IBM to Acquire Watchfire

Published Thu, 2007-06-07 13:30 Acquisitions and Mergers

IBM has entered into an agreement to acquire Watchfire Corporation, a privately held security and compliance testing software company based in Waltham, Massachusetts. The acquisition is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2007. Financial details were not disclosed.

Online security and privacy incidents are on the rise which can result in loss of customer trust, costly technology and business remedies and often legal battles. According to a 2005 CSI/FBI Survey, internal security attacks cost U.S. businesses $400 billion per year. Watchfire technology, together with IBM, can help customers reduce these security risks and the associated costs to their bottom line.

Watchfire is a leading provider of web application security and compliance testing solutions. IBM Rational software provides clients with comprehensive software quality management solutions, including the ability to perform functional and performance tests while developing software. With the addition of Watchfire technology, customers will now be able to include security, compliance and quality testing as part of their web application development, which will ensure the business integrity of their applications before they go live. Watchfire technology will also complement existing IBM Tivoli identity, access and compliance management software offerings and ISS by extending security and compliance testing as an integrated element of the application development lifecycle.

Watchfire's operations will become part of IBM's Rational software brand, which produced double-digit revenue growth in the first quarter of 2007.

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