Microsoft’s Azure IoT security platform will be providing users additional benefits in the near future following Microsoft’s announcement of its CyberX acquisition. Yesterday, Microsoft announced that it had formally acquired the threat-detecting IoT security startup company CyberX, with TechCrunch reporting that the deal was for around $165 million.
Following a $5 billion investment into its own IoT security measures, Microsoft’s acquisition of CyberX will help expedite the company’s plans for a robust but streamlined multi-layered IoT security monitoring service for Azure customers.
According to the company’s press release yesterday,
Today we are excited to share that Microsoft is acquiring CyberX to help solve these challenges. CyberX will complement the existing Azure IoT security capabilities and extends to existing devices including those used in industrial IoT, Operational Technology, and infrastructure scenarios. With CyberX, customers can discover their existing IoT assets, and both manage and improve the security posture of those devices. With CyberX, customers can see a digital map of thousands of devices across a factory floor or within a building and gather information about their asset profile and vulnerabilities. Gaining this visibility is not only critical for understanding where security risks may exist and then mitigating those risks, but it is also a fundamental step to securely enable smart manufacturing, smart grid, and other digitization use cases across production facilities and the supply chain.
Adding CyberX to the company’s portfolio appears to pave the way for Microsoft to further expand its IoT efforts into utility companies, chemical, and industrial manufacturing telecoms and universities or research facilities harboring critically sensitive data.
The CyberX company blog also mirrored Microsoft’s announcement, as it thanked employees, customers, and partners for their support. According to Forbes, CyberX previously raised $47 million in venture capital funding with investors and partners such as Qualcomm Ventures, OurCrowdm Inven Capital, and Flint Capital to name a few. Neither Microsoft nor CyberX has made mention of transition details regarding employees or pre-existing partner or investors contracts at this time.
