Partners voice concern over Websense's Stonesoft buyout

Not all resellers comfortable with reported deal

Reports that Intel's cybersecurity arm, Stonesoft, is to be acquired have met with scepticism from some partners who sell the technology.

According to reports, Intel Security is selling on Stonesoft to Websense two years after buying the Finland-based next-generation firewall specialist for $389m. The deal, which could be officially announced as soon as next Thursday, will swell Raytheon's headcount by 300 and is apparently set to close by the end of the year.

However, channel partners raised concerns about Websense's compatibility with Stonesoft, as well as its ability to stand out from the crowd.

"The news is a bit disappointing because it places a question mark over the future of the tech. Moving Stonesoft to a vendor who has history in web security instead of firewall is a curious move," said David Lannin, director of technology at Sapphire.

"I wouldn't say I was surprised, but I raised an eyebrow when I found out about the deal," added Mark Evans, UK manager of Integrity 360.

"I'm not sure it's a sensible move bearing in mind how mature and established the firewall market is. It's going to be a challenge for Raytheon to differentiate itself from major players like Check Point and Fortinet."

The sale of Stonesoft represents further realignment for Intel, which started developing its security software portfolio after buying McAfee five years ago. It rebranded the vendor as Intel Security earlier this year.