VMware, Recorded Future, Others Announce M&A Deals

This year’s brisk cybersecurity M&A activity is continuing, with five more deals announced in the last two weeks.

See Also: Top 50 Security Threats

The recent announcements include:

• VMware plans to acquire Mesh7;
• Recorded Future will buy Gemini Advisory;
• Lookout acquired CipherCloud;
• Sumo Logic will buy DFLabs;
• Sontiq purchased Breach Clarity.

VMware’s Mesh7 Deal

VMware announced on Wednesday plans to acquire the Sunnyvale, California-based API security firm Mesh7 for an undisclosed sum.

VMware says it will integrate Mesh7’s contextual API behavior security solution designed to protect cloud-native applications into its Tanzu Service Mesh offering.

“This will enable VMware to deliver an overall API solution that makes the developer experience for APIs more secure by default and easier to operate,” says Tom Gillis, senior vice president and general manager of VMware’s networking and security business unit.

The deal’s closing date was not announced. VMware intends to integrate Mesh7’s team into its staff once the acquisition is completed.

Recorded Future to Buy Gemini Advisory

The cybersecurity intelligence firm Recorded Future reported Tuesday that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire fraud analytics provider Gemini Advisory for $52 million.

New York-based Gemini Advisory will operate as an independent business unit within Recorded Future and will continue to maintain and support its global client base, Recorded Future says.

“The fraud and threat intelligence data within Gemini Advisory’s platform will fuel Recorded Future’s immediately available fraud intelligence offering,” Recorded Future says.

Lookout Acquires CipherCloud

The endpoint security firm Lookout on March 15 acquired the cloud-native security company CipherCloud. Lookout will meld CipherCloud’s Secure Access Service Edge, or SASE, technology into Lookout’s mobile endpoint security product.

“The need for an integrated endpoint-to-cloud security solution is accelerated by the proliferation of remote users, the adoption of cloud applications, data transitioning out of the corporate data center into the cloud and more network traffic flowing to public cloud services,” Lookout says.

CipherCloud founder and CEO Pravin Kothari will join Lookout as executive vice president, product and strategy, SASE. CipherCloud will operate under the Lookout brand and leadership. The deal’s financial terms were not disclosed.

Sumo Logic to Acquire DFLabs

On March 10, Sumo Logic, a cloud-based data analytics firm, entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Italian security orchestration, automation and response provider DFLabs. Sumo Logic says the deal will help strengthen its cloud-native SIEM solution to help reduce or eliminate manual tasks and help SOC teams to accelerate threat detection, analysis, incident response and forensic investigations.

Sumo Logic will roll out a new product, the Sumo Logic SOAR solution, shortly after the deal closes during the company’s second quarter of fiscal 2022, ending July 31.

DFLabs founder and CEO, Dario Forte, and his team will join Sumo Logic’s security business unit.

Sontiq Buys Breach Clarity

The intelligent identity security firm Sontiq announced on March 9 it had acquired Breach Clarity. Sontiq bought the cyber insurance firm Cyberscout in February.

Breach Clarity offers BreachIQ, which creates a personalized risk score for individuals based on data exposed in breaches and mitigation steps taken.

Breach Clarity co-founders Jim Van Dyke and Al Pascual will join Sontiq as senior vice president of digital financial wellness and senior vice president of data breach solutions, respectively.

The company did not reveal the deal’s financial details.