Palo Alto Networks Goes On M&A Spree with Twistlock, PureSec

Palo Alto Networks on Wednesday unveiled plans to buy Twistlock, a provider of container security, and PureSec, a serverless architectures security provider, to extend its Prisma cloud security strategy.

Palo Alto will pay about $410 million in cash to acquire Twistlock, which combines vulnerability management, compliance and runtime defense for cloud-native applications and workloads. Twistlock serves more than 290 customers, with more than a quarter of those on the Fortune 100 list.

Twistlock co-founders Ben Bernstein and Dima Stopel will join Palo Alto Networks.

The terms of the PureSec purchase weren’t disclosed. PureSec allows its customers to build and maintain serverless applications. The company provides end-to-end security for serverless functions that cover vulnerability management, access permissions and runtime threats.

Palo Alto Networks’ Nikesh Arora

Both acquisitions are expected to close by the end of July, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

“Today marks another exciting step forward in our commitment to offering our customers the industry’s most complete cloud security offering,” said Nikesh Arora, Palo Alto’s chairman and CEO. “We believe that our acquisition of these leading companies will significantly enhance our ability to be the cybersecurity partner of choice for our customers, while expanding our capabilities and strengthening our Prisma cloud security strategy.”

Earlier in the day, Palo Alto unveiled Prisma, a new cloud security suite designed to give customers what they need to consistently govern access, protect data and secure applications. Prisma builds on the success of Palo Alto’s cloud security products, and with about 9,000 enterprise customers, it has quickly become the largest cloud security business in the world, the company said.

“Our vision for a cloud-native security platform is a natural fit with Palo Alto Networks’ cloud strategy,” Bernstein said. “We have like-minded teams, and we’re looking forward to accelerating our ability to serve customers and partners on their cloud-native journey together.”

“PureSec’s vision has always been to ensure that all serverless applications will be secured at the very highest level,” said Shaked Zin, PureSec’s co-founder and CEO. “By joining forces with Palo Alto Networks, we will undoubtedly be able to make that a reality much faster. We are humbled and excited about this opportunity.”