Trustwave acquires data security provider Application Security, Inc.

The online security space is seriously heating up. It might not be as sexy as social media, or consumer tech but there’s serious money in the space. Small wonder too, when there are people constantly trying to access sensitive information held by companies and governments alike.

In a space with that much action, you’re also going to see increasing acquisition and merger activity. The latest of those took place today with global online security provider Trustwave announcing the acquisition announced the acquisition of data security provider Application Security, Inc.

Application Security, Inc. apparently pioneered the research and development of security software for relational databases and big data stores—helping businesses and government agencies uncover critical configuration mistakes, access control issues, missing patches, or any toxic combination of settings that could lead to denial-of-service attacks, unauthorized data modification and data breaches.

Trustwave also reckons that Application Security, Inc.’s automated database security scanning technologies strengthen its ability to help organizations protect high-value data, reduce security risks and achieve compliance with mandates and regulations.

Commenting on the acquisition, Trustwave Chairman and CEO Robert J. McCullen said:

“Attacks from cybercriminals, malicious insiders and other threats have increased the spotlight on the security of high-value data and the importance of protecting it no matter where it lives or where it’s going. Disparate products and manual tools and processes just can’t keep up with the pace of today’s threats. By joining forces with Application Security, Trustwave can help customers strengthen security across their environment—from the network, applications, Web, and down to the data itself—so they can more effectively fight cybercrime, protect data and reduce security risks.”

It also believes that the acquisition gives it the ability to:

• Secure data in more places — Application Security, Inc. deepens Trustwave’s data and advanced threat protection capabilities, augmenting Trustwave’s existing managed security services and extending protection of data and management of threats across endpoints, networks, applications and databases.
• Improve compliance management — Application Security, Inc. enriches Trustwave compliance auditing and management services by streamlining and automating the process of testing and monitoring databases so that businesses can improve the way they address the requirements of regulations and mandates including PCI DSS, HIPAA and SOX.
• Mitigate more data — centric vulnerabilities—Application Security, Inc. enhances Trustwave’s penetration testing and vulnerability management services, with additional database scanning and testing capabilities that offer customers more comprehensive vulnerability scanning, logging and monitoring across their networks, applications and databases.

Trustwave adds that it will continue to develop, support and offer both Application Security, Inc. products, DbProtect and AppDetectivePRO, and will integrate and use those products throughout the Trustwave portfolio of information security, compliance management and threat intelligence offerings.