IBM buys database security firm Guardium
Big Blue sees the acquisition bolstering its offerings to enterprises that need to secure databases against both internal and external threats.
IBM said Monday that it has acquired database security firm Guardium.
Guardium is a leading vendor in monitoring and protecting databases for large enterprises. In addition to securing the data and watching database activity, Guardium's technology can automate certain tasks to assist businesses with regulatory compliance, said IBM. Big Blue expects the acquisition to help its customers better shield their critical databases against both external and internal threats.
Guardium can check for specific patterns and anomalies when information is accessed, said IBM, allowing enterprises to maintain the integrity of their data. Guardium's technology can also detect fraud and unauthorized access to a database by way of an enterprise application, such as a company's ERP or CRM software.
"Organizations are grappling with government mandates, industry standards and business demands to ensure that their critical data is protected against internal and external threats," said Arvind Krishna, general manager of IBM Information Management, in a statement. "This acquisition is another significant step in our abilities to help clients govern and monitor their data, and ultimately make their information more secure throughout its lifecycle."
Guardium, a privately held company based in Waltham, Mass., will be integrated into IBM's Information Management Software portfolio.
Big Blue hasn't been shy about buying companies this year to increase the scope of its business services. In July, the company picked up analytics and information forecaster SPSS for $1.2 billion. With security a vital need for its customers, IBM also acquired security provider Ounce Labs around the same time.
Financial terms of the Guardium deal were not disclosed.