Microsoft Buys Israeli Cybersecurity Firm Hexadite For Reported $100M

Microsoft said Thursday it is acquiring US-Israeli cybersecurity startup Hexadite, whose technology uses AI to identify and protect against cyber attacks, for an undisclosed amount.

Last month, financial website Calcalist said the US giant would pay $100 million for Hexadite.

“Our vision is to deliver a new generation of security capabilities that helps our customers protect, detect and respond to the constantly evolving and ever-changing cyberthreat landscape,” said Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Windows and Devices Group, Microsoft. “Hexadite’s technology and talent will augment our existing capabilities and enable our ability to add new tools and services to Microsoft’s robust enterprise security offerings.”

SEE ALSO: Israel Has World’s Second-Highest Concentration Of Cyber-Defense Firms

The acquisition is part of a larger trend in cybersecurity, with corporations spending large amounts to prevent and deal with increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. Part of a new wave of cyber security companies, Hexadite uses AI and machine learning to identifies and stop smaller threats, while knowing how to identify bigger threats and pass these on to human security experts.

Research firm IDC projects that companies will spend close to $82 billion on security softwares this year.

Modeled after the investigative and decision-making skills of top cyber analysts, Hexadite says its solution can address threats and compress weeks of work into minutes. “With analysts free to focus on the most advanced threats, Hexadite optimizes overtaxed security resources for increased productivity, reduced costs and stronger overall security,” the company writes on its website.

Other cyber acquisitions Microsoft has made in Israel include Aorato, Adallom and Secure Islands.