Crowdsourced cybersecurity platform startup Bugcrowd Inc. today announced that it has acquired Informer, a U.K.-based provider of external attack surface management and penetration testing, for an undisclosed sum.

Coming after Bugcrowd raised $102 million in new funding in February, Informer is Bugcrowd’s first-ever acquisition. Bugcrowd plans to integrate Informer’s technologies into its existing portfolio.

Founded in 2014 as The Security Bureau Ltd., Informer offers an external ASM platform that is designed to help organizations discover, monitor and secure their digital assets. The platform provides automated security monitoring to asses risk related to known and unknown assets, allowing organizations to take proactive measures to mitigate protection threats.

Key features of the platform include automated external asset discovery tools that accurately identify and map all the assets that make up an organization’s internet-facing digital footprint. The platform continuously monitors and alerts users with any changes or issues with assets. In addition, the company’s penetration testing services utilize ethical hackers and automated vulnerability scans to provide real-time pentesting results.

With Bugcrowd planning on integrating Informer’s technology, the combination of the two platforms is said to enhance the value customers receive from Bugcrowd by bringing asset discovery and monitoring to multiple use cases. Informer’s pentesting capabilities and ASM platform will complement Bugcrowd’s existing penetration testing services and its existing Bugcrowd ASM Risk product powered by the hacker community.

“Informer’s ASM SaaS platform and penetration testing capabilities will further enhance Bugcrowd’s AI-powered crowdsourced security platform,” Tanya Gay, chief operating officer at Bugcrowd, commented on the deal. “Informer’s customers will continue to have access to Informer’s platform and products without service disruption.”

In a blog post, Bugcrowd Chief Executive Dave Gerry noted that the synergy between the two companies is clear. “Together, our combined platforms will enhance the value that customers receive from Bugcrowd by bringing best-of-breed asset discovery and monitoring to multiple use cases.,” Gerry noted.

Informer is being acquired after never having raised venture capital funding in its 10 years of existence.

Photo: Informer