Sophos Acquiring Secureworks From Dell for $859 Million

Sophos, backed by Thoma Bravo, is acquiring Secureworks from Dell Technologies in an all-cash deal for $859 million.

The combination of Sophos and Secureworks should further deliver advanced managed detection and response (MDR) and extended detection and response (XDR) solutions for the companies’ global customers. The combined company will provide security controls, AI, threat intelligence and two teams with “decades of cybersecurity expertise.”

The acquisition should close in early 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

Sophos' Joe Levy

“Secureworks offers an innovative, market-leading solution with their Taegis XDR platform,” said Joe Levy, Sophos’ CEO. “Combined with our security solutions and industry leadership in MDR, we will strengthen our collective position in the market and provide better outcomes for organizations of all sizes globally. Secureworks’ renowned expertise in cybersecurity perfectly aligns with our mission to protect businesses from cybercrime by delivering powerful and intuitive products and services. This acquisition represents a significant step forward in our commitment to building a safer digital future for all.”

Dell Technologies' Sale of Secureworks Long in the Making

In August, Dell Technologies reportedly was looking to sell Secureworks after previously failing to find a buyer. It last attempted to offload Secureworks, which reportedly had a market value of about $800 million, in early 2019.

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Dell Technologies owns approximately 83% of Secureworks' total outstanding shares of common stock.

Private-equity giant Thoma Bravo acquired Sophos for nearly $4 billion in early 2020.

Sophos said it expects to integrate solutions from both companies into a “broader and stronger” security portfolio benefiting small, midsize and enterprise customers. This includes Sophos expanding its current portfolio with other new offerings like identity detection and response (ITDR), next-gen security information and event management (SIEM) capabilities, operational technology (OT) security and enhanced vulnerability risk prioritization.

As two partner-centric organizations, the combination of Sophos and Secureworks will enable the combined company to expand its market presence to “create greater value within the channel and strengthen the overall security community,” according to the two companies.

Secureworks' Wendy Thomas

“Our mission at Secureworks has always been to secure human progress,” said Wendy Thomas, Secureworks’ CEO. “Sophos’ portfolio of leading endpoint, cloud and network security solutions – in combination with our XDR-powered MDR – is exactly what organizations are looking for to strengthen their security posture and collectively turn the tide against the adversary. As Joe and I both believe, this transaction will strengthen our go-to-market offering with Sophos’ global scale, expertise and reputation.”

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