IBM Security plans to acquire San Francisco-based Agile 3 Solutions, a cybersecurity visualisation startup, for an undisclosed amount.
Agile 3 is a developer of products that help C-Suite and senior executives to better visualize, understand and manage risks associated with the protection of sensitive data.
It offers a comprehensive, business-friendly dashboard and intuitive data risk control centre that can uncover, visualise and analyse data-related business risks and to take proactive action against such risks.
By adding the start-up, IBM Security is poised to improve its portfolio and offer its clients the ability to defend themselves against cybercrime.
Following the acquisition, IBM will integrate Agile 3 and offer it through IBM Data Security Services, with additional plans to integrate Agile 3’s software into its data protection software IBM Guardium.
With Agile 3’s integration into IBM Data Security Services, the company claims that it can help clients around the world in implementing and managing their critical data protection programmes.
The new addition is also claimed to improve the technology giant’s Guardium data security and protection platform, which can analyse, monitor and protect sensitive data from associated risks.
IBM Security General Manager Marc van Zadelhoff said: “After thousands of client engagements, we’ve seen security move from the back office to the front office and now to the board room.
“Adding Agile 3 Solutions to the IBM Security immune system of capabilities gives our team the ability to not only protect critical data, but demonstrate why it is at risk, and how to remediate that risk.
“Knowing what your crown jewel data is, and understanding its susceptibility to exploitation via external or insider threats, is an imperative for any organisation.”
Agile 3 Solutions founder and CEO Raghu Varadan said: “Having worked closely with IBM Security as a business partner, our team is excited by the opportunity to join the leader in enterprise security.
“Our mission has been to bring the C-Suite into the security decision making process on their terms. Now with IBM Security, we’re bringing together the ability to not only influence decisions but to take action to protect business critical data.”
IBM also announced that it will buy Ravy Technologies, a subcontractor of Agile 3 Solutions.
With Agile 3’s acquisition, IBM has so far acquired 20 security-related companies, as part of a series of investments that aim at making it one of the world’s largest enterprise security companies.
In its effort to strengthen its enterprise security capability, it has hired 1,900 security experts since 2015 and invested in programmes like IBM’s X-Force Exchange and the IBM Security App Exchange which facilitates collaboration to deal with cyber crime.