SurfControl acquires security host BlackSpider

Customers may benefit from more comprehensive web security offerings and managed services

Web and email filtering specialist SurfControl has acquired on-demand security services firm BlackSpider Technologies, and said customers of both firms will be offered a greater variety of web security tools as a result.

SurfControl said the deal would help it meet the growing demand for managed services and extend protection to cover web, email and desktop-based threats in the network and beyond.

SurfControl's senior vice president for Europe, Harnish Patel, said that the acquisition would benefit many customers who do not want to manage their own web and email security in-house.

"Our chief executive Patricia Sueltz said we have to play in all three markets as a company: software, appliances and managed services," Patel added. "This is an execution on that comment she made…because there is great demand out there from people who don't want to install complex software and want someone else to worry about it."