Google has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Israeli cybersecurity startup Wiz for $32 billion in an all-cash transaction. The deal, if completed, would be Google’s largest acquisition yet, surpassing its previous purchase of Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion.
Wiz will join Google Cloud to provide customers with a comprehensive security platform that protects modern IT environments. The new-generation unified security platform will combine Wiz’s Cloud Security Platform with Google Security Operations. This move aims to accelerate the growth of cloud security and multicloud cybersecurity.
The acquisition also incorporates technology from Mandiant, a cybersecurity consultant acquired by Google for $5.4 billion in 2022. Wiz’s products will be available across all major clouds, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Oracle Cloud platforms.
This deal marks a significant investment by Google Cloud in the AI era’s two large trends: improved cloud security and the ability to use multiple clouds (multicloud). Analysts predict that Google Cloud could build Wiz into a $1 billion+ cybersecurity arm over the coming years.
The acquisition has raised eyebrows, with Wedbush analyst Dan Ives noting it could “open the door to a massive wave of M&A across the tech landscape.” Ives believes that Google’s aggressive move in the cloud security space will give it an edge on various cloud deployments and further monetize its cybersecurity offerings.
Source: https://qz.com/google-acquiring-wiz-israeli-cybersecurity-32-billion-1851770712