Trend Micro has agreed to pay $300m to acquire HP TippingPoint, a provider of intrusion prevention systems and related network security kit. The deal is expected to help Trend develop a “multi-faceted” approach to security and to cement the company as a leading name in the growing cybersecurity market. “This new next-generation network defense solution combines our network breach detection system, with intrusion prevention and response capabilities from TippingPoint”.
Chris Ward, chief technology officer at Kittery, Maine-based LogicsOne, said the move is a good one for Trend Micro and for HP TippingPoint.
Trend Micro and TippingPoint have had a strategic relationship since 2014, and have experience of working together that could make it much easier to integrate the two companies when the deal goes through.
Meanwhile, for HP, selling TippingPoint is the last big play by the firm before it will formally be split in two on 1 November. “TippingPoint has been an important component of our security offering, but we have chose to partner in network security as opposed to [owning a business in this space] so we can invest in other areas of our security portfolio”.
The widespread usage of cloud computing brings a heightened risk of nefarious Internet activity, meaning that enterprises that value data protection are more than ever interested to invest in network security solutions.
TippingPoint Technologies Inc. was a public company prior to being sold to 3Com Corporatio for around $430 million in 2005. It will be combining TippingPoint’s business with its existing network security operations in a new business unit called Network Defense. Networking vendor 3Com acquired TippingPoint in December 2004, and HP bought 3Com in 2010.
What’s in it for Trend Micro?
The acquisition is Trend Micro’s largest USA acquisition in at least five years, Mohamed said. Another benefit is the Zero Day Initiative, which is said to have responsibly disclosed more zero-day vulnerabilities than all competitors combined through an extensive community of researchers. Trend Micro enables the smart protection of information, with innovative security technology that is simple to deploy and manage, and fits an evolving ecosystem.
HP, Trend Micro and Tipping Point have already work in close alliance and will continue to do so.
Trend Micro does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
