Palo Alto Networks buys secretive security startup for malware detection

Palo Alto Networks just bought its first company, a secretive security technology startup called Morta Security.

Morta’s founders once held jobs at both the NSA and the US Air Force, according to Palo Alto Networks, and it sounds like both the technology and team will be absorbed into its purchaser.

Palo Alto Networks considers itself the firewall of the future. It allows for tailoring of the firewall to allow some portions of an application in as opposed to others. For example, if your company is concerned about employees messaging and chatting on Facebook, you can block just those elements of the Facebook app, while still allowing them to post updates.

It also provides a number of virtualized appliances and some subscription-based products such as URL filtering and “WildFire,” a sandbox for your network. WildFire contains and identifies new malware and then within the hour sends out “protections” to all of its customers.

Though we don’t know much about Morta, the company mentioned that it will specifically “enhance the proven detection and prevention capabilities of the WildFire solution.”

The company held its initial public offering in July 2012, popping 31 percent out of the gate. Today’s deal doesn’t seem to have moved the needle on Palo Alto Networks’ stock price, which is only up two percent in after-hours trading.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

PANW data by YCharts