Friday, 11 January 2008

Datacraft Acquires Security-Assessment.com

Singapore based IT solutions and services company, Datacraft has reached a final agreement to acquire the business of Security-Assessment.com, a high-end IT security consulting firm based in New Zealand, for NZD 5 million.

Datacraft sees this acquisition as pivotal in its drive to provide best-in-class protection to its clients’ networks and IT environments across the Asia Pacific region.

“The acquisition presents new opportunities and a wider geographic reach for Security-Assessment.com and will enable our team to further develop professionally,” said Peter Benson, CEO of Security-Assessment.com.

Security-Assessment.com’s core capabilities are audits, assurance, assessment, and advice. These complement Datacraft’s existing off-the-shelf technologies with custom work to provide world class penetration testing, vulnerability management and risk assessment. The team also advises company directors and C Level Management on improving the IT environments thus assuring that their clients adhere to reasonable, appropriate security practices.

The company’s research and development capabilities were recently featured in the media, illustrating their use of a PlayStation 3 gaming console and how they turned it into a cryptographic processor that outperforms conventional devices used for the same purpose.

Datacraft’s General Manager of Security Solutions, Matthew Gyde, sees Security-Assessment as a complementary service adding to Datacraft’s current security practice. This addition is said to enhance the team’s ability to provide the highest level of security advisory and assessment services to clients regionally and globally.

Robin Hartendorp, Datacraft New Zealand’s Managing Director, added: “Security-Assessment.com is a highly respected and renowned leader in security consulting and research. The company’s identity, professional independence and integrity will be protected so they can continue to fulfill their role as trusted advisors to their clients. As part of Datacraft, however, the company will be fully integrated into our finance and administrative systems so that they do not have to worry about running their own back-office.”

Datacraft’s majority shareholder, Dimension Data, has already established teams in the security space in Belgium and Australia.

The financial impact of the acquisition of Security-Assessment.com on Datacraft’s financial year is not expected to be material.