https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2023 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Technology Advisor 101 (TA 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • 2023 Call for Speakers
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2023 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Technology Advisor 101 (TA 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • 2023 Call for Speakers
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

Security


Mergers & Acquisitions

BlackBerry Adds AI, Cybersecurity With Cylance Acquisition

  • Written by Edward Gately
  • November 16, 2018
Cylance will operate as a separate business unit within BlackBerry.

Endpoint security provider Cylance is being purchased by BlackBerry for $1.4 billion in cash plus the assumption of unvested employee incentive awards.

BlackBerry said the acquisition will make it the “first vendor to offer a single solution for intelligently protecting and managing fixed and mobile IoT endpoints.” It plans to immediately expand the capabilities across its “chip-to-edge” portfolio, including QNX, its operating system that is deployed in more than 120 million vehicles, robot dogs, medical devices and more.

After the anticipated close of the transaction early next year, Cylance will operate as a separate business unit within BlackBerry.

Keep up with the latest channel-impacting mergers and acquisitions in our M&A roundup.
BlackBerry's John Chen

BlackBerry’s John Chen

“Cylance’s leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity will immediately complement our entire portfolio, UEM and QNX in particular,” said John Chen, BlackBerry’s executive chairman and CEO. “We are very excited to onboard their team and leverage our newly combined expertise. We believe adding Cylance’s capabilities to our trusted advantages in privacy, secure mobility and embedded systems will make BlackBerry Spark indispensable to realizing the enterprise of things (EoT).”

Chris Gonsalves, The 2112 Group’s vice president of research, tells Channel Partners that while the timing of the acquisition was unexpected, the substance of it isn’t all that surprising.

The 2112 Group's Chris Gonsalves

The 2112 Group’s Chris Gonsalves

“BlackBerry, out of necessity, has had to make a pretty big pivot to something other than their legacy mobile device business, and a big part of that something is their Spark platform for embedded systems,” he said. “Say what you want about their now-museum quality phones, but they were always decent at security and they’ve made some significant promises about the Spark roadmap including advanced threat detection and remediation technologies. Cylance will give them the juice to make good on those promises.”

On the other hand, Gonsalves said a future as the baked-in AI and machine-learning underpinning of BlackBerry’s Spark “probably doesn’t sound so great to Cylance partners, who were doing just fine with Cylance’s highly regarded next-gen endpoint and server protection products, particularly since Cylance is so channel friendly.”

“But there’s a way all parties can win with this deal, at least in the short term,” he said. “Cylance running as a subsidiary of cash-rich BlackBerry can carry on with aggressive innovation of its solutions even as its tech gets integrated into Spark. That arrangement also gives BlackBerry entry into a whole new enterprise market, one that might be receptive to its mobile platform security messaging.”

For now, Cylance partners should see this as…

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
Tags: Agents IoT Mobility & Wireless Security

Most Recent


  • Man's silhouette behind a transparent cell graphic and the letters RMM
    Hackers Use Legitimate RMM Software to Steal from Federal Employees
    Attacks on RMMs have caused "insurmountable" losses for SMBs.
  • INtelisys AMP'd Newport Beach 2023
    Intelisys AMP'd Images: Partners Explore B2B Purchasing Trends, CX, Security Solutions
    Customers "literally don't know" how their own buying journey works, and that's an opportunity for partners.
  • Slow investment
    The Gately Report: Cybersecurity M&A, Investment Likely to Cool Somewhat in 2023
    Meantime, the FBI prevented more than $130 million in ransom payments to the Hive ransomware group.
  • Momentum
    Microsoft Security Now $20 Billion Business with 'Tremendous Momentum'
    One analyst says there's few legitimate obstacles in its path for further growth.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • edge computing
    'Challenging Results' for MSPs in Channel Futures' Exclusive Quarterly Survey
  • White House
    White House Urges Companies to Take Ransomware Attacks More Seriously
  • Security shield on digital background
    VMware Security Connect Focused on Redefining Security, Increasing Threats
  • Fortune 500 2021 logo
    AT&T, Microsoft, Verizon, More Tech, Telco Companies Make Latest Fortune 500

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

May 1, 2023 - May 4, 2023

Channel Partners Europe

June 13, 2023 - June 14, 2023

Channel Futures Leadership Summit

October 30, 2023 - November 2, 2023

Galleries

View all

7 Channel People Making Waves This Week at 8×8, Intel, Google Cloud, RingCentral, More

January 27, 2023

Intelisys AMP’d Images: Partners Explore B2B Purchasing Trends, CX, Security Solutions

January 27, 2023

Intel Earnings ‘A Crime Scene,’ ‘Astonishingly Bad,’ ‘Historic Collapse’

January 27, 2023

Industry Perspectives

View all

Make the Most of the Gift of Time in 2023

January 25, 2023

Strong Partnerships Ease Challenging UPS Upgrade

January 24, 2023

The Advantages of Managed Networking and Security During Economic Uncertainty

January 5, 2023

Webinars

View all

Next-Generation MSP Platform: The Building Blocks for Your Business

February 15, 2023

Security Secrets of the MSP 501: How to Be a Cyber Leader in 2023

December 15, 2022
  • 1

Cybersecurity Certifications: Their Evolving Role in the Fight Against Increasing Attacks

December 13, 2022

White Papers

View all

Overcoming Your Endpoint Security Limitations with a Skeleton Crew

October 25, 2022

Embracing the Zero Trust Mindset For Endpoints

October 24, 2022

Endpoints are the Destination

October 24, 2022

Channel Futures TV

View all

Coffee with Craig and James Episode 117: Cato Networks, Video Killed the Podcast Stars

Retired Astronaut Capt. Scott Kelly Previews His CP Expo Keynote

December 21, 2022

Fusion Connect Eyes Future with Intrado UC, Managed Network Customers

September 23, 2022

RingCentral Focused on Hybrid Work, Microsoft Teams, Other Integrations

September 23, 2022

Twitter

ChannelFutures

Cybersecurity advisory warns of hackers' malicious use of #RMM. @CISACyber dlvr.it/ShYRwg https://t.co/zsBvQWqOYY

January 27, 2023
ChannelFutures

Reaction to #Intel earnings coming in fast and furious. Find out what investors are saying, and how CEO Pat Gelsing… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 27, 2023
ChannelFutures

Our latest #GatelyReport looks at #cybersecurity M&A, investment with @progresspartner, @cyber_advisory, @FBI Hive… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 27, 2023
ChannelFutures

.@channelsmart says plan and boost client #retention efforts to reduce #churn. dlvr.it/ShXvhj https://t.co/4jyHPCjTBn

January 27, 2023
ChannelFutures

The CEO of @Mitel discusses the likely outcomes of buying @Atos Unify. Note: @RingCentral will play a role post acq… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

.@msftsecurity surpasses $20 billion in annual revenue, analysts say it's a formidable #cybersecurity market conten… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

The adoption of cloud-based services ☁️ has spiked in the last few years and is among the top growth segments. See… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

[email protected], @NICECXone, @lumencpp, @CiscoPartners joined @IntelisysCorp and partners for a day of marketing worksho… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023

MSP 501

The industry's largest and most comprehensive partner awards program.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X