Networking stalwart Juniper Networks made some huge announcement this week. The company has acquired a security analytics software startup to add new cybersecurity capabilities. However, Juniper did not detail the financial terms of the deal.
According to Silicon Angle, the Sunnyvale-based company has agreed to acquire Cyphort, a security analytics software startup that runs by former Juniper Networks executives. Cyphort has developed a next-generation threat protection platform that provides the broadest enterprise visibility and accurate detection of advanced threats and evasion techniques.
The deal will help Juniper on its transition from a hardware-driven provider to a more balanced hardware and software solutions provider.
The target company, Cyphort
Founded in 2011 and based in Santa Clara, California, Cyphort provides companies with effective security analytics software for their network defense. The company’s open-architecture platform integrates with existing SIEM(Security Information and Event Management) to help companies find advanced cyber threats that could bypass first-line network security. The company uses machine learning and behavioral analytic to enhance threats visibility, allowing the company to find and stop the advanced threats that bypass and penetrate the corporate network.
Cyphort’s technology is expected to strengthen Juniper’s Sky advanced threat protection offerings, which is used in both cloud and on-premises data protection. In a recent Juniper’s blog post, the company said that the deal will be used to beef up its Sky ATP (Advanced Threat Protection) platform by adding new threat detection capabilities.
Before the Juniper’s deal, Cyphort has raised approximately $54 million of venture funding from a group of investors and venture capital firms which include Sapphire Ventures, Foundation Capital, Matrix Partners, Trinity Ventures, Zouk Capital, and Dell Technologies Capital.
Cyphort is currently headed by CEO Manoj Leelanivas, who was previously EVP Sales at Juniper Networks.
In addition to Juniper, Leelanivas also spent 7 years on Cisco. He also holds more than 10 patents for his research work at both networking companies.
About Juniper Networks, a fast-rising networking star
Founded in 1996 and based in Sunnyvale, California, Juniper Networks develops and sells networking products, which include routers, switches, network management software, network security software and software-defined networking technology or SDN. Originally, the company focused on core networking routers, which are used by companies in their networks. But the acquisition of networking firm Unisphere in 2002 has led to the company to enter the networking business. Overnight, Juniper has been transformed into pure-play networking company, selling networking gears to the market.
The company is investing heavily in developing new breach prevention capabilities to bolster its struggling networking security business, which saw revenues decline in the last quarter. As part of the company’s strategy that brought the Cyphort acquisition, Juniper earlier this week also announced a new network protection service, which has been designed to help companies defend applications from cyberattacks. The company’s last acquisition was in December 2016 when it acquired cloud operations management start-up AppFormix, according to ZDNet.
