Facebook may be working on a shortcut to better security… and restoring public trust.
Just weeks ago Facebook revealed a massive security flaw on its website. That flaw allowed hackers to compromise tens of millions of accounts. Ever since the hack went down Facebook has been scrambling to shore up its defenses.
A man walks past a Facebook sign in an office on the Facebook campus in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Now it looks as though the company has come up with a solution. According to a report from The Information, Facebook is currently talking to several major cybersecurity firms about an acquisition.
By the sound of things, Facebook is hoping that talks progress quickly. Sources familiar with company plans say that Facebook wants to close the deal by the end of this year. That leaves just 70 days to get a deal finalized.
Facebook reportedly wants to get its hands on security tools that will easily integrate with its current services. Those tools could potentially be used to better secure users‘ accounts or automatically detect, report, and even mitigate hacking attempts.
An acquisition like this would certainly make sense for Facebook, and not just for the most obvious reason of boosting security.
Hackers are getting more skilled all the time. The job of protecting its users and their data is only going to get more difficult in the future. Acquiring a cybersecurity company and weaving its defenses directly into Facebook’s digital fabric certainly seems like a good response.
Beyond that, however, there’s public opinion to consider. Making a splashy cybersecurity acquisition would show Facebook users, investors, and government regulators that the company is serious about learning from its missteps… and making sure they aren’t repeated.
You only need to look to last week to see evidence of Facebook’s campaign to win back trust. The timing of the walkthrough of its election interference war room was no accident. Facebook needed the world to see the steps it’s taking to right the ship.
A splashy acquisition of a reputable cybersecurity firm could be another a huge stride toward silencing critics.
Lee started writing about software, hardware, and geek culture around the time that the Red Wings last won the Stanley Cup. The two aren’t related in any way, however. When he’s not catching up on tech news or blogging about it, you can find him watching or playing baseball…
