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Wheelings & Dealings: Total Defense Merges with Untangle, Creates New Cloud Security Brand

By Casey Houser
Contributing Writer

Internet security company Total Defense announced recently that it has engaged in an agreement with network software business Untangle. As a result of the agreement, the groups have formed a new cloud security solutions brand called iSheriff (formerly Total Defense's Commercial Solutions Division) which will develop security solutions for managed service providers and small to medium size enterprises.

Total Defense says the companies created the new brand following influx of capital, and it expects that iSheriff will provide additional focus for each company while also providing them with additional investments. Paul Lipman, CEO of iSheriff, provided in the announcement his view of what the brand will bring to consumers and business partners.

“This transaction is a win-win for both our consumer and corporate partners and customers,” Lipman said. “Consumer partners and customers will benefit from access to a broader range of products, and from the resources that Untangle will invest in the research and development. Corporate customers and partners will benefit from the increased investment levels that iSheriff will be putting behind product and channel development.”

iSheriff will specifically target small and midsize enterprises by addressing their unique needs for end-to-end security solutions. It will offer security as a service (SECaaS) that operates in the cloud and is easy for smaller firms to handle. The host company says it will offer businesses “single-pane of glass visibility and control,” essentially handing over the keys to the castle for any enterprise that uses the security service.

The brand also has the potential to extend into the home security market. As consumers' homes become more technologically advanced, security measures must increase. Beyond video cameras and motion sensors, devices that are part of the Internet of Things and are wired into the Web will need their own forms of protection. Total Defense General Manager Larry Guerin said that cloud security service providers such as iSheriff can enter that arena.

“Both gateway and endpoint software solutions will be required to address the security needs of this new environment,” he said. “Combined, the companies will be able to leverage each others’ technologies to develop innovative solutions that protect these new smart homes, bringing enterprise-grade solutions to the modern digital family.”