Microsoft Acquires Data Protection Startup Secure Islands

Microsoft on Monday announced that it has acquired Israel-based security firm secure Islands for $150 million. Neither company has disclosed how much Microsoft really paid for the security firm. The deal will provide a big boost to Microsoft's Azure Rights Management Service, which lets companies protect files individually and in bulk with tools that ensure they aren't opened or modified by unauthorized people.

The software giant plans to integrate Secure Islands’ technology into Azure Rights Management Service to help customers meet compliance and protection requirements of their cloud, on-premises and mobile data.

Founded in 2006 and based in Israel, Secure Islands develops and markets advanced Information Protection and Control (IPC) solutions for the borderless enterprise IT. It lays the foundation for sensitive information security in enterprises as they shift from perimeter defense to persistent protection. The company’s holistic approach has redefines information security and helps the enterprise in regaining more control by identifying, classifying and protecting sensitive information throughout its lifecycle. The company’s main product is IQProtector, a policy-driven classification and protection solution. IQProtector captures and detects the creation of new data from a variety of sources and then applies a protection policy on it.

Secure Islands’ technology are deployed in top-tier Fortune 500 companies including Credit Suisse, Vodafone and UBS, and its designed to protect data across nearly any file type. 
Aki Eldar, CEO Secure Islands, said in a statement: “When Yuval (cofounder Yuval Eldar) and I founded Secure Islands nine years ago, we shared one vision: to provide customers with the most efficient and reliable solution for information protection and control.” 

 By joining Microsoft, we will be able to extend and expand our vision. Microsoft has been a long time partner and its leadership in enterprise IT, its resources and global reach will help us innovate and deliver new information protection capabilities to both our current and new customer base,” added by Eldar, CEO Secure Islands.

Microsoft said in a statement that Secure Islands will continue selling its products and provides services to new and existing customers while the deal makes its way through regulatory approvals.

The cloud security is clearly a big focus for this latest acquisition, with Microsoft able to help its own customers meet their data compliance and protection requirements. Microsoft is no stranger when it comes to Israel tech space.

The deal is the second security-focused acquisition Microsoft has made recently. In September, it acquired cloud security firm Adallom, a deal focused on enhancing Microsoft's Advanced Threat Analytics Service. Rights management and Advanced Threat Analytics services are just part of the company's big effort to provide companies with tool that can be used to better secure their information. Secure Islands is also Microsoft's second acquisition in two weeks and its fifth acquisition of an Israeli startup this year. Last week, Microsoft announced that it has acquired mobile app maker Mobile Data Labs.

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