Google to purchase Mandiant Inc for $5.4 billion

Google agreed to buy cybersecurity firm Mandiant Inc for $5.4 billion, adding internet security products that would strengthen the technology giant’s cloud-computing business as it takes on larger competitors Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Corporation.

Google's second-biggest ever purchase signals that the Alphabet Inc firm has stepped off the sidelines of large dealmaking despite intense regulatory scrutiny. As it aims to develop its third-place cloud-infrastructure unit, which sells computing power and storage through the internet, acquiring Mandiant will provide Google with a fuller range of software tools to protect clients by replying quickly to online threats.

Developing the cloud business is one way Google is working to diversify from digital advertising, which includes the bulk of its revenue and profit. Under Thomas Kurian, who took over as the cloud division’s chief executive officer in 2019, Google has aggressively pursued new business, working to make the service more reliable and updating its partnerships to engineer bespoke projects for more clients.

Mandiant will support Google selling a more holistic set of security programs that strive to control cyber intrusions and support cloud-computing customers to detect and fight any attacks that do get through.

Google will pay $23 a share for Mandiant in the all-cash deal, the Mountain View, California-based firm told the media on Tuesday.

Mandiant will be formed under Google’s cloud business at the close of the purchase, anticipated later this year, Phil Venables, Google Cloud’s chief information security officer told the media.

Microsoft was additionally interested in Mandiant but pulled out of discussions more than a week ago.

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