Security firm VirusTotal snapped up by Google
updated 08:16 pm EDT, Fri September 7, 2012
Terms of deal not disclosed, existing partnerships untouched
Startup cybersecurity firm VirusTotal has been acquired by Google, in a move likely to assist in protecting its Internet services from attack. The security aggregator's software runs every available protection software suite on a questioned document, then distributes the results, allowing for a broad cross-section of industry analysts to examine the findings in as rapid a manner as possible.
A blog post on the startup's webpage said the acquisition by "long-time partner" Google is beneficial for users as the acquisition would improve the "quality and power" of the malware research tools, faster than pre-aquisition. Analysts predict that the service will be put to use nearly immediately in the Gmail service, with follow-on utility to help clean up the Google Play store.
VirusTotal's partnerships remain untouched, as the company is expected to keep operating independently. Google did not announce how much the acquisition cost, or any terms of the deal.
