Cisco Acquires Kenna Security: Third Acquisition This Week

Cisco Acquires Kenna Security to Enhance Threat Prioritization

This week has seen significant acquisition activity from Cisco, culminating in today’s announcement of their purchase of Kenna Security, a threat assessment platform. The financial details of the acquisition have not been publicly disclosed by either company.

Leveraging Machine Learning for Enhanced Security

Kenna Security specializes in utilizing machine learning algorithms to analyze the substantial volume of threat data received by security systems daily. This allows for the prioritization of threats posing the greatest potential for damage. In the current threat landscape, this capability is particularly valuable when security resources are constrained.

Cisco intends to integrate Kenna’s technology into its existing SecureX platform, bolstering its security offerings.

Combining Strengths in Threat Management

Gee Rittenhouse, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cisco’s Security Business Group, highlighted the synergistic benefits of the acquisition in a recent blog post. He stated that the deal combines Cisco’s current threat management capabilities with Kenna’s expertise in risk-based vulnerability management.

“We are pleased to announce our intent to acquire Kenna Security, Inc., a recognized leader in risk-based vulnerability prioritization, protecting over 14 million assets and managing more than 12.7 billion vulnerabilities,” Rittenhouse explained. “Their use of data science and real-world threat intelligence provides a comprehensive view of IT vulnerability risk across multi-vendor environments.”

The Evolving Security Landscape

The complexity of the security environment has been increasing for some time. The shift to remote work, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has further exacerbated these challenges over the past year.

A tool capable of prioritizing security assessments is increasingly crucial in a rapidly changing threat landscape.

Expanding Market Reach

Karim Toubba, CEO of Kenna Security, articulated a common rationale for acquisitions, emphasizing the expanded market access Cisco provides.

“This acquisition brings us closer to delivering Kenna’s Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (RBVM) platform to the over 7,000 customers already utilizing Cisco SecureX,” Toubba stated in a company blog post. “This dramatically increases the impact of our technology on network, endpoint, and infrastructure security worldwide.”

Kenna Security’s Background and Impact

Founded in 2010, Kenna Security positions itself as a pioneer in the RBVM space. According to PitchBook data, the company raised over $98 million, achieving a post-money valuation of $320 million.

Notable customers include HSBC, Royal Bank of Canada, Mattel, and Quest Diagnostics.

Transition to Cisco SecureX

Over time, the standalone Kenna Security product will be phased out as its technology is integrated into the SecureX platform. Existing Kenna customers will then need to adopt the Cisco solution to continue utilizing the technology.

A Week of Acquisitions for Cisco

This acquisition follows Cisco’s announcements earlier this week regarding the planned acquisitions of Sedona Systems on Tuesday and Socio Labs on Wednesday. This represents a substantial period of investment and expansion for the company.

The Kenna Security deal is anticipated to finalize during Cisco’s Q4 FY 2021. The 170 employees of Kenna Security will be integrated into the Security Business Group, under the leadership of Gee Rittenhouse.