CISOs, take note: Accenture aims to boost the contents of its cyber toolbox with Symantec’s Cyber Security Services business

Unless you have been living in a cave, it will have become clear that Accenture has been leading CISOs on a feeding frenzy through its multiple security acquisitions. Accenture’s continued bolstering of its cyber security services most recently came in its announcement of its intention to acquire Symantec’s Cyber Security Services business. CISOs can once again reconsider reaping the benefits of Accenture’s widening arsenal to optimize their security.

HFS has previously highlighted Accenture’s rampant security-themed acquisitions, including De Ja Vu (USA, July 2019) and BCT Solutions (Australia, June 2019). These acquisitions boosted Accenture’s global security footprint and technical expertise. In the 2019 fiscal year, Accenture invested a whopping $1.2 billion around the globe on 33 different acquisitions to grow a range of critical capabilities—it wasn’t just on security, and it isn’t a figure you should brush aside. Exhibit 1 clearly shows us that IT security consulting is a growing market, along with managed security services (MSS), and one where money is certainly to be made for service providers. Symantec’s capabilities in detection and response of threats, global threat monitoring and analysis, and its tailored services make this a strong acquisition that customers can leverage. 

Exhibit 1: HFS data has revealed that IT security consulting and MSS remain a priority for enterprise leaders. It’s a lucrative area to exploit for service providers, with 96% of enterprises maintaining or increasing their spending in the area.  

Source: HFS State of IT Security Survey, 2018

Symantec’s Cyber Security Services business has a footprint of more than 300 employees globally—Accenture is increasing its capabilities to meet the growing demand, and rightly so 

Cyber expertise is in no short demand across the board, and when it comes to cyber security, that’s no different. With the Symantec acquisition, Accenture has increased not only its capabilities with specialist expertise in several industries such as utilities, health, government, communications, media, financial services, technology, and retail, but also its global footprint. 

Accenture customers must seize Symantec’s Cyber Security Services business capabilities in detection and response to cyber threats  

Symantec’s Cyber Security Services business should enhance Accenture’s ability to help enterprises prepare for, detect, and respond to cyber threats. Symantec is an experienced player in the cyber security domain and looks to support its clients with global threat monitoring and analysis via a network of security operation centers, real-time industry-specific threat intelligence, and threat mitigation through its response services. These capabilities allow Symantec to tailor its services to clients efficiently and accurately. 

Symantec’s managed security services are supported by a cloud platform that looks to deliver a constant flow of threat intelligence—an asset whose capabilities Accenture will be able to leverage around the clock. The real story, though, will be how Accenture will integrate these offerings into their own. As we discussed in our 2019 Managed Security Services Top 10, Accenture has an extensive global delivery capability that includes 18 cyber–fusion centers and three cyber labs around the world. Symantec bolsters this capability with 300 employees across the globe in six security operations centers in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Australia, Singapore, and Japan. 

The Bottom Line: Accenture is, without doubt, a global cyber security player, and Symantec’s capabilities enable it to take another step closer to being a one-stop shop for enterprises looking to secure their business. 

Accenture is making waves with its regular acquisition of cyber security firms. It’s hard to argue against these acquisitions: Accenture is rightly improving its security capabilities as its customers prioritize and invest in cyber security in the face ever–developing threats. The acquisition of Symantec’s Cyber Security Services business will mean that Accenture can harness Symantec’s combined expertise in detection, response, global threat monitoring, and analysis and leverage its experience and global footprint to tailor services to its customers and replace the classic, one–size–fits–all approach to security. Accenture expects the acquisition to close in March 2020.