Richard Humphreys |
Microsoft has signed an agreement to acquire Hexadite, a company delivering agentless, automatic incident investigation and remediation solutions. According to reports by techcrunch, the deal was worth US$100 million.
Once closed, the acquisition will build on the successful work Microsoft 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). With Hexadite, WDATP will include endpoint security automated remediation, while continuing the incredible growth in activations of WDATP, which now protects almost two million devices.
“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,” said Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Windows and Devices Group, Microsoft. “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.”
The deal comes following Microsoft announced its plans to invest more than US$1 billion on cybersecurity R&D. “Security has never been more challenging as attacks have become more advanced and targeted,” said an official press release from Microsoft. “It’s broadly estimated that data breaches can cost between US$12 and US$17 million per incident, costing millions in lost productivity. To help businesses take advantage of the modern workplace while protecting their greatest assets, Microsoft continues to invest in enabling the digital transformation of business and optimising operations with enhanced productivity in secure environments.”
“Today we’ve announced that Hexadite is being acquired by Microsoft,” said an official Hexadite press release. “This serves as validation of all the team has done to create something truly amazing in the market. It also means that the technology is going to be used worldwide by hundreds of millions of people as part of Microsoft’s security portfolio.
“To say that this is incredibly rare is an understatement. For our small team to go from idea to product, bring it to market, and then acquisition by one of the biggest and most respected companies on earth in three years is truly an amazing accomplishment.”