Sophos to acquire Secureworks for $859 million in cash

The cybersecurity firms plan on integrating security solutions once the deal closes in early 2025.

The cybersecurity firm Sophos agreed to acquire Secureworks in an all-cash transaction valued at $859 million, the two companies announced Monday.

Sophos, a privately owned United Kingdom-based cybersecurity firm, said it intends to integrate security solutions for all small, mid-sized and enterprise customers focusing on automated prevention, detection, and response using artificial intelligence. 

“Secureworks’ renowned expertise in cybersecurity perfectly aligns with our mission to protect businesses from cybercrime by delivering powerful and intuitive products and services,” Sophos CEO Joe Levy said in a statement. “This acquisition represents a significant step forward in our commitment to building a safer digital future for all.”

Secureworks is an Atlanta-based cybersecurity firm that was founded in 1999 and acquired by Dell in 2011. With the Sophos deal, shareholders for Secureworks and Dell will receive $8.50 per share in cash, according to the announcement. The transaction is expected to close in early 2025 and the two organizations will continue to operate as “independent companies and it is business as usual,” Secureworks CEO Wendy Thomas said in a statement.

Thomas said she expects Sophos’ end-to-end security products and experience as a managed security service provider will complement Secureworks’ extended detection-and-response expertise.

“Sophos’ portfolio of leading endpoint, cloud, and network security solutions — in combination with our XDR-powered managed detection and response — is exactly what organizations are looking for to strengthen their security posture and collectively turn the tide against the adversary,” Thomas said.

Sophos was founded in 1985 and purchased by the private equity firm Thoma Bravo in March 2020 for $3.9 billion. Thoma Bravo made a slew of cybersecurity purchases in the past few years, including acquiring Proofpoint for $12.3 billion in 2021 and Darktrace for $5.3 billion in April 2024.

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