Sophos has announced that it has acquired Capsule8. Capsule8 operates in the field of detection and response for Linux production servers and containers covering on-premise and cloud workloads. The company was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in New York.
Commenting on the development, Dan Schiappa, chief product officer, Sophos, said, “Sophos already protects more than two million servers for over 85,000 customers worldwide, and the Sophos server security business is growing at more than 20 per cent per year. “Comprehensive server protection is a crucial component of any effective cybersecurity strategy that organisations of all sizes are increasingly focused on, especially as more workloads move to the cloud. With Capsule8, Sophos is delivering advanced, differentiated solutions to protect server environments, and expanding its position as a leading global cybersecurity provider.”
Capsule8 is dedicated solely to the development of Linux security and has established itself as a technology and thought leader in the market, with marquis customer wins and billings growth of 77 per cent in the year to March 31, 2021. Driven by the dramatic growth in cloud platforms, Linux has become the dominant operating system for server workloads. Capsule8’s high-performance, low-impact design is ideal for Linux servers, especially those used for high-scale workloads, production infrastructure and storing critical business data.
Sophos is integrating Capsule8 technology into its recently launched Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem (ACE), providing powerful and lightweight Linux server and cloud container security within this open platform. Sophos will also feature Capsule8 technology in its Extended Detection and Response (XDR) solutions, Intercept X server protection products, and Sophos Managed Threat Response (MTR) and Rapid Response services. This will further expand and enhance Sophos’ data lake and deliver continuous, fresh intelligence for advanced threat hunting, security operations and customer protection practices.
Commenting on the development, John Viega, CEO, Capsule8, said, “Capsule8 is the premiere purpose-built detection and response platform for Linux. We provide security teams with the crucial visibility they need to protect Linux production infrastructure against unwanted behavior, while at the same time addressing cost, performance and reliability concerns”. “We’ve innovated new approaches to deliver runtime security in a much safer and more cost-effective way than anyone else in the industry. With Capsule8’s technology, organizations are no longer forced to choose between system stability and security risk. Given the growth and mission-critical nature of Linux environments, and the fast-changing, targeted threat landscape, organisations must be confident that their Linux environments are both performant and secure.”
Meanwhile, Schiappa stated, “Attackers today are incredibly aggressive and nimble as they adapt their TTPs to focus on the easiest, largest or fastest-growing opportunities. As more organisations shift to Linux servers, adversaries have noticed, and they are adapting and customising their approaches to attack these systems. To stay protected, organisations must factor in a strong, but lightweight layer of Linux security that automatically integrates and shares intelligence with endpoint, network and other security layers and platforms within an estate”. “We will provide this industry-leading capability and strategically important visibility and detection by combining Capsule8 with our Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem products and services, greatly enhancing the ability to find and eliminate suspicious activity before it becomes malicious”, Schiappa added
Sophos expects to begin early access programs with its products and services leveraging the Capsule8 technology later this fiscal year.
