Business risk intelligence startup Flashpoint has acquired open-source intelligence startup Echosec Systems Ltd. for an undisclosed price.

Founded in 2013, Echosec provides security and intelligence teams enhanced access to a wide range of open-source intelligence data in real time. The company’s platform and application programming interface delivers timely, relevant data from sources such as social media, the deep web and the dark web. The data can be used for geopolitical risk assessments, counterterrorism, brand protection, disinformation monitoring and crisis response.

Echosec provides intelligence practitioners OSINT that can be used to support cyber and physical security missions. The company pitches itself as empowering its users to bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds through OSINT and publicly available information to protect people, assets and infrastructure.

The company’s service is built around three core pillars. Speed-to-insight is focused on when national security and human safety are at stake, every second counts. A focus on ease of use allows intelligence teams with diverse skills and experience levels to be effective from day one. The third pillar is breadth of data, including providing a single point of access to the widest range of OSINT data available.

Notable Echosec customers include Hill & Associates Ltd., Innocent Lives Foundation, STS Government, Maletego Technologies GmbH and The Maritime Observatory.

For Flashpoint, the acquisition will expand its OSINT capabilities to drive on-the-ground situational awareness, executive protection, geopolitical risk assessments, counterterrorism, misinformation and disinformation identification and response and crisis response.

“Intelligence practitioners require a converged, user-focused solution that includes insights derived from both open and closed intelligence sources,” Flashpoint President Donald Saelinger said in a statement. “Integrating Echosec’s worldwide social media collections, intuitive interface and industry expertise into Flashpoint will deliver unparalleled value to our customers, to help them best identify and mitigate all types of risk.”

Coming into the acquisition, Echosec had raised $11.5 million in venture capital, according to Crunchbase. Investors include Espresso Capital, 3Lines, Wesley Clover, TIMIA Capital and Alacrity Canada.

The deal is Flashpoint’s second acquisition this year after acquiring vulnerability and data breach intelligence company Risk Based Security Inc. for an undisclosed sum in January.

Photo: Echosec