Facebook buys PrivateCore, a security startup built by ex-Google & VMware staff

Updated 10:56 a.m.: PrivateCore was founded by both ex-Google and ex-VMware employees.

Facebook has acquired PrivateCore, a security startup focused on encryption and malware prevention, according to a blogpost by PrivateCore chief Oded Horovitz.

According to Horovitz, Facebook will “deploy” PrivateCore’s “technology into the Facebook stack to help protect the people who use Facebook.”

PrivateCore was backed by Foundation Capital, a VC firm that also invested in Pocket, AdRoll, and SpoonRocket. PrivateCore was founded by ex-VMware and ex-Google staff.

According to Facebook’s chief security officer, Joe Sullivan, “PrivateCore’s technology and expertise will help support Facebook’s mission to help make the world more open and connected, in a secure and trusted way. … The team at PrivateCore is also made up of top-notch security veterans with a lot of experience.”

Here is PrivateCore’s announcement, in full:

We have some big news: PrivateCore will be joining Facebook. What makes this development so exciting for us is that Facebook and PrivateCore have an aligned mission. Facebook has done more than any company to connect the world, and we want to use our secure server technology to help make the world’s connections more secure.

Since the beginning, we have worked tirelessly on our technology to protect servers from malware threats, unauthorized physical access, and malicious hardware devices. Working together with Facebook, there is a huge opportunity to pursue our joint vision at scale with incredible impact. Over time, Facebook plans to deploy our technology into the Facebook stack to help protect the people who use Facebook. We know we will learn and grow as we continue developing our technology and making it stronger.

The PrivateCore team wouldn’t be where we are without our investors who believed in us, and we want to thank everyone who has been a part of this journey with us. The work is just beginning and we can’t wait to get started.