Check Point Technologies announced a deal to acquire Sourcefire, makers of the ever-popular open source Snort intrusion detection system. Check Point will add the Sourcefire line of commercial security products to its suite of offerings. The acquisition, which will cost Check Point approximately $225 million in case and other considerations, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2006.
"We believe Sourcefire has world-class solutions for internal security through their Intrusion Sensor, Real-time Network Awareness (RNA), and Defense Center product lines. These align perfectly with Check Point's vision for internal security and are ideal complements to our InterSpect and Integrity solutions," said Gil Shwed, chairman and CEO of Check Point Software Technologies.
Sourcefire intrusion detection and prevention solutions are appliance-based. Earlier this year the company's Intrusion Sensor 3000 (IS3000) was named by NSS Group as the only sensor to successfully completed is full range of security tests at full gigabit network speeds. The independent NSS Group is known for conducting strenuous testing of intrusion detection and prevention systems to guage their capabilities in a real world setting.
Snort was created by Martin Roesch, who later went on to found Sourcefire in 2001, Sourcefire maintains the open source Snort community. A spokesperson for Check Point said the company intends to continue maintaining the community.
