Fortinet buys assets of security vendor IPLocks

Fortinet has acquired the software sold by IPLocks, a San Jose, California, vendor of database security software.

The acquisition will give Fortinet, best known as a seller of UTM (unified threat management) products, a new line of database security and auditing tools. These products will continue to be sold under the IPLocks brand.

Although Fortinet had provided network-based database protection, "this gives us a much more granular focus on application database security," said Anthony James, vice president of products with Fortinet. "It dovetails into our strategy of moving the company toward enterprise application security."

The deal was signed last week but announced on Tuesday. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Founded in 2002, IPLocks sells software that can be used to test databases for software bugs and also help meet the auditing requirements laid out by regulations such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security and Sarbanes-Oxley standards. The company's customers include ING Group, BMC Software and XM Satellite Radio Holdings.

Fortinet did not acquire the IPLocks company. It purchased the company's intellectual property and made job offers to the company's US staff of 28, most of whom have accepted positions with Fortinet, James said. Fortinet still hopes to bring company founder and CEO Akio Sakamoto on board, he said.

The company's Japanese division, IPLocks Japan, was not included in the deal, and it will continue to operate independent of Fortinet, he said.