Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Broadcom did not sell Carbon Black as part of VMware’s End-User Computing (EUC) business. A February 27, 2024 report said Broadcom had paused the Carbon Black sale process after prospective offers reportedly fell short of its expectations. That was not confirmation of a permanent cancellation. The separate EUC deal closed to KKR on July 1, 2024, for $3.5 billion after working-capital adjustments.
What Broadcom paused—and what it did not
After Broadcom acquired VMware in November 2023, it planned to divest businesses it considered non-core. In February 2024, Broadcom announced an agreement to sell VMware’s EUC division to private-equity firm KKR. Carbon Black, VMware’s cybersecurity business, had been expected to be included in the broader divestiture plan.
But Carbon Black was not part of the final EUC transaction. CSO Online reported on February 27, 2024 that prospective buyers’ indications of interest for Carbon Black fell short of Broadcom’s expectations, and that the sale process was paused or possibly abandoned. That account was reporting about the process, not a public announcement that Broadcom had permanently canceled a sale.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe careful distinction is important: the Carbon Black sale was reportedly paused and did not close with EUC. The available evidence does not establish a later buyer, sale price, permanent retention decision, or a new pause announced in 2026.
What KKR acquired
KKR’s agreement covered VMware’s digital-workspace business, including Horizon, which delivers virtual desktops and applications, and Workspace ONE, a unified endpoint-management and digital-workspace platform. The division also included related platform services and capabilities for managing digital workspaces and delivering applications. Carbon Black was a separate cybersecurity business, not an EUC product transferred to KKR.
The announced value was described as approximately $4 billion; Broadcom’s filing put the expected value at about $3.8 billion before adjustments and selling costs. Broadcom later reported that the deal closed on July 1, 2024, for $3.5 billion after working-capital adjustments. Those figures describe different stages and terms of the transaction, rather than a single inconsistent sale price. KKR’s announcement described the planned acquisition; Broadcom’s SEC filing recorded the closing and proceeds.
Timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| November 22, 2023 | Broadcom completed its acquisition of VMware. |
| February 2024 | Broadcom and KKR announced the planned sale of VMware’s EUC division. |
| February 27, 2024 | CSO Online reported that Carbon Black was omitted from the EUC deal and that its sale process had been paused after reported buyer interest fell short of Broadcom’s expectations. |
| July 1, 2024 | The EUC sale to KKR closed for $3.5 billion after working-capital adjustments. |
Broadcom’s filings confirm the acquisition and EUC closing dates and terms. The explanation for Carbon Black’s omission comes from the CSO report, not from a public deal announcement specifying Broadcom’s reason.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallWhy EUC may have been easier to sell
The EUC division had a clearer carve-out boundary: Horizon and Workspace ONE formed a recognizable group of products, customers, and capabilities that could operate as a standalone software business. KKR presented the division as a standalone company with dedicated leadership and investment. The separation also required practical changes: Broadcom support documentation describes EUC systems and support functions moving to separate infrastructure and, later, Omnissa-hosted channels. This was an operational transition as well as a financial transaction.
Carbon Black was different. It began as Bit9, later became Bit9 + Carbon Black and then Carbon Black, and VMware acquired it in 2019 for about $2.1 billion, according to CSO. Broadcom inherited it with VMware. Broadcom’s acquisition materials described Carbon Black as a cloud-security platform spanning endpoint, workload, and container security.
A security business can be harder to separate than a product portfolio with a more bounded operating perimeter. Carbon Black depends on endpoint agents, cloud services and telemetry, threat research, update systems, integrations, sales channels, and security-operations workflows. A buyer would need to assess what infrastructure and transitional support it could rely on, how to retain customers and technical talent, and how much sustained investment the product needs.
Competition is another consideration, though not a documented reason for Broadcom’s reported decision. Carbon Black would have to compete with large platform vendors such as Microsoft, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, and Palo Alto Networks. A prospective buyer would need a credible plan for differentiation, customer retention, and product investment. It is reasonable to infer that separation complexity and competitive pressure could affect valuation; it would be speculation to assign a specific value or claim that a particular bidder objected to either issue.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Broadcom may have had reasons to sell, such as simplifying its portfolio or monetizing an asset, and reasons to wait, such as avoiding a price it considered too low or retaining flexibility while it integrated VMware. Those are possible strategic explanations, not confirmed statements of Broadcom’s long-term plan for Carbon Black.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the EUC separation means for customers
Horizon and Workspace ONE moved into the business sold to KKR, which later operated as Omnissa. Broadcom’s support documentation records the transition of EUC systems, support channels, and knowledge resources. This ownership change does not mean Carbon Black moved to KKR or Omnissa. Customers should keep separate track of their Carbon Black security contracts, EUC subscriptions, VMware infrastructure agreements, support contacts, and any bundled arrangements.
What Carbon Black customers should do
A reported pause by itself is not a reason to migrate security tools. Switching endpoint-security platforms can affect detection workflows, integrations, policies, compliance records, and incident response. Instead, use a renewal or planning cycle to reduce uncertainty:
- Inventory the deployment. Record endpoint counts, operating systems, sensor versions, cloud and on-premises components, and integrations with SIEM, SOAR, identity, ticketing, and vulnerability tools.
- Check the contract. Confirm renewal dates, entitlements, support levels, termination and transition terms, and whether the license depends on a VMware bundle or enterprise agreement.
- Ask for written roadmap details. Seek confirmation from Broadcom or your authorized account team on support horizons, feature commitments, agent and console plans, integrations, and any ownership-related changes.
- Maintain a contingency plan. If Carbon Black is business-critical, evaluate alternatives against your requirements and test migration effort. Do not assume another vendor provides feature or workflow equivalence without a proof of concept.
- Preserve operational records. Know how to export alerts, policies, detections, and compliance records, and verify retention requirements and incident-response procedures.
Consider a more active alternative evaluation if roadmap visibility becomes poor, renewal terms materially worsen, required integrations are deprecated, support responsiveness declines, or detection and response no longer meet your needs. If the product continues to meet requirements and support commitments are clear, staying in place may be the lower-risk choice.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
What remains unconfirmed
The EUC transaction is documented in Broadcom’s filings, but the Carbon Black pause was described in reporting. The available evidence does not establish that Broadcom permanently canceled the sale, decided to keep Carbon Black indefinitely, rejected a named offer, or later sold the business. Nor does it substantiate a new August 2026 pause. Any customer decision should be based on current written contract and roadmap information, not an assumption that the reported 2024 process determined Carbon Black’s long-term ownership.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
