Imperva acquires database security startup jSonar

Imperva has announced the acquisition of database security startup jSonar for an undisclosed amount. 

The deal was made public on Thursday. Imperva said the acquisition "will pioneer a bold new approach to securing data through all paths, including on-premises, cloud, multi-cloud and Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS)." 

Financial details were not disclosed. 

Founded in 2013, jSonar is a database security specialist based in Waltham, MA, and Vancouver, B.C. Led by co-founders Ron Bennatan and Ury Segal, the company offers an all-in-one platform for enterprise database security and compliance. 

As the enterprise moves away from traditional, in-house setups and adopts various modern data architectures and cloud environments, securing data has become a complex and often time-consuming prospect for IT professionals. 

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Imperva will combine the firm's Data Security offering -- software for database discovery, sensitive data classification, vulnerability detection, and security controls -- with the technologies developed by jSonar to simplify the whole process.

jSonar's analytics and Security Operations, Automation and Response (SOAR) platform will also be integrated into Imperva solutions. Overall, jSonar's portfolio is touted as a way to bolster data repository integration for both on-premise and cloud environments, all while reducing overall cost. 

The acquisition has also resulted in a shift on the management level, as Bennatan, currently acting as CTO of jSonar, will join Imperva as the new chief of Imperva's Data Security business. The Data Security unit will include both the jSonar and Imperva product lines. 

It appears that other organizations also saw the potential of the small database security startup. In June, jSonar secured a $50 million cash injection from Goldman Sachs during the firm's first round of funding.

Speaking to ZDNet at the time, Bennatan explained that the company's mission is a simple one: 

"We just make good database and data repository security. Really, really simple. That's what we do. We make security products for where data lives, but we do it in a very good way."

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The transaction, expected to close in mid-October, is subject to customary closing conditions, and regulatory approval.

"Enterprises have shifted focus from compliance to data security while demanding lower costs and more measurable benefits," says Pam Murphy, Imperva CEO. "This combination of two uniquely qualified trailblazers will signal a new approach to data security that puts an emphasis on usability and value with sustained and complete coverage for three initiatives organizations need to implement -- security, compliance, and privacy."

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