Google Acquired a Security Company
Acquisition, Security May 28th, 2007 - By Haochi
Google on May 11 acquired an online security company called the GreenBorder Technologies.
Headquartered in Mountain View, California, GreenBorder Technologies was founded in 2001 to bring a new approach to enterprise security. GreenBorder, the industry’s first Desktop DMZ software for Windows, keeps Internet invaders out and enterprise data in. It allows users to safely connect anywhere, go to any website, open any Internet email or attachment, and use any downloaded files without worry. GreenBorder’s unique, signature-less approach never needs updating and provides continuous protection against corruption, theft and invasion of business data systems.
[cache of GreenBorder's About page from Internet Archive]
Featured on eWeek in 2005, Andrew Garcia called it “a novel approach to combating Microsoft Corp. Outlook- or Internet Explorer-borne malware.” And according to KeyLabs (now part of AppLabs), “GreenBorder was broader than and superior to that afforded by traditional anti-spyware and antivirus packages.”
Just as most of the other companies Google acquired, GreenBorder will not accept new customers until the product is relaunched as a Google property (hopefully for free). Existing customers, of course, will “continue to have uninterrupted access to [their] GreenBorder products!”
[thanks Jay Neely]
May 28th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Do you know the amount they paid? Thanks.
May 29th, 2007 at 7:06 am
What is google up to? I wonder who Microsoft/Yahoo will buy next?
Jamie
May 30th, 2007 at 3:06 am
If Google would maximize these great acquisition, it could create a anti-virus and spyware system for its future plans…Possibly all of the services would be integrated with a much more creative security.
May 30th, 2007 at 4:28 am
I think your right, I’ve just recently wrote a piece on Google taking on Microsoft. Basically I feel they will fall short in the business market. Although if they can use a technology such Greenboarder to add extra layer of security, then businesses maybe more willing to trust their core applications to Google.
May 30th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
How many people were laid off at Greenborder?
May 31st, 2007 at 12:29 am
Google is buying, buying, buying…
Obviously this company try become monopolizer in IT world.
June 14th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
I went to greenborder.com and it gave me an error page. Another URL redirected me to a Google error page. Sounds like they pulled it off for now.
August 6th, 2007 at 11:57 am
Help! I am a GreenBorder customer and my software has disabled itself. I have been leaving multiple phone messages at all the GreenBorder extensions, and on my sales person’s cell phone. None of my phone calls have been returned, and I cannot find anywhere on the Google website to inquire as to how to renable my software until I can pay for a renewal. Any suggestions?
August 12th, 2007 at 12:05 am
My computer crashed and i lost a lot of my programs. When i went to install Green border from my disc, it said my trial has ended, but i had purchased Green border. How can i get green border to run again..
September 24th, 2007 at 1:01 am
When I try to renew my “Greenborder” license, the website cannot be found.
Looks as though Google have shut up shop for existing users and are dragging their feet with new access addresses.
Come on Google, its a good product get a move on.
September 24th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Microsoft needs to buy a security Co., maybe that would end some of those updates that don’t do nothing up mess up your computer
September 28th, 2007 at 5:25 am
Does anyone really know how to contact Google?
They purchase “Greenborder” and give no indication or information to existing users, no site info for renewing license.
They “must be a big company” but they seem very illusive to the average user. What are they doing?
November 12th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Same issue here redirect and nothing: This is a great product I trust the folks at google won’t leave us hanging then infected.
November 12th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
I contacted “Greenborder” and they gave me a years “trial subscription”, so my license is extended until 30 Oct 2008.
January 18th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I certainly hope that Google will re-launch it (and soon). My thought was that they bought it to suppress a technology that can seriously interfere with their ad business - if they cannot track cookies and history because of GB’s sandbox approach, then their ability to deliver ads is compromised. I can’t understand why it would take them so long to re-launch it, at least as a GooBorder v1 while they build a G-OS or whatever - unless they plan to kill the technology (since they would have the required patents/copyrights with the acquisition to block, or at least harass, others from the sand-box approach).
Do no evil!!!
March 4th, 2008 at 4:39 am
Still nothing from Google with regards to “Greenborder”.This lack of any information to existing users leaves a hint of suspicion that all they wanted to do was shut it down. I hope not,as we need more protection,not less.Whatever are they up to??????????
March 25th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Nothing works as well as GB. Tried every type of security. You have to work so hard to find compatibility.
Consulted with people… paid a pro who couldn’t protect my (since ruined) old computer…sigh.
PR is probably right, as we’ve seen this “buy and kill” the competition with other biz.
I’ll cease online banking (that will be a real pain).
No more “sandbox” means not really utilizing the Internet as effectively. I looked at other similar sandbox offerings, but they have major drawbacks.
Is anyone out there looking at something as a good replacement?