Microsoft Buys RiskIQ To Enhances Cybersecurity Stable

Microsoft is buying San Francisco-based cybersecurity startup RiskIQ, adding a company known for its proficiency in threat intelligence and cloud-based software-as-a-service platforms.

“RiskIQ has built a strong customer base and community of security professionals who we will continue to support, nurture, and grow,” according to a blog post by Microsoft Vice President of Cloud Security Eric Doerr on the company’s website Monday (July 12). “RiskIQ’s technology and team will be a powerful addition to our security portfolio to best serve our mutual customers.”

RiskIQ’s threat intelligence offering will be integrated into Microsoft’s security offerings as part of the acquisition, for which terms were not disclosed, according to a TechCrunch report. Bloomberg had previously reported that Microsoft will pay more than $500 million when the acquisition is completed.

RiskIQ searches the web and provides details about websites, networks, domain names and more to give customers a better idea of what information can be accessed outside of their company firewalls. They can use that information to lock down vulnerable information and assets to limit their exposure to a potential cybersecurity breach.

RiskIQ Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Elias Manousos said in the TechCrunch report he’s “thrilled” about the acquisition of the company he launched in 2009 by Microsoft.

The RiskIQ acquisition allows Microsoft customers to develop a more thorough picture of threats all around the world to their companies, an effort that’s becoming more prevalent and sophisticated every day, as evidenced by the recent hack of software company Kaseya by ransomware purveyors REvil.

Between 800 to 1,500 small businesses were victimized in the Kaseya hack, possibly the largest ransomware attack in history, according to The Washington Post. Many of Kaseya’s clients are B2B IT providers who serve business customers, which means the actual victim count could top 1 million small businesses across the globe.

REvil is seeking $70 million in cryptocurrency to unlock all businesses impacted by the ransomware, though that price tag was reportedly reduced to $50 million.