The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Symantec snags @stake

Consultancy play

Free whitepaper – Dell PowerEdge servers 2009 - Memory

IT security giant Symantec yesterday announced an agreement to acquire security consultancy @stake for an undisclosed amount. Symantec said the deal, expected to close in October, will allow it to expand its existing security services and consultancy businesses.

@stake supplies security auditing and analysis products alongside its core digital security consulting services. Its SmartRisk services address various aspects of IT security, including application security, critical infrastructure, wireless and wired networks, storage systems, and education. @stake's customers include six of the world's top ten financial institutions, four of the world's top ten independent software companies and seven of the world's top ten telecommunications carriers. @stake was founded by members of hacker group l0pht back in 2000.

Symnatec's acquisition of @stake comes after arch rival McAfee bought application security and consultancy firm Foundstone for $86m last month. Foundstone competes with @stake, eEye and others in the application security consultancy biz.

Symantec's purchase of @stake is one of a series of acquisitions by the company over the last two years or so. In July 2002 it acquired security consultancy Riptech for $145m cash. More recently it bought anti-spam specialist Brightmail for $370m. ®

Related stories

Symantec buys anti-spam firm TurnTide
Symantec acquires Brightmail for $370m
Symantec buys ON Technology
Symantec snaffles Safeweb
Symantec buys SecurityFocus, Riptech, Recourse
McAfee buys Foundstone for $86m

Free whitepaper – Out-of-box comparison between Dell, HP, and IBM blade servers

Don’t Miss

DustbinDirty, dirty PCs: The X-rated picture guide

Ventblockers Horror beyond human imagination

SC09Top 500 supers - rise of the Linux quad-cores

SC09 Jaguar munches Roadrunner

Ubuntu teaser Early adopters bloodied by Ubuntu's Karmic Koala

Smooth Windows upgrade it ain't

Sign up, sign up for The Register IT security newsletter

Narrowcasting for the email classes