NTT Security is acquiring WhiteHat Security, an application security provider, the companies confirmed Tuesday at RSA Conference 2019 in San Francisco. Financial terms were not disclosed.
NTT Security is a Top 100 MSSP with 10 security operations centers (SOCs), seven R&D centers, and 1,500 security experts. Part of NTT Group, the MSSP offers managed security services, consulting and associated technology services worldwide.
WhiteHat Security, founded in 2001 and based in San Jose, California, will operate as an independent, wholly-owned subsidiary of NTT Security. The firm's core expertise includes static application security testing (SAST), dynamic application security testing (DAST) and software composition analysis (SCA).
Those offerings help customers to reduce application vulnerabilities, the company claims. Market researchers apparently agree. To wit, the WhiteHat Application Security Platform has surfaced in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Application Security Testing for the last five years.
NTT Security Acquires WhiteHat: Executive Perspectives
Describing the deal in a prepared statement, NTT Security CEO Katsumi Nakata said:
“NTT Security’s overarching goal is to provide comprehensive, game-changing cybersecurity solutions that address the broader needs of digital transformation. WhiteHat is recognized globally as a leader and pioneer in the application security cloud services and DevSecOps spaces. By bringing WhiteHat Security into our portfolio we are now well positioned to deliver on our vision of securing a smart and connected society by providing comprehensive security solutions for enterprises undergoing digital transformation.”
Added WhiteHat Security CEO Craig Hinkley:
“WhiteHat has been at the center of application security, providing wide-reaching solutions to its customers and partners, and we will continue to invest in our people and technologies to maintain that leadership. The synergy between our two security-focused companies will enable our partners, customers and prospects to benefit from our combined cybersecurity solutions.”
Partner Programs & Business Growth
WhiteHat Security has been expanding its partner, product and customer lineup ahead of the deal.
The company in February 2019 launched a new partnership program for solution providers, led by VP John Atkinson. The effort seeks to empower partners that are building out DevSecOps capabilities to grow their business. Early participants included Mission Critical Systems, an IT security reseller and integrator in Florida. The company also built out the WhiteHat Partner Network last year -- inking relationships with Bugcrowd and Coalfire, among others.
WhiteHat Security's business gained more than 110 new hires and grew more than 35 percent in 2018 vs. 2017, though the company did not disclose actual revenue, profit or headcount figures.
