Google, the world’s most popular search engine, is acquiring Mandiant, a name that is unfamiliar to many except perhaps to those in tech circles. However, Mandiant recently came into prominence in the nation as they were the company that found out what has been termed as the Solar Winds hack. The company announced its acquisition by Google in a press release on March 8.
Mandiant announced in the release that it had reached a “definitive agreement” that it would be acquired by Goggle for $23 per share and it would be an all cash transaction valued at roughly $5.4 billion which would include the company’s net cash. The offer price is at a 57 percent premium with reference to its price on February 7, 2022.
Mandiant is a leader in frontline expertise as well as threat intelligence. It has over 600 consultants who concentrate on security breaches and 300 intelligence analysts. This strong workforce is the reason why Google planned to acquire the company as it moves forward to expand its cloud business which is far behind Amazon and Microsoft.
Google Cloud has committed to building in native security in its business. This latest acquisition will strengthen its security offerings with services such as consultations on cyber security as well as detecting threats that might undermine the company’s security.
Google Cloud’s CEO Thomas Kurian addressed the acquisition in a blog post mentioning the frequency and severity of cyber security threats and the challenges that had to be overcome quickly. He said that the cloud had led to “digital transformation” and that the acquisition of Mandiant would offer a “robust set of services” for Google Cloud customers through
advisory services
threat detection and intelligence insights
automation tools
response tools
testing and validation
managed defense.
Mandiant started operations in 2004. In 2013, it was acquired by FireEye. It was spun as an independent company after FireEye sold its product business. The acquisition of Mandiant by Google is expected to be closed before the end of 2022.
