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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallSecurityWeek counted 34 cybersecurity-related transactions announced in January 2024. The list covers security software, cloud and identity platforms, managed-service providers, government contractors, cyber insurance, certification, media and events—not 34 comparable pure-play software acquisitions. HPE’s proposed $14 billion cash acquisition of Juniper Networks was the largest disclosed transaction in the roundup; most other consideration was not public.
This is a historical account of announcements, not a statement that every transaction subsequently closed. SecurityWeek published the roundup on February 7, 2024.
January 2024 cybersecurity M&A at a glance
| Buyer | Target or asset | Transaction type | Primary category | Value reported at announcement | What it added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise | Juniper Networks | Proposed acquisition | Networking with security relevance | $14 billion cash | Broader networking and infrastructure capabilities |
| SentinelOne | PingSafe | Proposed acquisition | Cloud security | Reportedly more than $100 million, cash and stock | Cloud-native application protection |
| 5G Networks | Security Shift | Acquisition | Managed security services | AU$4 million (reported as about US$2.6 million) | Managed cybersecurity services for corporate customers |
| Delinea | Authomize | Acquisition | Identity security | Reportedly several tens of millions of dollars | Identity threat detection and response |
| Ark Infotech | Slauth.io | Acquisition | Identity and access management | Not disclosed | Cybersecurity and AI capabilities focused on identity and access |
| C3 Complete | Compliance Solutions cybersecurity business unit | Business-unit acquisition | Security services and compliance | Not disclosed | vCISO, penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, incident response, forensics and compliance |
| Dynatrace | Runecast | Acquisition | Cloud posture and compliance | Not disclosed | Automated security posture management and compliance monitoring |
| HID | ZeroSSL | Acquisition | PKI and certificate services | Not disclosed | Website-communications and public-key infrastructure capabilities |
| Link11 | Reblaze Technologies | Acquisition | Web and DDoS protection | Not disclosed | Web application protection and performance capabilities |
| Magnet Forensics | High Peaks Cyber IP assets | IP-asset acquisition | Forensics and mobile security | Not disclosed | Mobile-device security, exploit and vulnerability-research assets |
| Mimecast | Elevate Security | Acquisition | Security awareness | Not disclosed | User education and awareness technology |
| Option3 | Onclave Networks | Acquisition | Zero trust | Not disclosed | Zero-trust access for IoT and operational technology |
| Protect AI | Laiyer AI and LLM Guard | Acquisition | AI and LLM security | Not disclosed | Controls for LLM misuse and prompt-injection risks |
| SonicWall | Banyan Security | Acquisition | Zero-trust access | Not disclosed | Zero-trust network-access technology |
| Snyk | Helios | Acquisition | Developer and runtime security | Not disclosed | Runtime data and cloud-to-code risk visibility |
Source for these transactions: SecurityWeek’s January 2024 roundup.
The largest disclosed and reported transactions
HPE–Juniper Networks: $14 billion cash
HPE agreed to acquire Juniper Networks for $14 billion in cash. It is the largest disclosed transaction in this roundup, but it is fundamentally a broad networking and infrastructure deal rather than a pure-play cybersecurity acquisition. Its inclusion reflects the security importance of network architecture and control points.
#1 Best Overall
SentinelOne–PingSafe: reportedly above $100 million
SentinelOne’s proposed PingSafe transaction was reported as a cash-and-stock deal valued at more than $100 million. PingSafe added cloud-native application protection capabilities. The amount is reported consideration, not a fully disclosed transaction term in the roundup.
Delinea–Authomize: several tens of millions
Delinea acquired Authomize to add identity threat detection and response. SecurityWeek reported consideration in the “several tens of millions of dollars,” without a precise disclosed figure.
5G Networks–Security Shift: AU$4 million
5G Networks announced a AU$4 million acquisition of Security Shift, reported at approximately US$2.6 million. The deal expanded managed cybersecurity services for corporate customers.
What the platform deals say about security strategy
Cloud, web and software-delivery controls
PingSafe addressed cloud-native application protection; Runecast focused on cloud posture and compliance; Reblaze expanded web-application and DDoS protection; and Helios brought runtime and cloud-to-code visibility to Snyk. These are different control points: CNAPP-style protection, posture management, web defenses and developer/runtime security should not be treated as interchangeable products.
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Identity, machine identity and zero trust
Authomize concerned identity threat detection and response, while Slauth.io was positioned around identity and access management with cybersecurity and AI capabilities. Onclave targeted zero-trust access for IoT and operational technology, and Ntrinsec (listed below) concerned machine identity management. Human identity, privileged access, machine identity and zero-trust enforcement are related but distinct markets.
AI and LLM security
Protect AI’s acquisition of Laiyer AI and the open-source LLM Guard was the clearest AI-security transaction in the list. The 2024 reporting described protections against LLM misuse and prompt injection and said Protect AI planned a commercial version of LLM Guard with expanded features. That historical statement should not be read as a current product-status update.
Rank #3
PKI, awareness and digital forensics
HID’s ZeroSSL transaction expanded certificate and PKI services. Mimecast added security-awareness technology through Elevate Security. Magnet Forensics acquired High Peaks Cyber IP assets, which means the announced deal was for specified intellectual property—not necessarily the entire company, its employees or its liabilities.
Services, MSPs and security operations
Several announcements involved recurring-service platforms rather than standalone security products. C3 Complete bought Compliance Solutions’ cybersecurity business unit, including vCISO, testing, incident response, forensics and compliance services. Staley Technologies bought HoganTaylor Technology’s cybersecurity services division. Those are business-unit transactions, not purchases of the sellers’ entire companies.
| Buyer | Target | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Amplix | Go2 | MSP |
| Aspire | Cloud Cover IT | IT/MSP services |
| CloudScale365 | Your Tech Team | MSP |
| Corporate Technologies | NuMSP | MSP |
| Driven Technologies | ieMentor | MSP |
| Synagex | Ascentek | MSP |
| Staley Technologies | HoganTaylor Technology cybersecurity services division | MSSP/business-unit acquisition |
| Techna-X | Netsec | Offensive-security majority stake |
| 5G Networks | Security Shift | Managed security services |
The pattern is consistent with regional consolidation, platform rollups, cross-selling security into existing IT accounts and demand for outsourced security operations. An MSP acquisition does not, by itself, indicate ownership of a proprietary security software platform.
Government, insurance, risk, certification and industry infrastructure
| Buyer | Target | Category | Deal qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Insight | Zavda | Government contractor | Announcement; value not disclosed |
| Crimson Phoenix | Cyberspace Solutions | Government contractor | Announcement; value not disclosed |
| MSI | Ascolta | Government contractor | Announcement; value not disclosed |
| Saalex | Spalding Consulting | Government contractor | Announcement; value not disclosed |
| HDI | Falcon | Cyber insurance | Majority-stake acquisition; value not disclosed |
| Riskonnect | Ventiv Technology | Risk management and insurance | Announcement; value not disclosed |
| NMi Group | TrustCB | Certification and testing | Announcement; value not disclosed |
| Quantum Intell | Ntrinsec | Machine identity management | Announcement; value not disclosed |
| Information Security Media Group | QG Media | Media and conferences | Announcement; value not disclosed |
| Nineteen Group | SASIG | Cybersecurity events | Announcement; value not disclosed |
Government-contracting deals can be strategic because of contract vehicles, clearances, compliance infrastructure, specialist engineering and federal relationships—not necessarily because of a software product. Insurance, certification, media and event transactions broaden the ecosystem represented by the 34-deal count.
Complete list of the 34 announcements
The following reference table combines the transactions above and preserves the distinctions in SecurityWeek’s classification.
| # | Buyer | Target or asset | Type/category | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5G Networks | Security Shift | Acquisition; managed security | AU$4 million |
| 2 | Ark Infotech | Slauth.io | Acquisition; identity/AI | Not disclosed |
| 3 | C3 Complete | Compliance Solutions cybersecurity business unit | Business unit; security services | Not disclosed |
| 4 | Delinea | Authomize | Acquisition; identity security | Reportedly several tens of millions |
| 5 | Dynatrace | Runecast | Acquisition; cloud posture | Not disclosed |
| 6 | HID | ZeroSSL | Acquisition; PKI | Not disclosed |
| 7 | HPE | Juniper Networks | Proposed acquisition; networking | $14 billion cash |
| 8 | Link11 | Reblaze Technologies | Acquisition; web protection | Not disclosed |
| 9 | Magnet Forensics | High Peaks Cyber IP assets | IP-asset acquisition; forensics | Not disclosed |
| 10 | Mimecast | Elevate Security | Acquisition; awareness | Not disclosed |
| 11 | Option3 | Onclave Networks | Acquisition; IoT/OT zero trust | Not disclosed |
| 12 | Protect AI | Laiyer AI and LLM Guard | Acquisition; LLM security | Not disclosed |
| 13 | SentinelOne | PingSafe | Proposed acquisition; cloud security | Reportedly >$100 million |
| 14 | SonicWall | Banyan Security | Acquisition; zero trust | Not disclosed |
| 15 | Snyk | Helios | Acquisition; developer/runtime security | Not disclosed |
| 16 | Amplix | Go2 | MSP | Not disclosed |
| 17 | Applied Insight | Zavda | Government contractor | Not disclosed |
| 18 | Aspire | Cloud Cover IT | IT/MSP services | Not disclosed |
| 19 | CloudScale365 | Your Tech Team | MSP | Not disclosed |
| 20 | Corporate Technologies | NuMSP | MSP | Not disclosed |
| 21 | Crimson Phoenix | Cyberspace Solutions | Government contractor | Not disclosed |
| 22 | Driven Technologies | ieMentor | MSP | Not disclosed |
| 23 | Information Security Media Group | QG Media | Media/conferences | Not disclosed |
| 24 | HDI | Falcon | Cyber-insurance majority stake | Not disclosed |
| 25 | MSI | Ascolta | Government contractor | Not disclosed |
| 26 | Nineteen Group | SASIG | Cybersecurity events | Not disclosed |
| 27 | NMi Group | TrustCB | Certification/testing | Not disclosed |
| 28 | Quantum Intell | Ntrinsec | Machine identity | Not disclosed |
| 29 | Riskonnect | Ventiv Technology | Risk/insurance | Not disclosed |
| 30 | Saalex | Spalding Consulting | Government contractor | Not disclosed |
| 31 | Staley Technologies | HoganTaylor Technology cybersecurity services division | Business unit/MSSP | Not disclosed |
| 32 | Synagex | Ascentek | MSP | Not disclosed |
| 33 | Techna-X | Netsec | Offensive-security majority stake | Not disclosed |
| 34 | Xperience | GCC | MSP | Not disclosed |
How to interpret the 34-deal count
SecurityWeek’s methodology counts acquisitions, proposed acquisitions and definitive agreements alongside business-unit purchases, IP-asset deals and majority-stake investments. It also includes adjacent businesses with clear cybersecurity relevance. Consequently, “34” is a useful activity tally but not a like-for-like count of software-company takeovers.
Best Value
SecurityWeek separately reported 413 cybersecurity-related M&A transactions announced in 2023, while noting declines in transaction volume and disclosed value versus the prior period. January’s 34 announcements are consistent with a busy month, but they cannot establish a full-year trend. A mechanical annualization to 408 would ignore seasonality, changing classification rules and uneven disclosure.
No responsible aggregate January deal value can be calculated from this list: only four transactions have disclosed or reported figures, and those figures mix cash consideration, cash-and-stock consideration and a reported Australian-dollar price. “Not disclosed” also does not mean a transaction was small.
Announcement status and important caveats
- An announced or proposed transaction may later close, change terms, be delayed or be terminated.
- Use “acquired IP assets” for Magnet Forensics–High Peaks Cyber, not an automatic claim that the whole company changed hands.
- Describe HDI–Falcon and Techna-X–Netsec as majority-stake transactions, not 100% takeovers.
- Describe the Compliance Solutions and HoganTaylor transactions as business-unit or division purchases.
- Reported PingSafe and Authomize values are attributed figures, not complete confirmed terms in the roundup.
For the original list and publication date, see SecurityWeek. For the 2023 comparison, see SecurityWeek’s 2023 M&A analysis.
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