IBM Security said it is acquiring AI-based endpoint security firm ReaQta to boost its automated capabilities for cybersecurity threat detection and response.
Specifically the move to acquire the Netherlands-based company expands IBM's capabilities in the extended detection and response (XDR) market, aligning with the company’s strategy to deliver security with an open approach that extends across disparate tools, data and hybrid cloud environments. ReaQta's endpoint security solutions detect threats while remaining undetectable to adversaries.
As part of today's announcement, IBM also unveiled QRadar XDR, a new suite of XDR offerings to help security analysts break down the silos between the proliferation of point products in the industry, and gain comprehensive visibility across security tools and data sources, whether in the cloud or on-premises. The new suite also provides security teams with insights and automation for quick action. Upon closing of the acquisition, ReaQta's offerings will be added to the QRadar XDR family.
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The explosion of connected devices and increasingly dispersed enterprise IT environments is heightening the challenge of fighting--and even discovering--security attacks. In making its announcement, IBM referenced its own research that showed data breaches cost more than $4 million per incident and--even more startling--take an average of 212 days to identify, according to the 2021 Cost of a Data Breach Report from IBM and Ponemon Institute.
Amid this environment, security companies are fast becoming prized targets for acquisition and investment by large cloud companies. IBM fits that profile, as it recently has been focusing more on hybrid cloud as it spins off legacy IT operations. Also, in late September, Akamai moved to acquire ransomware expert Guardicore, a deal which itself comes only weeks after Microsoft invested in zero trust security firm Rubrik. In addition, Aryaka acquired Secucloud last May.
"Complexity has created a cloak that attackers are operating under, furthering their ability to circumvent defenders," said Mary O'Brien, General Manager, IBM Security, in a statement. "The future of security is open, using technologies that can connect the security insights that are buried across disparate tools and advanced AI to identify and automatically respond to threats more quickly across their entire infrastructure, from endpoint to cloud. With our expanded capabilities via QRadar XDR and the planned addition of ReaQta, IBM is helping clients get ahead of attackers with the first XDR solution that reduces vendor lock-in via the use of open standards."