Acquisition adds to Qualys Cloud Platform powerful threat detection, incident response, and compliance management capabilities for businesses of all sizes
Qualys, a provider of cloud-based security and compliance solutions, announced that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with NetWatcher, pursuant to which Qualys will acquire certain assets of NetWatcher in a cash transaction. This asset purchase provides significant domain expertise in building and delivering cybersecurity and real-time threat intelligence offerings. The NetWatcher service is expected to be fully integrated into the Qualys Cloud Platform in the next twelve months.
NetWatcher’s technology combines asset discovery, vulnerability management, intrusion detection, behavioral monitoring, SIEM, log management and continuous threat intelligence all in one solution that looks for anomalous behavior 24x7 and provides businesses with a real-time view of the security posture of assets, including weak passwords, unsafe behavior, and outdated software. Through continuous network security monitoring, it also identifies potential threats and vulnerabilities that are created both from employees and external entities and enables customers to remediate security issues quickly.
“Built on open source components, NetWatcher has created a comprehensive cybersecurity and threat intelligence service that helps businesses of all sizes effectively manage cyber threats, provide incident response, and manage compliance across on-premise, hybrid and cloud environments,” said Philippe Courtot, chairman and CEO, Qualys, Inc. “Native integration of Netwatcher into the Qualys Cloud Platform allows us to deliver its capabilities at enterprise scale, helping us expand our reach into the real-time threat intelligence market and strengthen our relationships with managed security service providers, who will offer and deliver this service to their clients worldwide.”
NetWatcher’s technology includes:
- On-premises or cloud-based sensors, which provide threat intelligence derived from advanced correlation of data from multiple sources such as Intrusion Detection (IDS), Netflow Analytics and Log Analysis (SIEM).
- Endpoint sensors that provide log forwarding and behavioral monitoring on premises or while mobile users are connecting to unsecure Wi-Fi networks.
- Monitoring of user behavior for insider threats that notifies if users create vulnerabilities on the network such as running risky or vulnerable software and sending personally identifiable information over the Internet in clear text.
- Immediate alerts provided for exploited assets through a customer portal, mobile app, reports, email and SMS.
- Compliance reporting for PCI DSS, SOX, ISO, GLBA, HIPAA and other compliance programs that require log storage, management and monitoring.
The acquisition will incorporate NetWatcher’s team into Qualys, including CEO Scott Suhy who is appointed Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Business Development for Qualys. Kenneth Shelton, CTO and founder of NetWatcher, will become Vice President of Engineering, Real-time Threat Correlation Platform at Qualys. Additionally, Qualys will continue to support existing NetWatcher customers and partners and sell its offerings and solutions worldwide. The asset acquisition is not material to Qualys financials. NetWatcher was advised by ARC Securities and Paradigm Counsel.