OPSWAT, the international cybersecurity company based in Tampa, has announced its newest collaborator: BlackBerry.
BlackBerry completed an acquisition of Cylance, a privately owned artificial intelligence company, in 2019 as a means to continue growing its portfolio, according to a release. The acquisition set up BlackBerry for the collaboration, as OPSWAT sought additional products to add to its more than 70-member ecosystem of security operations. The BlackBerry technology will be integrated into OPSWAT’s platform.
“Our work with OPSWAT will provide organizations with next-generation cyber threat protection capabilities and enhance their ability to proactively defend against advanced attacks and stay ahead of emerging threats,” Nathan Jenniges, BlackBerry’s senior vice president and general manager of BlackBerry’s Cylance and unified endpoint management portfolios, said in a release.
The AI-based technology from BlackBerry and Cylance is better at predicting attacks and threats than some other technologies, said George Prichici, the vice president of products for OPSWAT. It’s an important addition to OPSWAT’s ecosystem and in expanding its abilities, Prichici told the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
“It’s always important to add more engines or more detached capabilities to our platform for us to be able to have a full coverage, full spectrum,” Prichici said.
OPSWAT seeks products like BlackBerry’s Cylance AI because it has information from crowdsourced intelligence. Each cybersecurity technology has a unique way of detecting and reacting to new threats, and OPSWAT wants to ensure customers can benefit from added security.
“That’s why they’re looking for us to offer a comprehensive end-to-end solution for detection, not just to rely on one or two vendors,” Prichici said.
Blackberry, based in Canada, is no longer in the phone business. The little black devices that made the company successful are no longer available or running. Since the iPhone revolution and the decline of BlackBerry demand, the company has pivoted to internationally providing software and services for a variety of technical needs, like cybersecurity or software for vehicles, according to its website.
