
SecurityFocus
Online computer security news portal and purveyor of information security services.
Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
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investor | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Acquisition | ||
Total Funding | 000k |

SecurityFocus emerged in 1999 as a pivotal online entity in the cybersecurity landscape, founded by Oliver Friedrichs, Alfred Huger, and Arthur Wong. The firm established itself as a provider of enterprise security threat management systems, offering services that included early warnings for cyber attacks, tailored threat alerts, and preventative countermeasures. Its business model centered on facilitating discussion around computer security, raising awareness, and maintaining a comprehensive, public database of security knowledge. A core component of its operations was the hosting and moderation of the influential Bugtraq mailing list, a critical forum for the disclosure and discussion of new software vulnerabilities.
The company's primary product was its extensive and continuously updated database of security vulnerabilities, which it licensed to security product vendors and managed service providers. This database, coupled with its news portal and community forums, positioned SecurityFocus as a central hub for security professionals, researchers, and vendors. The company's DeepSight line of global threat management solutions provided enterprise clients with actionable intelligence to proactively protect their networks. Before its acquisition, the privately-held company, headquartered in San Mateo, California, had successfully raised $9.2 million in capital from investors including ArrowPath Venture Capital and Mobius Venture Capital.
A significant milestone in the company's history was its acquisition by Symantec in August 2002 for approximately $75 million in cash. The strategic acquisition was aimed at integrating SecurityFocus's threat management systems and vulnerability database with Symantec's existing anti-virus and intrusion detection solutions. Following the acquisition, Symantec continued to operate the SecurityFocus brand, including the Bugtraq mailing list and the vulnerability database. However, in March 2010, the news portal content began a transition to Symantec's own platforms. The SecurityFocus assets were later included in Symantec's sale of its Cybersecurity Services business to Accenture in 2020. Ultimately, the Bugtraq mailing list was officially shut down in early 2021, marking the end of an era for the pioneering security community. Keywords: SecurityFocus, Bugtraq, vulnerability database, threat management, cybersecurity, information security, Symantec, threat intelligence, vulnerability disclosure, DeepSight, Oliver Friedrichs, Arthur Wong, Alfred Huger, cyber attacks, security alerts, exploit information, security mailing list, enterprise security, network security, IT security