Trend Micro Boosts Security Portfolio With HP TippingPoint Buy

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Security software provider Trend Micro has agreed to acquire HP TippingPoint, a provider of next-generation intrusion prevention systems (NGIPS) and related network security solutions, for approximately $300 million.

The agreement encompasses security technology, intellectual property expertise and a large customer base.

Trend Micro, which in August launched a new partner program specifically for cloud providers, said Wednesday the acquisition will make it stronger in enterprise threat-defense for endpoints, network, data center and the cloud. The company also said it will create a Network Defense business unit serving more than 3,500 enterprise customers.

“Organizations need a layered threat defense working seamlessly across the enterprise to address threats before, during and after an attack,” said Eva Chen, CEO of Trend Micro. “This new next-generation network defense solution combines our network breach detection system, with intrusion prevention and response capabilities from TippingPoint. Given our tenure with both HP and TippingPoint technology, we are excited about the agility of this acquisition and the value it will create for customers.”

In addition to network security, the agreement gives Trend Micro TippingPoint’s Digital Vaccine LABS (DVLABS), which provides cyberthreat intelligence and analysis, as well as the Zero Day Initiative, which pays rewards to security researchers for reporting their vulnerability discoveries.

Hewlett-Packard said that while TippingPoint has been an important part of the company’s security offering, as part of its upcoming split into two companies, the decision was made to partner in network security rather than own.

Trend Micro and TippingPoint have had a strategic partner relationship since 2014. HP and Trend Micro said they will continue to be strong partners after the transaction closes, which is expected to be in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. The two companies will form a strategic partnership with TippingPoint around resale, managed services and OEM activities, as well as security intelligence, app security and data security.