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MSSP ControlScan Acquires Dunbar Cybersecurity

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ControlScan, a Top 100 MSSP, has acquired Dunbar Cybersecurity to push deeper into midmarket managed security, threat detection, response and compliance services. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Dunbar Cybersecurity, based in Hunt Valley, Maryland, has a Security Operations Center (SOC) and a home-grown SIEM platform called Cyphon. 

ControlScan, based in Atlanta, is an MSSP that offers Payment Card Industry (PCI) services to help processors, acquirers, ISOs and payment facilitators manage cyber risk, the company says. The company's close partners include LogRhythm, Cisco Meraki, Sophos, Saint, Tripwire, and Stridepoint, according to the company's website.

ControlScan will retain "the bulk" of Dunbar Cybersecurity's analysts, but actual headcount figures were not disclosed. 

In a prepared statement, ControlScan CEO Mark Carl said:

“Having a strong cybersecurity defense is business critical, but as attackers become increasingly advanced, it’s no longer realistic to assume that defense is 100 percent impenetrable. ControlScan has a solid track record of helping businesses defend, and we are now enhancing our means to actively detect and quickly respond to intrusions in real time, as they are happening.”

Tom Callahan
Tom Callahan
Schane Simpson

Mark Carl

Added ControlScan COO Schane Simpson, the company's MSSP operations leader:

“Our goal is to provide an effective, mature cybersecurity and threat detection program for the businesses we serve. The Dunbar Cybersecurity acquisition bolsters our team of expert security analysts and allows us to leverage the Cyphon platform to proactively identify and mitigate suspicious network activity on our customers’ behalf.”

Concluded Tom Callahan, director of operations at Dunbar Cybersecurity, who transitions to director of MDR services at ControlScan:

“Dunbar Cybersecurity’s growth has supported ongoing innovation in the way we monitor, detect and respond to our customers’ cybersecurity threats. Becoming a primary component of the ControlScan Managed Security Services solution further advances the strong ROI we provide.”

The deal further blurs the line between traditional MSSP services and the Managed Detection and Response (MDR) sector, which have been converging for several years.

MSSP Alert reached out to ControlScan to pursue further details about the deal. Stay tuned for potential updates.

Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri is co-founder & editorial director of MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E, the two leading news & analysis sites for managed service providers in the cybersecurity market.