Symantec to buy DLP firm Vontu for US$350M

Symantec has announced plans to acquire information security vendor Vontu for US$350 million in cash and options after a long standing partnership with the firm.

The acquisition, expected to be finalised by the fourth calendar quarter of 2007, will help shift the focus of security from simply securing systems and devices to also protecting information, claimed Symantec.

“The combination of Symantec’s existing portfolio and Vontu’s leading products and dedicated team enables us to deliver a central component of our Security 2.0 vision to customers.

“In a business environment that is increasingly competitive, transparent and regulated, companies need confidence that their most valuable asset – information – is safe. Only then will security become more of a business enabler rather than a business inhibitor,” said Tom Kendra, group president, Security and Data Management Group, Symantec.

Symantec plans to integrate Vontu's DLP technologies across Symantec's existing products while the Vontu team will operate as a dedicated team within Symantec's Security and Data Management Group, continuing to build on the Vontu DLP 8 product suite.

Joseph Ansanelli, CEO, Vontu, said: “The next wave of security is all about the information. By joining forces with Symantec and building upon their strength in enterprise security and storage solutions, we will be uniquely positioned to help customers answer the important questions as to where their confidential information is stored, how it is being used, and how best to prevent its loss.”