LevelBlue Acquires Aon's Cybersecurity and IP Litigation Units, Strengthening AI-Driven Security Services

LevelBlue's Strategic Acquisition

LevelBlue, a global provider of AI-driven, cloud-native managed security services, has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Aon's Cybersecurity and Intellectual Property (IP) Litigation consulting groups, including the well-known firms Stroz Friedberg and Elysium Digital 1

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. This acquisition marks a significant step in LevelBlue's growth strategy, aiming to broaden its global cybersecurity and high-tech legal consulting capabilities 2

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Expansion of Expertise and Services

The deal will add approximately 300 cyber and IP litigation experts to LevelBlue's team, enhancing its incident response and digital risk offerings 1

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. With this acquisition, LevelBlue gains a globally recognized cyber and IP litigation consulting platform with strong relationships across Fortune 500 enterprises, 80 percent of the Am Law 100, and a majority of Top 20 law firms in the UK 2

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LevelBlue's Chairman and CEO, emphasized the importance of cyber resilience for organizations of all sizes, stating, "By combining LevelBlue's exceptional cloud-based, AI-driven managed detection and response platform with proactive cyber consulting and advanced digital forensic and incident response capabilities, we're introducing the industry's most comprehensive unified cybersecurity services platform." 2

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Aon's Cybersecurity Consulting Group

Aon's cybersecurity consulting group, recognized in the 2024 Forrester Wave, offers a comprehensive range of cyber resilience services 1

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1. Penetration testing
2. Breach response
3. Adversary simulation
4. Digital forensics

The group assists clients in strengthening their operational readiness, protecting critical digital assets, and minimizing the impact of cyber events while accelerating recovery times 2

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Strategic Partnership and Future Plans

As part of this transaction, LevelBlue and Aon will establish a strategic relationship to collaboratively offer their respective services to clients in a holistic manner 2

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. Christian Hoffman, Global Specialty & Financial Products Leader at Aon, stated that Aon will continue to deliver leading cyber brokerage capabilities through its Cyber Solutions group, CyQu platform, and Cyber Risk Analyzer to serve clients' growing cyber broking needs 1

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Market Impact and Expert Opinion

According to Jeff Pollard, Principal Analyst at Forrester, "This is a highly strategic acquisition for the cybersecurity services market. LevelBlue will strengthen its position at the intersection of managed security and cyber consulting services." 2

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The acquisition is expected to position LevelBlue to become the largest independent pureplay Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) globally 2

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. This move aligns with the growing importance of cybersecurity in the business world, as reflected in related ETFs such as the First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF (CIBR) and ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF (HACK) 1

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Closing Details

While financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, the deal is subject to customary closing conditions 2

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. Santander is serving as financial advisor and legal advisor to LevelBlue, while Lazard is serving as financial advisor and legal advisor to Aon for this transaction 2

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