Akamai Acquires Israel-based Web Application Protection Company, ChameleonX

Global content delivery network (CDN) technology provider, Akamai Technologies, has acquired ChameleonX, an Israel-based company with a “unique” solution to protect websites from an increasingly publicized and insidious form of attack. This would entail credit card skimming and user credential theft via malicious or compromised third-party scripts.

Attackers would be exploiting a new path to steal data: injecting malicious code into the user’s browser. ChameleonX’s “talented team and unique technical approach” to this emerging problem are expected to accelerate Akamai’s ability to detect and block these attacks. The acquisition is intended to further strengthen Akamai’s portfolio of edge security, web and mobile performance, enterprise access and video delivery solutions.

Maor Hod
“ChameleonX technology detects this type of attack in its early phases and stops it before significant damage is done to the individual or the business,” said Maor Hod, CEO and co-founder, ChameleonX.

The acquisition of the ChameleonX team and technology would align with Akamai’s organic product development and global threat research to deliver a solution that detects and blocks active attacks without limiting the use of website technologies or impacting the customer experience.

“Injecting malicious code into the user’s browser via third parties evades typical detection and mitigation technology because those solutions run either on the web server, or as a proxy between the website owner and the end user – there are no controls in the browser running on the user’s device,” said Maor Hod, CEO and co-founder, ChameleonX. “ChameleonX technology detects this type of attack in its early phases and stops it before significant damage is done to the individual or the business.”

“Protecting websites from malicious client-side code is an area of paramount concern to customers, driven by significant, persistent and effective attack activity over the last year that has resulted in both detrimental incidents of data loss and fines,” said Craig Adams, senior vice president and general manager of Akamai‘s security and performance business units. “Customers are looking for a trusted brand like Akamai to address this problem with a reliable and scalable solution that will better fortify their web properties and protect their users.”