From a few weeks the technology market is rife with speculation if global software giant Microsoft has acquired Israeli cybersecurity startup Hexadite in a whopping $100 million deal. And now, the giant has gone ahead and confirmed that the acquisition rumours are indeed true. Although the terms and figures of the deal are still unknown.
The rumours first started flying when local Israeli business publication the Calcalist published a story last month about the acquisition deal and the big bucks involved in it.
Coming to the cybersecurity scene three years ago in 2014, Hexadite though founded out of Israel, where its researchers are still based, has its official headquarters in Boston, US. The firm is known in the cybersecurity world for connecting existing cybersecurity detection systems to analyse any threats that there might be by automatically making use of artificial intelligence (AI). It also helps its clients in identifying and addressing cyberattacks swiftly as and when they take place. The firm is famous as it accepts alerts from multiple sources, such as email, APIs, and Syslog and helps security teams in prioritising and managing multiple threats whenever such as situation arises.
Hexadite has had a phenomenal three years run so far with the company raising a phenomenal $8 million funding round last year from eat Wednesday names like Hewlett Packard Ventures, YL Ventures, and Ten Eleven. The $8 million funding was in addition to $2 million seed funding it had raised previously.
Though Microsoft has confirmed that the deal is happening and an agreement has been signed between the two parties, the deal hasn't been completely finalised. According to a statement issued by Microsoft, as a part of the deal, Hexadite will be “fully absorbed” into Microsoft as part of its Windows and Devices Group.
According to Microsoft, the acquisition will help the company in building on the successful work that it is already doing to help commercial Windows 10 customers detect, investigate and respond to advanced attacks on their networks with Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (WDATP). For the uninitiated, WDATP has acquired a status of its own in the cybersecurity world by detecting high-profile security cases such as zero-day attacks, ransomware and several other advanced cyberthreats. With Hexadite on its side, Microsoft is optimistic that WDATP will soon include endpoint security automated remediation, while continuing the incredible growth in activations of WDATP, which is now known to protect almost 2 million devices in the world.
According to Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Windows and Devices Group, Microsoft, “Our vision is to deliver a new generation of security capabilities that helps our customers protect, detect and respond to the constantly evolving and ever-changing cyberthreat landscape." He further adds, “Hexadite’s technology and talent will augment our existing capabilities and enable our ability to add new tools and services to Microsoft’s robust enterprise security offerings.”
Security in the cyberspace has become important than ever. With cyber attacks becoming more advanced and targeted, it has been estimated that data breaches can cost between $12 and $17 million per incident, and make companies lose millions productivity.
This isn't the first investment made by Microsoft in a cybersecurity firm. In fact, this is not even the first one from Israel. In 2015, the software giant had acquired Israel’s Secure Islands, while in January this year Microsoft and Qualcomm came together to invest in Israel-based cybersecurity firm Team8.
With Windows 10 already being the most secure version of Windows ever, the ongoing investments in the areas of automating detection and remediation is only going to make Windows 10 more lucrative to its customers.
[Top Image: Neowin]
The rumours first started flying when local Israeli business publication the Calcalist published a story last month about the acquisition deal and the big bucks involved in it.
Coming to the cybersecurity scene three years ago in 2014, Hexadite though founded out of Israel, where its researchers are still based, has its official headquarters in Boston, US. The firm is known in the cybersecurity world for connecting existing cybersecurity detection systems to analyse any threats that there might be by automatically making use of artificial intelligence (AI). It also helps its clients in identifying and addressing cyberattacks swiftly as and when they take place. The firm is famous as it accepts alerts from multiple sources, such as email, APIs, and Syslog and helps security teams in prioritising and managing multiple threats whenever such as situation arises.
Hexadite has had a phenomenal three years run so far with the company raising a phenomenal $8 million funding round last year from eat Wednesday names like Hewlett Packard Ventures, YL Ventures, and Ten Eleven. The $8 million funding was in addition to $2 million seed funding it had raised previously.
Though Microsoft has confirmed that the deal is happening and an agreement has been signed between the two parties, the deal hasn't been completely finalised. According to a statement issued by Microsoft, as a part of the deal, Hexadite will be “fully absorbed” into Microsoft as part of its Windows and Devices Group.
According to Microsoft, the acquisition will help the company in building on the successful work that it is already doing to help commercial Windows 10 customers detect, investigate and respond to advanced attacks on their networks with Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (WDATP). For the uninitiated, WDATP has acquired a status of its own in the cybersecurity world by detecting high-profile security cases such as zero-day attacks, ransomware and several other advanced cyberthreats. With Hexadite on its side, Microsoft is optimistic that WDATP will soon include endpoint security automated remediation, while continuing the incredible growth in activations of WDATP, which is now known to protect almost 2 million devices in the world.
According to Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Windows and Devices Group, Microsoft, “Our vision is to deliver a new generation of security capabilities that helps our customers protect, detect and respond to the constantly evolving and ever-changing cyberthreat landscape." He further adds, “Hexadite’s technology and talent will augment our existing capabilities and enable our ability to add new tools and services to Microsoft’s robust enterprise security offerings.”
Security in the cyberspace has become important than ever. With cyber attacks becoming more advanced and targeted, it has been estimated that data breaches can cost between $12 and $17 million per incident, and make companies lose millions productivity.
This isn't the first investment made by Microsoft in a cybersecurity firm. In fact, this is not even the first one from Israel. In 2015, the software giant had acquired Israel’s Secure Islands, while in January this year Microsoft and Qualcomm came together to invest in Israel-based cybersecurity firm Team8.
With Windows 10 already being the most secure version of Windows ever, the ongoing investments in the areas of automating detection and remediation is only going to make Windows 10 more lucrative to its customers.
[Top Image: Neowin]
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