Check Point Buys Nokia's Security Appliance Business

Check Point Software Technologies has signed an agreement to acquire Nokia's security appliance business, the two companies said yesterday.

Check Point, a long-time Nokia partner, will use the Nokia products to develop an extended security appliance portfolio, officials said.

Nokia's security appliance business provides purpose-built security platforms optimized for Check Point firewall, virtual private network (VPN) and unified threat management (UTM) software. About 85 percent of Fortune 500 companies have bought Nokia's security platforms, the companies said. More than 220,000 Nokia appliances have been installed with more than 23,000 customers worldwide. Check Point has licensed more than 700,000 gateways to more than 100,000 customers. The agreement between Check Point and Nokia is expected to close in the first quarter of 2009, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Further details of the transaction were not disclosed.