Facebook Acquires Internet Security Firm PrivateCore

Facebook buys internet security company PrivateCore to protect its users from security threats and major malware.

The firm PrivateCore focuses on securing remote servers from any malware. PrivateCore is a venture-backed startup founded in 2012 by security veterans from VMware and Google and is based in Palo Alto, California.

Facebook’s chief security officer, Joe Sullivan, said in the Facebook post, “I believe that PrivateCore’s technology and expertise will help support Facebook’s mission to help make the world more open and connected, in a secure and trusted way. Over time, we plan to deploy PrivateCore’s technology directly into the Facebook server stack. I can’t wait to have them join Facebook.”

PrivateCore uses the vCage technology that protects the servers with software-based attestation, operating system hardening, full-memory encryption thereby providing a foundation for trusted computing on x86 servers.

CEO of PrivateCore, Horovitz has posted about the acquisition on the company website:

“We have some big news: PrivateCore will be joining Facebook. What makes this development so exciting for us is that Facebook and PrivateCore have an aligned mission. Facebook has done more than any company to connect the world, and we want to use our secure server technology to help make the world’s connections more secure.

Since the beginning, we have worked tirelessly on our technology to protect servers from malware threats, unauthorized physical access, and malicious hardware devices. Working together with Facebook, there is a huge opportunity to pursue our joint vision at scale with incredible impact. Over time, Facebook plans to deploy our technology into the Facebook stack to help protect the people who use Facebook. We know we will learn and grow as we continue developing our technology and making it stronger.

The PrivateCore team wouldn’t be where we are without our investors who believed in us, and we want to thank everyone who has been a part of this journey with us. The work is just beginning and we can’t wait to get started.”

Facebook has not yet disclosed the financial deal of this acquisition. Co-founders of the PrivateCore Oded Horovitz and Steve Weis will work at Facebook’s Menlo Park, Calif., headquarters along with other members of the PrivateCore team.