Wiz’s decision to reject Google’s acquisition offer could have significant consequences for the tech industry, particularly for Microsoft.
The prominent search engine intended to purchase the Israeli cybersecurity firm Wiz for $23 billion, but Wiz CEO Assaf Rappaport announced on Tuesday that they would decline the offer. Rappaport described the choice as “tough,” stating the company’s aim of reaching $1 billion in revenue annually and preparing for an initial public offering played a crucial role in their decision.
This acquisition was anticipated to strengthen Google’s cybersecurity division, especially following a major incident involving CrowdStrike that severely impacted the industry last week. Analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush indicated that concerns from investors and ongoing antitrust challenges led to the deal’s collapse. Google has been under extensive scrutiny from antitrust regulators and recently concluded a trial related to one of two significant cases brought by the Department of Justice.
Ives noted that the failure of this deal could result in far-reaching effects across the sector. Despite this setback, he predicted that Google will continue to focus on expanding its cybersecurity capabilities, a trend that is expected to include Microsoft as well.
Ives expressed the belief that consolidation within the cybersecurity field is overdue and suggested that Microsoft may seek to enhance its cybersecurity offerings in the next 12 to 18 months.
Microsoft faced significant criticism following a global IT outage caused by an issue with CrowdStrike’s cybersecurity software last week. Users worldwide reported experiencing critical system failures, disrupting business operations, flights, and government functions.
While Ives maintains that CrowdStrike remains the “gold standard” in cybersecurity, the recent outage may indicate that Microsoft needs to strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure, and the breakdown of the Google-Wiz deal could create further opportunities for them to do so.