Mastercard’s $2.65 billion acquisition of Recorded Future has put a spotlight on the growing importance of cyber threat intelligence (CTI) in enterprise security strategies. The security experts in the field view this deal as a confirmation of the critical role CTI plays in business security and its rapid integration into mainstream practices.
The acquisition, announced by Mastercard on September 12, marks a significant investment in Recorded Future, a company known for its advanced threat intelligence capabilities. Mastercard intends to leverage these capabilities to enhance its anti-fraud measures and reinforce the services provided through its previous cybersecurity acquisitions, such as RiskRecon. The deal is set to conclude in the first quarter of 2025.
Fernando Montenegro, an analyst at Omdia, believes that Mastercard’s move aligns with its broader strategy to enhance anti-fraud services by incorporating various technologies. He emphasizes the importance of accurate threat intelligence in successful anti-fraud efforts and highlights the value of such intelligence not only in cybersecurity but also in broader business protection initiatives.
The acquisition comes at a time when the demand for cyber threat intelligence services is rapidly growing. Analysts predict that the market for CTI services is set to reach $11.5 billion in revenue in 2024 and is expected to more than double to $25.68 billion by 2028, driven by increasing cyber threats, cloud adoption, and regulatory pressures.
Beenu Arora, CEO of Cyble, sees this acquisition as a validation of the essential role threat intelligence plays in shaping business strategies. He notes the evolving threat landscape and the need for intelligence on emerging threats, emphasizing how CTI has become a central component of security operations across many organizations.
Analyst firm IT-Harvest tracks over 4,000 cybersecurity vendors globally, with 123 vendors specializing in cyber threat intelligence. Richard Stiennon, chief research analyst at IT-Harvest, acknowledges the value these vendors bring to enterprise security strategies and anticipates improved prospects for them post-Mastercard’s acquisition of Recorded Future.
This acquisition showcases a growing recognition of the critical nature of threat intelligence in enhancing security posture and mitigating risks across organizations and government agencies. Companies like Recorded Future, Group-IB Flashpoint, and Digital Shadows are at the forefront of delivering CTI services, utilizing a mix of open-source intelligence and proprietary data sources to provide valuable insights for their clients.
Josh Lefkowitz, founder and CEO of Flashpoint, underscores the broad applications of threat intelligence in combatting cyber threats, protecting critical assets, and making informed business decisions. He notes that businesses are increasingly prioritizing threat intelligence to safeguard their operations and combat various security challenges.
In conclusion, Mastercard’s acquisition of Recorded Future signals a pivotal moment in the recognition of the criticality of CTI in modern cybersecurity and business strategies. It underscores the evolution of threat intelligence from a complementary component to a central pillar of security measures, reflecting the growing need for advanced intelligence capabilities in today’s threat landscape.