IBM plans to acquire Q1 Labs, a provider of security intelligence software.
The acquisition aims to accelerate IBM’s efforts to help clients more intelligently secure their enterprises by applying analytics to correlate information from key security domains and creating security dashboards for the client organisations.
Q1 Labs’ analytics and correlation capabilities can detect and flag actions across an enterprise that deviate from prescribed policies and typical behavior to help prevent breaches, said IBM.
IBM said Q1 Labs will join the IBM Security Systems division to represent a comprehensive security portfolio. IBM intends the new division to be led by Brendan Hannigan, CEO of Q1 Labs.
Q1 Labs CEO Brendan Hannigan said since perimeter defense alone is no longer capable of thwarting all threats, IBM is in a unique position to shift security thinking to an integrated, predictive approach.
"Q1 Labs’ security analytics will add greater intelligence to IBM’s security portfolio and continue to distinguish IBM from competitors," said Hannigan.
IBM said its new Security Systems division integrates IBM’s Tivoli, Rational and Information Management security software, appliances, lab offerings and services.
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To drive greater security intelligence capabilities across IBM’s security products and services such as identity and access management, database security, application security, enterprise risk management, intrusion prevention, endpoint management and network security IBM plans to apply Q1 Labs’ analytics.
IBM said Q1 Labs technology will also create a common security platform for IBM’s software, hardware, services and research offerings.
IBM Middleware Software senior vice-president Robert LeBlanc said re-aligning IBM’s security expertise in a new division with a greater focus on analytics is a bold step IBM is taking to help clients stay ahead of growing security threats.
"By consolidating our global expertise, IBM clients will have access to the most comprehensive, insightful view of security across their people, data and infrastructure," said LeBlanc.
LogLogic CEO Guy Churchward said the news from IBM and McAfee, and the increasing complexity of virtualisation and cloud, only serves to elevate the need to centrally collect for not only security but IT forensics, but compliance and IT operational efficiencies.
"Overall today’s news says two things: First, this is an exciting space to be in, and it will continue to change rapidly. Second, as the largest independent pure play and leader in supporting managed and cloud services it really validates our strategy in centrally managing an IT data repository. We’d assume both Q1 and Nitro customers will see the same level of customer disruption seen with ArcSight," said Churchward.
