The agreement combines AlienVault’s expertise in threat intelligence with AT&T’s cybersecurity solutions portfolio. Both companies have approved the deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018. The acquisition enables AT&T to expand its security solutions portfolio and offerings to small and medium-sized business customers 61 per cent of which, according to a 2017 study conducted by the Ponemon Institute, have been breached in the last 12 months, up from 55 percent in 2016. T

Current threat landscape

Thaddeus Arroyo, ceo of AT&T Business, stated ‘regardless of size or industry, businesses today need cyber threat detection, and response technologies and services. The current threat landscape has shifted this from a luxury for some, to a requirement for all.’ He added: 'AlienVault’s expertise in threat intelligence will improve our ability to help organisations detect and respond to cybersecurity attacks. Together, with our enterprise-grade detection, response and remediation capabilities, we’re providing scalable, intelligent, affordable security for business customers of all sizes.'

Democratising threat detection

AT&T noted that it will continue to invest in and build on AlienVault’s foundational Unified Security Management platform and Open Threat Exchange as it integrates AlienVault’s technology into the company’s cybersecurity suite of services. Barmak Meftah, president and CEO, AlienVault said: @we’re thrilled to join forces with AT&T. They bring a robust cybersecurity portfolio with an industry-leading technology ecosystem. This deal accelerates our ability to deliver on the AlienVault mission, which is to democratise threat detection and response to companies of all sizes.’ Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but it is not expected to affect AT&T’s results materially, including the company’s plans to reduce 'its net-debt-to-adjusted-EBITDA ratio to the 2.5x range by the end of the first year after the close of Time Warner.’