Google Acquires Cybersecurity Firm Mandiant

Google Cloud announced it is acquiring cybersecurity firm Mandiant, a leader in proactive SaaS based security. The acquisition underscores the importance of security for all businesses, regardless of scale, as cybercrime increasingly affects all businesses.

The acquisition is all cash, valuing Mandiant at $23 per share in a deal worth 5.4 billion dollars.

Mandiant will become a part of Google Cloud once the deal receives requisite stockholder and regulatory approvals.

Cybersecurity is a Top Concern

While many businesses can operate for years with a little to no security and intrusion protection, it’s only a matter of time before those businesses are hacked and suffer from having their data stolen and held for ransom to having their online presence become part of a botnet numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

The modern world today is one where every site, no matter how small, is being probed and actively attacked. Even a little site with a handful of visitors per day is under attack.

Cloud services are increasingly ubiquitous. An attack on a service can impact businesses globally.

Google’s acquisition is a sign of how important cybersecurity is today.

Mandiant

Mandiant provides a SaaS security platform called Mandiant Advantage. Because it is SaaS it can be deployed rapidly as well as complement existing security protocols and processes.

Mandiant Advantage has five modules:

1. Automated Defense
   Automated security analysis that responds fast before attackers have a chance to cause a breach
2. Security Validation
   Tests and validates that existing security measures are working as intended
3. Threat Intelligence
   Cybersecurity intelligence from a team of 300 across 22 countries
4. Attack Surface Management
   This module monitors online assets across all distributed and cloud environments for exposure and risk management
5. Managed Defense
   Hands on monitoring, response and security training

Mandiant’s announcement stated:

“The Mandiant acquisition underscores Google Cloud’s commitment to advancing its security offerings to better protect and advise customers across their on-premise and cloud environments. …

Together with Mandiant, Google Cloud will deliver an end-to-end security operations suite with even greater capabilities as well as advisory services helping customers address critical security challenges and stay protected at every stage of the security lifecycle.”

Cybersecurity Is a Top Concern

Cybersecurity is important for everyone. All businesses, from a small affiliate marketer to restaurants, dental offices, hospitals, government and enterprise-level corporations should be paying attention to cybersecurity.

Google’s acquisition of Mandiant underscores the maturing of the cybersecurity sector and highlights the importance of online security for todays businesses.

Citations

Read the Mandiant Announcement

Google to Acquire Mandiant

Read Google’s Announcement of the Mandiant Acquisition

Google Announces Intent to Acquire Mandiant