for customers to secure their APIs by helping them discover all their APIs, assess their risk, and respond to vulnerabilities and attacks.”
Cisco agrees to buy Lightspin Technologies
March 29: Software and services giant Cisco has agreed to buy private cloud security software Lightspin Technologies for an undisclosed amount. Lightspin provides end-to-end Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) through cloud-native resources. The company will join Cisco’s Emerging Technologies and Incubation (ET&I) business.
Mastercard acquires Baffin Bay
March 20: Mastercard has bought Swedish cybersecurity company Baffin Bay to boost its cloud-based protections. The company will integrate Baffin Bay’s cloud-based solution that uses AI technology to automatically filter and counter malicious internet traffic into its current offerings. “The addition of Baffin Bay Network’s cloud-based, predictive and instant AI technology to our existing analytics capabilities will deliver a leading and unique cyber solution,” Mastercard said in a statement.
HPE acquires Axis Security
March 2: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has agreed to buy cloud security services provider Axis Security, its third acquisition since January, to provide a Unified Secure Access Service (SASE) offering. The acquisition aims to incorporate the Axis Security Service Platform (SSE) into HPE’s edge-to-cloud network security capabilities to provide integrated network and security solutions as a service. HPE plans to integrate Atmos, an SSE offering from Axis Security, into Aruba, its platform for end-to-cloud networking with AI-based network automation. “The convergence of Aruba and Axis Security solutions will transform edge-to-cloud connectivity with a comprehensive SASE solution that provides enterprises with the highest levels of security for both IoT devices and access for all users in geographically distributed locations,” Phil Mottram, executive. vice president and general manager, HPE Aruba Networking, said in a statement.
Online auction giant eBay acquires 3PM Shield
February 13: eBay acquired 3PM Shield, a provider of monitoring solutions designed to prevent the sale of counterfeit items, unsafe products and illegal products. The purchase will help provide sellers and buyers with a safe and trusted platform and improve eBay’s ability to address suspicious or harmful seller behavior and potentially problematic items. “3PM Shield has been a valuable and effective external partner in helping eBay address these challenges, and we look forward to unlocking additional capabilities as we bring their technologies in-house,” Zhi Zhou, eBay’s chief risk officer, said in a statement.
Accenture buys Brazil-based Morphus
February 13: New York-based Accenture has acquired privately held cyber defense, risk management and cyber threat intelligence services provider Morphus for an undisclosed amount. Brazil-based Morphus offers red and blue team services; governance, risk and compliance services; business risk management; cyber strategy; threat intelligence; and managed security services. “The acquisition brings more than 230 highly qualified professionals, making Accenture one of the largest providers of professional cybersecurity services in Brazil,” Accenture Security Global Leader Paolo Dal Cin said in a statement. The acquisition launches Accenture’s cyber industry practice in Latin America.
Vista Equity Partners completes acquisition of KnowBe4
February 1: Investment firm Vista Equity Partners completed its acquisition of security awareness training and mock fishing platform KnowBe4 for $24.90 per share in cash, valuing the company at about $4.4 billion. “The human element remains one of the most important yet overlooked aspects of cybersecurity,” Michael Fosnaugh, Vista Flagship Fund co-director and senior managing director, said in a press release. “The opportunity to scale a business that is truly critical to companies around the world is central to Vista’s investment approach and value creation efforts.” Vista focuses exclusively on the acquisition of business software, data and technology businesses.
Radiant Logic signs definitive agreement to acquire Brainwave GRC
February 1: California-based Radiant Logic has signed a definitive agreement to acquire French identity governance and analytics company Brainwave to accelerate the companies’ shared vision of an identity data fabric using data science to ensure that there is the right information to make the right policy decisions. “Demand for cybersecurity, governance and compliance solutions that help businesses address ever-evolving security threats, especially as regulatory environments and fines become more prevalent,” said Joe Sander, CEO of Radiant Logic, in a press release. The companies said the acquisition will strengthen their market positions as experts in identity, analytics and intelligence and provide a zero-trust, identity-first security foundation to deliver enhanced data security, cost reduced auditing and compliance and better understanding and visibility of malicious activity. .
Veridos becomes the majority shareholder of NetSeT
January 30: Berlin-based Veridos has acquired a majority stake in NetSeT Global Solutions, a move the company says will strengthen its position as a full-service provider of integrated identity solutions. NetSeT, based in Serbia, develops information systems for citizen data management and information security. In 2017, Veridos acquired a minority stake in NetSeT, which will now be integrated into the Veridos Group. “With this acquisition, we are expanding our position as a provider of holistic identity solutions to cover the entire value chain: from citizen registration to the creation and personalization of identity documents and the management of citizen data until document verification,” said Marc-, CEO of Veridos. Julian Siewert said in a press release. The move comes after 20 years of collaboration between Veridos and NetSeT. In joint projects, the companies have cooperated to provide the identification system for North Macedonia, electronic passport systems for Bangladesh, Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates, and a driver’s license system for Uganda.
Simeio acquires identity and access management company PathMaker
January 10: Specialty identity and access management (IAM) services provider Simeio has acquired Texas-based identity governance company PathMaker Group in a move that will enhance Simeio’s consulting services and implementation capabilities SailPoint, the company said. “This acquisition solidifies our commitment to integrate future-ready technologies to protect and secure identities,” Simeio CEO Chris Schueler said in a statement. of this acquisition”. Simeio operates an end-to-end portfolio of services in consulting, building and managing identity security solutions. PathMaker’s IAM MAP assessment process and methodology will be incorporated into the platform of Simeio’s identity orchestration Simeio IO, enabling customers to continuously measure and assess the maturity of their identity programs Simeio’s managed identity security services delivered through Simeio IO will also be accessible to PathMaker customers .
Copyright © 2023 IDG Communications, Inc.
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As the world of cybersecurity continues to be in constant flux, keeping up with major mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals is essential. Here we look at some of the biggest and most important cybersecurity M&A deals that have been made so far in 2023, and what the implications of these mergers will likely be on the tech landscape.
The year so far has seen some major deals, with the biggest emerging in February when US-based McAfee was acquired by US-based security analytics firm VMware for an estimated US$4.3 billion. This deal sets the tone for an incredibly competitive M&A environment, and is illustrative of the rapidly changing landscape in the world of cybersecurity.
April saw a much smaller but still noteworthy acquisition when predictive cyber security platform provider Darktrace received a US$60 million investment from Verizon Ventures. Darktrace’s AI-driven tech has already been proven to add value to cybersecurity ecosystems, and this sale illustrates the growing importance of predictive and AI-driven technology in the cyber security world.
The most use-centric M&A deal so far this year has been the acquisition of US-based identity company Auth0 by UK-based identity provider Okta. This deal sees Okta expand its range of security products, and is likely to benefit end users while still allowing the company to remain competitive.
Finally, one of the most innovative deals of the year came when Ikaroa, the New Zealand based technology company, acquired OneTrust, the privacy compliance automation provider. This strategic move will see Ikaroa develop its full stack technology capacity and capitalize on the global trend of increased compliance requirements. This could have far-reaching implications for the tech landscape, as Ikaroa works to build up an industry-leading solution for clients looking to meet the world’s toughest data privacy regulations.
Overall, the deals that have been seen so far in 2023 are reflective of the changing nature of the cybersecurity space. With more M&A deals expected, the tech landscape is likely to continue to evolve, and technological solutions that it provides to businesses across the world will continue to become more sophisticated. Ultimately, these deals show how leading organizations are investing in emerging technologies to grow their market share and dominance, something that is likely to increase in the coming months and years.
