FireEye grabs Mandiant for cybersecurity glory
APT specialist aims to create world's strongest security company with $1bn acquisition
FireEye is acquiring Mandiant for $1.05bn (£0.6bn) in a move onlookers argue could create a dominant force in the market for next-generation cybersecurity solutions.
Anti-malware specialist FireEye's blistering IPO made it the toast of the security industry last year but forensics specialist Mandiant, which works with a third of the Fortune 100, also hit the headlines in 2013 for exposing a Chinese cyber-espionage unit.
The duo already collaborates on product development, while FireEye chief executive Dave DeWalt had previously served as chairman of Mandiant's board. Both vendors are known to be frenetically expanding in EMEA – FireEye having touched down in 2011 and Mandiant in the process of recruiting its first feet on the street here.
In an interview with Reuters, DeWalt said his aim is to create the "strongest security company in the world" as he talked up Mandiant's incident response capabilities.
"Organisations today are faced with knitting together a patchwork of point products and services to protect their assets from advanced threats," DeWalt added in a statement.
"Together, the size and global reach of FireEye and Mandiant will enable us to innovate faster, create a more comprehensive solution, and deliver it to organisations around the world at a pace that is unmatched by other security vendors."
Kay Bruen, founder of channel consultancy Clipsham IT, agreed that FireEye and Mandiant make natural bedfellows.
"FireEye has fantastic sandboxing capabilities but it does not have a total view of the network on the incident response side, which is where Mandiant is so strong," she said.
Despite its $5bn market cap, FireEye continues to bleed heavy losses but Bruen said this deal – which FireEye was able to fund largely through its shares – is all about forward investment.
"This will probably make them the market leader for the next generation of cybersecurity solutions," she said.
The deal, which comprises 21.5m shares and options and about $106.5m in cash, closed on Monday.