Trend Micro buys IP filtering company

Security firms continue buying splurge

Antivirus and web content security software vendor Trend Micro will add new security defences to its products through the acquisition of Kelkea, an IP filtering and reputation services vendor.

Trend Micro says the acquisition will allow it to improve its product line, which provides network-level protection against threats such as phishing, pharming, botnet attacks and spam.

Kelkea provides IP filtering services that help identify the sources of threats, such as spam email, and prevent them from reaching users by blocking incoming communications of known offensive IP addresses. Kelkea also provides reputation services, which monitor and rate IP addresses to help identify spammers, phishing scams and other attacks.

"This acquisition will significantly enhance Trend Micro's ability to develop innovative solutions against threats that we know are still evolving," Eva Chen, CEO and co-founder of Trend Micro, said in a statement. "We believe the integration and continued development of Kelkea and Trend Micro technology and capabilities will place us at the forefront of the fight against unpredictable malicious threats."

The acquisition is being made by Tokyo-based Trend Micro's US subsidiary, according to the company. The value of the deal wasn't disclosed.

Dave Rand, the chairman, founder and CEO of Kelkea, has been named chief technologist of internet content security at Trend Micro as part of the acquisition.

Trend Micro will initially offer Kelkea's existing services under its own brand name.