IBM Acquires App Security Upstart Ounce Labs

IBM yesterday acquired Ounce Labs, an up-and-coming maker of tools for security testing of application source code.

IBM plans to integrate Ounce Labs, a leading provider of enterprise source code security testing, into its Rational software business. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Ounce Labs' products scan software source code and identify potential security and compliance vulnerabilities during the earliest stages of software development, when they are less expensive to correct, the companies said. Ounce Labs software can also help organizations rapidly assess and remediate vulnerabilities in legacy applications.

Many software application vulnerabilities can be prevented or avoided by taking a preemptive approach, IBM said. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 80 percent of development costs are spent identifying and fixing defects. "The acquisition of Ounce Labs allows IBM to provide customers an end-to-end application security testing solution for managing security and compliance across all stages of the software delivery process," said Dr. Daniel Sabbah, general manager, IBM Rational Software.

Ounce Labs technology will be offered as part of the IBM Rational AppScan family of Web application security and compliance testing solutions. The combined offering will provide a comprehensive solution for organizations concerned about correcting security vulnerabilities in applications before they go live, the companies said.

"By combining our leading source code analysis technology with IBM's leading Web application security software, we are able to offer customers a whole new level of security analysis and support," said Gary Jackson, CEO of Ounce Labs. IBM also yesterday announced an agreement to acquire SPSS, a provider of predictive analytics software and services that help clients forecast trends and anticipate change to drive smarter business outcomes.

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