McAfee to Buy Trust Digital for Mobile Security

McAfee May 25 announced plans to acquire mobile security provider Trust Digital to bolster its ability to address the iPhone OS, Google Android and other mobile operating systems.

"The acquisition is expected to close by June 30," McAfee said. Trust Digital "provides a Web services platform to manage and secure smartphones and mobile tablet devices." By purchasing Trust Digital, McAfee is combining "Trust Digital's enterprise mobility management solution with McAfee's endpoint protection capabilities" and expanding its footprint in mobile security at a time when the need to manage security for mobile devices continues to grow.

"The acquisition of Trust Digital's industry-leading enterprise mobility management solutions will extend the current McAfee security portfolio beyond the traditional endpoint, addressing the rapidly expanding mobile security market," McAfee CEO Dave DeWalt said in a statement.

"Once completed … [the acquisition] will enable McAfee to address the mobile workforce by mitigating the risks associated with vulnerable or malicious mobile applications downloaded by employees," DeWalt continued. "Through this acquisition, we believe McAfee can expand its reach into new markets, secure new platforms and strengthen its leadership position."

When the deal is complete, McAfee plans to offer "centralized management and reporting of the integrated technologies through the McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator console," the company said.

"Business users are thrilled by the capabilities of iPhones, smartphones and tablets and are quickly adopting them as their handheld computers, but their IT counterparts must now find tools to effectively secure and manage them," Mark Shull, CEO of Trust Digital, said in a statement. "The integration of Trust Digital with McAfee will enable enterprises to rapidly deploy new mobility devices such as smartphones across diverse mobile environments cost effectively and with the highest level of security."