Tenable Network Security buys S.F. firm in 1st acquisition

Tenable Network Security Inc. has acquired FlawCheck, a small San Francisco firm, in a deal that will expand Tenable’s security software offerings.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but the acquisition is a first for Tenable, the Columbia-based technology security company that raised $250 million in venture capital last year.

“We have a road map. We know where we want to go in the next five years, as far as product,” said Renaud Deraison, Tenable’s chief technology officer and co-founder.

Tenable specializes in software that continuously monitors large data networks for vulnerabilities and threats. The company counts among its clients such brands as MasterCard, BMW, Adidas and Microsoft.

But the way companies approach in- formation technology is changing — they are increasingly combining development and operations teams, and using new technologies like the cloud and what are known as Docker containers to store and protect information.

By acquiring FlawCheck, Tenable gains security technology designed for this new wave of software development practices.

FlawCheck provides continuous scanning for Docker containers, a newer way to protect code by isolating it within a computer, so it can’t be used for anything but its intended purpose. While containers are increasingly popular, companies using them don’t necessarily have proper security in place to protect the information they hold.

Anthony Bettini and Sasan Padidar, FlawCheck’s founders and sole employees, will join Tenable.