Webroot acquires BrightCloud

Security vendor Webroot has acquired BrightCloud - a company that has developed proprietary algorithms to monitor web threats in real-time.

The technologies of the two companies will be integrated over the coming months and will be deployed in Webroot's Sydney data centre, which supports a range of customers including the NSW Department of Primary Industries, ABC Television, Ford Performance Vehicles, Cricket Victoria, Seventh Day Adventist Church and a number of the large law firms.

Webroot APAC managing director Charles Heunemann said BrightCloud's OEM distribution model would be preserved.

"BrightCloud's specific strategy was OEM and their brand as such would be encased within brands of OEM partners, therefore the impact of the change on the customers will be minimal," Mr Heunemann said.

"BrightCloud have a proven OEM model and through partnerships we have we'll be continuing those."

Mr Heunemann said BrightCloud categorises web threats in real-time.

"The thing that sets BrightCloud apart, their method for analysing and categorising web content is dynamic and is based on some proprietary algorithms, which are very fast and accurate.

"The way URL filtering engines in the past have worked, they're based on static lists, lists just keep getting bigger and bigger.

"The challenge is, the web is growing incredibly quickly now, and it's beyond the capability of static lists to keep up."