Symantec To Boost Mobile Security Capabilities With Plan To Acquire Skycure

Symantec announced its second planned acquisition this month, saying Tuesday that it will acquire Skycure to boost its mobile security capabilities.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Tel Aviv-based Skycure offers agent-based security software for iOS and Android devices that interact with the company's cloud security service and provide intrusion prevention and detection capabilities for employee mobile devices. The software uses behavioral analysis to detect threats and is designed to take action if it detects suspicious activity.

[Related: Symantec To Acquire Fireglass, Adds New Threat Isolation Capabilities To Security Platform]

The acquisition will boost Symantec's capabilities around mobile device security for both consumer and enterprise clients, the company said. Symantec said the acquisition also will boost its offerings for telecom partners.

Symantec said it plans to integrate the Skycure offering with its Integrated Cyber Defense Platform, adding to existing mobile security around SEP Cloud and Norton Mobile. It expects the Skycure products will be available to partners shortly after the close of the acquisition, which is expected in the second fiscal quarter 2017.

Symantec CEO Greg Clark said in a statement that the acquisition helps partners and customers address an increasing concern around mobile device security by ensuring devices are risk-free when connecting to corporate networks.

’One of the most dangerous assumptions in today’s world is that iOS and other mobile devices that employees bring into the office are safe, but the apps and data on these devices are under increasing attack. We believe that tomorrow’s workforce will be completely mobile and will demand a cyberdefense solution that travels with them,’ Clark said.

Clark said it is important that mobile security offerings are part of a bigger security platform, saying single platform vendors will "struggle" in a "mobile-first" future.

’Mobile is a core component of our strategy and the acquisition of Skycure is a major step forward in executing it. Together, we will offer the cloud generation an integrated mobile cyberdefense architecture that will protect customers’ mobile devices and networks across iOS, Android and Windows," Clark said.

The planned Skycure acquisition comes on the heels of another move just last week, in which Symantec said it planned to acquire threat isolation startup Fireglass. Both acquisitions will build on Symantec's strategy to grow its Integrated Cyber Defense Platform strategy as it looks to provide a full, integrated platform of cybersecurity offerings to partners.

Clark said in the fall that Symantec would be looking to build out its security portfolio through acquisition, following on the heels of two blockbuster acquisitions by Symantec last year. Symantec acquired Blue Coat Systems last summer for $4.65 billion and LifeLock last fall for $2.3 billion. While he didn't specify what areas the company might make a buy in, he said Symantec will be building a security story around the four pillars of information, users, web and messaging security, using both organic R&D and inorganic acquisitions.