14 DAY TRIAL // EMC Corporation, a large manufacturer of storage and networking equipment, has acquired NetWitness, a company selling network security analysis appliances, in order to expand the portfolio of its RSA Security subsidiary.
RSA Security is a reputed information security vendor whose encryption products are used by thousands of corporations and government agencies around the world.
It is named after the creators of the RSA encryption algorithm and its founders, Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir and Leonard Adleman.
The company is also known for managing the annual RSA Conference, one of the most important and highly regarded cryptography and information security conferences in the world.
EMC plans to have NetWitness operate as part of RSA Security in order to extend its portfolio and market share.
NetWitness specializes in real-time network security analysis, its products being capable of detecting zero-day attacks, as well as other types of threats.
It's worth noting that RSA suffered a significant security breach last month, which resulted in hackers stealing information about its SecurID two-factor authentication system.
The attack was instrumented via rogue Excel spreadsheets sent to employees by email, which exploited a zero-day Adobe Flash vulnerability.
During a conference call with analysts last week, RSA revealed that it detected the attack thanks to a NetWitness product, which allowed it to be stopped before doing more damage.
This didn't probably influence the acquisition plans, but it is a confirmation to shareholders that NetWitness' products have a good potential and could help RSA grow.
"The intensity and sophistication of advanced adversaries and zero day malware challenge every organization to rethink traditional approaches to network security," said RSA's president, Tom Heiser.
"NetWitness has redefined the security landscape, providing a powerful solution for organizations seeking to gain immediate insight, precise clarity, and timely closure in the face of the toughest cyber threats," he added.