Cisco Systems announced its plan to acquire ScanSafe for $183 million. The networking giant plans to integrate the Web security company's cloud-based service into some of its existent products.

Headquartered in San Francisco, but with offices in London and Tokyo, ScanSafe is a global provider of Web and Messaging security solutions. The company is a pioneer in the field of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) security by maintaining a network of high-end data centers located across the world.

One of the first applications for ScanSafe's technology will be to integrate it with Cisco's new AnyConnect VPN Client. The company's data centers will also allow Cisco to extend its security portfolio with cloud-based solutions.

For Cisco this is the second acquisition of a company specializing in Web security, after IronPort in 2007. That deal allowed the networking equipment manufacturer to add an on-premise security solution to its offerings, under the form of IronPort's Web Security appliance.

"With the acquisition of ScanSafe, Cisco is executing on our vision to build a borderless network security architecture that combines network and cloud-based services for advanced security enforcement," commented Tom Gillis, vice president and general manager of Cisco's Security Technology Business Unit (STBU).

When the deal with be complete, ScanSafe's team of researchers and engineers is expected to join Cisco's STBU. "At a time when enterprises are increasingly focused on a flexible and mobile workplace, the need for hybrid-hosted Web security solutions is greater than ever. By joining the Cisco team we will be able to offer even better and more flexible protection to our customers," said Eldar Tuvey, ScanSafe's CEO.

Cisco is not the only company looking into acquiring providers of cloud-based security solutions. In fact it seems such technology is in high demand. Back in August, we reported that McAfee was planning to acquire MX Logic. In April, Trend Micro announced the acquisition of Third Brigade.

Last year in November, Web security vendor Marshal merged with Web filtering appliance manufacturer 8e6 to form a new company known today as M86. In October, security giant Symantec snatched Web, e-mail and messaging security provider MessageLabs.