McAfee to acquire ScanAlert creators of HACKER SAFE®
 McAfee today announced a definitive agreement to acquire the privately-held ScanAlert, creators of the fast-growing HACKER SAFE® Web site security certification service, for approximately $51 million in cash up front and with an earn-out of up to an additional $24 million if certain performance targets are met. The acquisition will extend McAfee's leadership position in Web security, and will help to guide the more than 116 million U.S. consumers who shop online to safe e-commerce Web sites.
"Consumers are expected to spend nearly $160 billion dollars this year on products and services online, providing personal credit card information to e-commerce Web sites, many of which have traditionally been under-protected," said Dave DeWalt, chief executive officer and president of McAfee. "Through this acquisition, we will enhance McAfee's triple play protection-securing consumers on the PC, Web and mobile platforms-by integrating ScanAlert's e-commerce security certification service into our SiteAdvisor Web rating system. This will create the industry's only service that helps consumers stay safe as they search, surf, and now shop."
According to the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposure List, which is sponsored by the National Cyber Security Division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, vulnerabilities found in Web applications are now the most commonly found, surpassing those discovered in Microsoft Windows and desktop software.
"ScanAlert pioneered vulnerability assessment and certification for e-commerce sites to help eliminate one of the greatest risks to consumers' financial information. By becoming part of McAfee, we believe ScanAlert can extend Web certification to the next level, greatly benefiting consumers and the businesses who serve them," said Ken Leonard, chief executive officer of ScanAlert.
ScanAlert audits and certifies the security of 8,000 customers representing more than 75,000 Web sites, and its patent-pending technology protects more than 15 million e-commerce transactions each month. The HACKER SAFE security trust mark is displayed by over 60% of the Internet Retailer Top 500 list, including well-known brands such as American Red Cross, GUESS, PETCO, Toshiba and Warner Brothers.
|
