TrendInternet, network security converge
Growing convergence of network and Internet security leads to more mergers and acquisition in the space
There is a growing convergence between Internet security and network security, and the recent acquisition of San Bruno, California-based Web gateway security firm IronPort by Cisco is an indicator of this convergence. Speaking in an interview with IT Week, Star Technology Services CEO Ben White told IT Week that that networking firms are increasingly looking to acquire web security technology in a bid to provide products that are all-inclusive. He added that such a move could be bad news for those selling more traditional signature-based desktop security software. “If I were McAfee, Symantec or Sophos, I’d be terrified, because people see signature protection as old hat,” White commented.
Cisco first announced its intent to acquire IronPort in January this year and completed the $830 million transaction last month. It said that the acquisition represented a major step in its bid to develop ‘self-defending network’ solutions that integrate networking capabilities with security features.
