Twitter buys anti-malware firm Dasient

Micro-blogging site Twitter has acquired internet security firm Dasient for an undisclosed amount. Dasient, which was founded in 2008, is focused on web-scale security problems involving malware and other types of online abuses.

Twitter, created in 2006, is a communication platform allowing people across the world to interact instantly through 'tweets', or messages not exceeding 140 characters. Twitter has more than 100 million active users worldwide.


"The Dasient team is excited to announce that we have been acquired by Twitter! Effective immediately, we will be bringing our technology, tools, and team to the revenue engineering team at Twitter," Dasient Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Neil Daswani said in a blog post yesterday.

However, the company has not disclosed the financial details of the deal. In 2009, Dasient launched its web anti-malware platform,capable of scanning URLs and websites for the presence of harmful content. In 2010, Dasient launched the industry's first 'anti-malvertising' service to protect ad networks and publishers from the scourge of malicious ads.


"Over the last year, we have been very active in securing the ads and content of the some of the industry's largest ad networks and web sites," Daswani added. By joining Twitter, Dasient will be able to apply its technology and team to the world's largest real-time information network.

As part of the merger, Dasient is winding down its business and is no longer able to accept new customers. In December last year, Twitter received a combined investment of USD 300 million from Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud and his investment firm Kingdom Holding Company (KHC).