Akamai acquires Inverse to boost IoT security portfolio

Akamai today announced the acquisition of an open-source consulting and integration company, Inverse. The financial details of transactions were not disclosed.

Inverse offers a robust data repository and world-class algorithms capable of identifying an expansive universe of IoT, mobile, and other types of devices. 

President and Chief Executive Officer, Inverse, Ludovic Marcotte, said, "Any number of internet-connected devices can be a jumping-off point for malware to discover and exfiltrate sensitive corporate data. The Fingerbank data lake provides visibility into the device landscape - what the devices are communicating with and their typical behavior. With an anticipated 41.6 billion internet-connected devices by 2025, according to IDC, this data is essential so that enterprises can apply the correct security controls."

Executive Vice President, Platform and General Manager, Enterprise Division, Akamai Technologies, Dr. Robert Blumofe, said, "Enterprises already have thousands of 'things' connecting to their networks, and that number is only expected to grow, making securing the enterprise ever more difficult. Gaining context and visibility into the device landscape, with what the devices are communicating and their typical behavior is critical. By combining the Inverse device fingerprint data repository with Akamai's own security data from the 1.3 billion device interactions that take place daily across the Akamai Intelligent Edge security platform, we believe we can create an industry leading solution to apply zero trust controls and enhanced security to the full landscape of devices and workforce."

The device types supported by Inverse are HVAC, lighting systems, medical equipment, robotics, printers, and others. Inverse also offers a deep understanding of the device's expected network behaviors, notes the announcement.

The Inverse acquisition complements Akamai's enterprise security capabilities. It will expand Akamai's portfolio of zero trust and secure access service edge solutions for IoT.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021.