WatchGuard Technologies has announced the acquisition of CyGlass Technology Services, a leading provider of cloud and network-centric threat detection and response solutions that help organizations see risks, stop threats and prove compliance. CyGlass's 100% cloud native platform utilizes advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) capabilities to deliver enterprise-class cyberdefense across hybrid networks, to mid-sized and small organizations at an affordable cost and without hardware. The CyGlass technology will add to the WatchGuard Unified Security Platform architecture, delivering AI-based detection of network anomalies with a future network detection and response (NDR) service, and will accelerate Open eXtended detection and response (XDR) capabilities within WatchGuard ThreatSync.

"The success of CyGlass in the last year demonstrates that mid-sized companies and MSPs are seeking innovative detection and response solutions that are not reliant on costly hardware," said Andrew Young, chief product officer, WatchGuard. "The WatchGuard solutions built on CyGlass technology will create a competitive advantage for our partners that will drive increased revenue and margin opportunities. When integrated into WatchGuard's unified security platform architecture, partners and customers alike will benefit from the latest security advances to keep network attacks at bay, enhanced XDR insights and actions with telemetry from third-party devices including switches, and easier regulatory and cyberinsurance compliance with powerful, built-in reports."

CyGlass mirrors a key tenet of WatchGuard's mission, which is to make enterprise-grade security more accessible to all customers. Other NDR products commonly rely on expensive hardware and experienced security analysts to manage the solutions, meaning that only larger enterprise businesses could reasonably deploy them. CyGlass's product and approach are different, as a fully cloud-based solution, it enables mid-sized enterprises and MSPs to provide NDR capabilities at a very reasonable cost of ownership.  

"We founded CyGlass with the goal of helping organizations better defend their hybrid networks with new levels of intelligence that protect against the most sophisticated attacks," said Ed Jackowiak, founder and CEO, CyGlass. "Joining WatchGuard and integrating our capabilities into its impressive unified security platform architecture takes our mission to the next level and makes it available to an established global network of partners and customers."

The immediate focus of the combined company is on supporting current CyGlass customers and partners with existing CyGlass solutions and integrating the CyGlass technology into the WatchGuard platform.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP and K&L Gates LLP served as legal counsel to WatchGuard and Vector Capital.