WatchGuard acquires ActZero to boost cybersecurity services

WatchGuard Technologies has announced the acquisition of ActZero to expand its Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services and extend its cybersecurity capabilities.

The acquisition aims to mature WatchGuard's 24/7 MDR service by integrating ActZero's technologies and teams, which are known for providing proactive, AI-driven threat response and analysis. WatchGuard intends to leverage these assets to enhance its Unified Security Platform, ultimately boosting operational efficiency and security service delivery for its clients.

Prakash Panjwani, CEO of WatchGuard Technologies, highlighted the strategic importance of the acquisition. "We realised the need to scale rapidly as we have gained traction throughout the year with our MDR service," he said. "The acquisition of ActZero allows WatchGuard to add capacity, scalability, and new technology that will enable our MDR service to expand to the full WatchGuard portfolio and third-party security products. With additional scale, we can handle a larger partner base efficiently, building confidence with our partners so they can easily add more services as we expand our MDR capabilities. ActZero has built its service with this kind of scaled customer experience in mind."

By acquiring ActZero, WatchGuard plans to provide service providers an easier path to implement advanced MDR services without the need to establish and maintain their own security operations centres. The integration will see ActZero's platform and expertise as a core part of WatchGuard's MDR offering, facilitating enhanced monitoring and threat management.

Hal Libby, General Manager of Managed Services at WatchGuard Technologies, expressed optimism about the collaboration. "WatchGuard shares our commitment to delivering leading MDR services and simplifying cybersecurity management for MSPs," Libby stated. "We're excited that more MSPs will be able to leverage our platform capabilities, and that together with WatchGuard, we can accelerate the expansion of MDR products in the future."

Managed Detection and Response services provide continuous security monitoring across various IT environments to preemptively address threats. WatchGuard's MDR service, launched in October 2023, has been popular for enabling MSPs to offer these capabilities without conventional SOC infrastructure investments. This approach addresses the global shortage of cybersecurity professionals and resources, allowing partners to scale according to their requirements.

ActZero co-founder and CEO, Sameer Bhalotra, acknowledged the achievement and future prospects brought about by the acquisition. "I'd like to thank and congratulate the entire ActZero team," he said. "By integrating with WatchGuard, the team's efforts in creating an AI-powered MDR solution with expert analysis will expand worldwide and provide unmatched protection against cyber threats. I look forward to seeing all this team will accomplish with WatchGuard while continuing the company's legacy of empowering MSPs with a powerful, unified MDR solution."

The combined company will focus on maintaining service quality for existing customers and partners while leveraging ActZero's security operations centres and processes to direct the delivery of WatchGuard's MDR services in the future.