Check Point Software Technologies has acquired serverless security provider Protego for an undisclosed sum. With the acquisition, Check Point plans to deliver a consolidated security solution that offers cloud workload protection (CWPP) and cloud security posture management (CSPM) capabilities across Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure.
The move comes amid anticipated serverless buzz at this week's AWS re:Invent 2019 conference in Las Vegas.
Protego is a very young company. The firm raised $2 million in seed funding in May 2018. Early investors included Ron Gula of Gula Tech Adventures, Glilot Capital Partners, and former RSA CTO Tim Belcher.
Protego has partnerships with MSSPs and cybersecurity consulting companies -- working with such firms as Security7 Networks, Serverless Guru, TachTech and we45.
In a 2018 company descriptor, Protego said:
"Protego works by continuously scanning your serverless infrastructure, including functions, logs, and databases, to help increase the application’s security posture and minimize the attack surface, Using machine-based analysis and deep learning algorithms, Protego builds a model of normal function behavior to effectively detect threats, anomalies, and malicious attacks as they initiate and propagate."
Check Point will integrate Protego's technology into its Infinity security architecture for networks, endpoints and cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile environments, the company said. In doing so, Check Point will provide continuous serverless security with run-time protection and application hardening.
A Closer Look at Protego's Serverless Security Technology
Protego offers three serverless security solutions:
- Assess: Continuously scans serverless infrastructure. Assess scans functions, logs and databases to help organizations improve application security.
- Defend: Provides a zero-touch application protection solution. Defend uses real-time threat intelligence to continuously evaluate and adapt security protection and micro-segmentation.
- Proact: Analyzes serverless application code before and after deployment. Proact offers automated application hardening to help organizations minimize their attack surfaces and identify security vulnerabilities.
Check Point intends to incorporate Protego's serverless security technology into Infinity in the first quarter of next year.
What Does the Protego Acquisition Mean for Check Point?
The Protego acquisition helps Check Point expand its security capabilities. It also is one of several recent moves that Check Point has made to accelerate its growth.
Check Point in February 2019 introduced the Check PointS global partner program for solution providers. Check PointS provides Check Point's solution provider partners with tools and resources to help them integrate the company's offerings into their portfolios, along with the ability to earn rewards based on their program activities.
In addition, Check Point in January 2019 purchased ForceNock Security, an Israeli company that specializes in web application and application programming interface (API) protection. Check Point has incorporated ForceNeck's technology into Infinity.
