Capsule8, a pioneer and market leader in runtime visibility, detection, and response for Linux production servers and containers encompassing on-premise and cloud workloads, is acquired by Sophos, a global leader in next-generation cybersecurity.
“Sophos already protects more than two million servers for over 85,000 customers worldwide, and the Sophos server security business is growing at more than 20% per year. Comprehensive server protection is a crucial component of any effective cybersecurity strategy that organizations of all sizes are increasingly focused on, especially as more workloads move to the cloud. With Capsule8, Sophos is delivering advanced, differentiated solutions to protect server environments, and expanding its position as a leading global cybersecurity provider,” said Dan Schiappa, chief product officer, Sophos.
Capsule8 is completely focused on the development of Linux security, and it has positioned itself as a market technology and thinking leader. Linux has surpassed Windows as the most popular operating system for server workloads, thanks to the rapid rise of cloud platforms. The high-performance, low-impact design of Capsule8 is suitable for Linux servers, particularly those that are utilised for high-scale workloads, production infrastructure, and storing vital corporate data.
“The main idea behind Capsule8 is that providing enterprise-grade security for Linux systems requires deploying components that are designed specifically for that environment. These components are more adept at making the trade-offs between security and performance when needed, to achieve the desired levels of resilience and protection. As organizations move to embrace concepts such as cloud-based delivery and DevOps, the underlying compute environments shift noticeably toward Linux as a frequent execution environment. For security teams, often more familiar with Windows-centric concepts, this represents a potential challenge – there are different demands, concepts and practices for Linux. This is the space that Capsule8 aims to address with its endpoint security offering, combining an architecture optimized for Linux with more features aimed at enterprise security and IT operations teams,” said Fernando Montenegro, principal research analyst with 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence, in reference to Capsule8’s solutions.
Sophos has integrated Capsule8 technology into its Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem (ACE), which provides robust and lightweight Linux server and cloud container protection within an open platform. Sophos’ Extended Detection and Response (XDR) solutions, Intercept X server protection products, and Sophos Managed Threat Response (MTR) and Rapid Response services will all use Capsule8 technology. Sophos’ data lake will be expanded and enhanced, delivering continuous, fresh intelligence for advanced threat hunting, security operations, and client protection procedures.
“Capsule8 is the premiere purpose-built detection and response platform for Linux. We provide security teams with the crucial visibility they need to protect Linux production infrastructure against unwanted behavior, while at the same time addressing cost, performance and reliability concerns,” said John Viega, CEO, Capsule8. “We’ve innovated new approaches to deliver runtime security in a much safer and more cost-effective way than anyone else in the industry. With Capsule8’s technology, organizations are no longer forced to choose between system stability and security risk. Given the growth and mission-critical nature of Linux environments, and the fast-changing, targeted threat landscape, organizations must be confident that their Linux environments are both performant and secure.”
“Attackers today are incredibly aggressive and nimble as they adapt their TTPs to focus on the easiest, largest or fastest-growing opportunities. As more organizations shift to Linux servers, adversaries have noticed, and they are adapting and customizing their approaches to attack these systems. To stay protected, organizations must factor in a strong, but lightweight layer of Linux security that automatically integrates and shares intelligence with endpoint, network and other security layers and platforms within an estate. We will provide this industry-leading capability and strategically important visibility and detection by combining Capsule8 with our Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem products and services, greatly enhancing the ability to find and eliminate suspicious activity before it becomes malicious,” said Schiappa.
