West cyber security firm buys US tech company

ACOMPANY in Bristol that was founded by an ex-GCHQ trainer has acquired a US tech firm to bolster its cyber security training offering to businesses.

Immersive Labs said it had reached a deal to buy Pennsylvania-based Snap Labs for an undisclosed sum, and will integrate its technology into its own platform, which can identify gaps in a workforce’s cyber skills.

The fast-growing firm, based at Runway East in Redcliffe, said the software will allow it to simulate situations such as cyber security breaches with “a new level of realism.”

Immersive Labs, which counts Airbnb, Deutsche Bank and the Met Police as customers, said the new system will allow customers to run labs and cyber crisis exercises in a cloud-based replica of their own organisation.

According to the firm, it will enable companies’ technical teams to build multiplayer simulations, customised for specific environments and roles.

Immersive Labs’ founder and chief executive James Hadley, pictured, who worked for the government for nine years, said: “From day one we have believed in the power of immersive experiences.

“Whether you are a CEO wrestling with the wicked problems of a cyber crisis exercise or a malware analyst decompiling the latest APT (advanced persistent threat), nothing is better for building and evidencing cyber knowledge, skills and judgement.

“The acquisition of Snap Labs doubles down on this, allowing customers to build better cyber workforces with richly detailed realistic experiences pinpointed to the risk they face. We welcome the team to Immersive Labs and look forward to building on our joint vision together.”

Snap Labs was founded in 2016 by Chris Myers and Barrett Adams and counts IT services giant Accenture, US cyber security firms Mandiant and Crowdstrike among it clients.

Mr Myers said: “Snap Labs has always strived to provide the most realistic environments and training experiences for cybersecurity teams. Immersive Labs’ vision to build cyber knowledge, skills, and judgement across the entire workforce is remarkably aligned with our own, and we’re extremely excited to bring our technology into their platform.

“The two platforms are a natural fit, and by combining them we hope to help our customers build even more resilience against cyber threats.”

Immersive Labs recently announced the appointment of Evelyn Swaim as the company’s first chief marketing officer, as part of a wider global growth objective.

It follows a $123m investment in the firm from Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Insight Partners, Menlo Ventures, Citi Ventures and Summit Partners.