Red Hat to Acquire StackRox - Container Security News

Red Hat has announced the acquisition of StackRox, a company specializing in container security. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Red Hat, widely recognized for its enterprise Linux solutions, has been increasingly focused on cloud technologies in recent years. Following its acquisition by IBM in 2018 for $34 billion, Red Hat has been a key component of IBM’s strategy to deliver hybrid cloud solutions under the leadership of CEO Arvind Krishna.

This acquisition complements Red Hat OpenShift, the company’s container platform. However, Red Hat confirmed it will maintain support for StackRox across various platforms, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, aligning with IBM’s commitment to multicloud and hybrid environments.

Paul Cormier, President and CEO of Red Hat, believes the two organizations will integrate effectively. He stated, “Red Hat is integrating StackRox’s security features, designed specifically for Kubernetes, into OpenShift’s comprehensive security framework, reinforcing our dedication to delivering innovative, production-ready open source solutions to organizations operating in any hybrid cloud setting.”

Kamal Shah, CEO of StackRox, explained in a blog post that the company’s decision to concentrate on Kubernetes several years ago has proven successful. “More than two and a half years ago, we strategically chose to dedicate our efforts entirely to Kubernetes and redesigned our product to be fully Kubernetes-native. While this now appears to be the logical course of action, it was not the prevailing view at the time. As of 2020, Kubernetes has become the standard operating system for cloud-native applications and hybrid cloud deployments,” Shah noted.

Shah views the acquisition as an opportunity to accelerate the company’s growth and product development with the backing of Red Hat and IBM, a common sentiment expressed by leaders of companies being acquired. A key challenge will be maintaining its focus and relevance within a larger organization.

The acquisition of StackRox reflects a trend of consolidation within the Kubernetes ecosystem, particularly in the security sector. This includes Palo Alto Networks’ purchase of TwistLock in 2019 for $410 million. Aqua Security, another competitor in the space, having secured $130 million in funding, continues to operate independently.

Founded in 2014, StackRox had raised more than $65 million in funding, as per Crunchbase data. Investors included Menlo Ventures, Redpoint, and Sequoia Capital. The transaction is anticipated to be finalized this quarter, pending standard regulatory approvals.