Symantec To Acquire LifeLock for $2.3B (usatoday.com) 41
Symantec is acquiring identity-theft protection firm LifeLock for $2.3 billion, the companies announced today. It's the company's latest move to branch out from malware protection into cybersecurity, following its purchase of Blue Coat, a company that safeguards web transactions. "With the combination of Norton and LifeLock, we will be able to deliver comprehensive cyber defense for consumers," Symantec said. From a report on USA Today:Symantec will finance the deal with a combination of cash and $750 million of new debt, the company said in a statement. The deal will close during the first calendar quarter of 2017. The combination of LifeLock and Norton, Symantec's suite of antivirus and anti-spyware tools, will help the company deliver "comprehensive" protection for consumers, said Symantec CEO Greg Clark. "This acquisition marks the transformation of the consumer security industry from malware protection to the broader category of digital safety for consumers," said Clark. Symantec sees a growing market for digital safety, estimated at $10 billion and 80 million consumers. "People's identity and data are prime targets of cybercrime," said Symantec board chairman Dan Schulman. "The security industry must step up and defend through innovation and vigilance."
Worthless junk (Score:5, Insightful)
Norton + LifeLock = No Thanks.
Two bad products rolled into one. Genius.
Re: (Score:3)
It's the perfect security system. Your system will slow to a crawl, to the point where you just get up and go do something else, never having put any confidential data on your computer at all.
Re: (Score:2)
Didn't the CEO of Life Lock get hacked multiple times? Sounds like they are made for each other.
What's sad is that Symantec are still in business off the back of their corporate products. Business think they can tick the security box, do their due diligence and cover the CTO's arse by buying their services. That's why so much personal data gets stolen.
Also banned, for fraud (Score:2)
He was also banned from being an executive or owner of any such business because he engaged in widespread fraud. He continued to appear in commercials for the scam^H^H^H^H company.
Re:Worthless junk (Score:4, Informative)
This.
In fact, Lifelock CEO Davis was the victim of identity theft in 2007 when a thief used his widely advertised Social Security number to obtain a $500 loan in Davis’ name. [wired.com]
Symantec to burn 2.3 billion dollars in large fire (Score:1)
I'm surprised they had that much to burn.
Man! When is this bubble gonna pop?? (Score:1)
Since the big "upset", probably sooner than later. Everything is so overpriced, except human labor.
Re: (Score:2)
Since the big "upset", probably sooner than later. Everything is so overpriced, except human labor.
One of Donald's big promises was tax cuts for corporations and the rich. That is one promise that the Republican majority in Congress will support, and the Democrats cannot filibuster budgets. So, rather than popping, it is more likely the bubble will inflate even more.
What does Lifelock _do_ ? (Score:3, Insightful)
Outside of scaring AARP members to pay for it, what do they actually DO for you?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, you can. But you can only get one credit report PER YEAR free. You probably could get one free from each of the 3 credit reporting companies, so effectively, you would get 3 reports per year, but who is to say that each report contains the exact same info?
Also, once you get a credit report, do you know what to look for? How do you tell what is suspicious, and what is business as normal?
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, you can. But you can only get one credit report PER YEAR free. You probably could get one free from each of the 3 credit reporting companies, so effectively, you would get 3 reports per year, but who is to say that each report contains the exact same info?
The Equifax, TransUnion and Experian credit reports do typically contain different info and are formatted differently. The information is different because they each acquire it from different places.
Also, once you get a credit report, do you know what to look for? How do you tell what is suspicious, and what is business as normal?
They contain a list of your home addresses, typically with a bunch of bogus entries that are a mix of two valid addresses, or entries where letters or digits were transposed. There's also a list of your credit accounts, current status, account open/close dates, along with entries if you've been 30, 60, 90, e
Solved by copyright (Score:3)
So when you tell Bob to take you off their list, they can't. The list is owned by Alice, and Alice will never call you. Chris calls, from the same list Bob used. You can never get off the list Bob used. That should be illegal. Anyone that holds or uses your personal data should be required by law to disclose where they learned it from.
But the government passes CAN SPAM laws that tell companies they can spam you. But nobody in power wants to change it, so we are left with government by the 1% for the 1%.
Re: (Score:2)
You can't copyright your SSN.
Subject matter eligible for copyright protection in the US must be expressive and creative. Raw, factual data cannot be copyrighted.
Re: (Score:2)
whatever you say:
https://www.extremetech.com/co... [extremetech.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Why LifeLock? (Score:4, Interesting)
What does LifeLock even do now? Originally, they just put false fraud alerts on clients's credit; they got sued for that, and now what? How do they monitor?
I'm not sure what LifeLock even provides anymore, besides a target for lawsuits.
Re: (Score:1)
It's a insurance racket. the money you pay monthly to them goes in the pot and "if" someone gets screwed they pay out $1million dollars but just like any insurance company there are stipulations on there love.
In the end they make more than they payout so yes it's lucrative with nearly every online and radio talk host hawking there product.
Re: (Score:2)
Worthless companies combine! (Score:3)
Form of: dinosaur!
Re: (Score:2)
Shape of: aged fossil!
Form of: Lost liquidity!
Blunder Twin powers, dedicate!
Re: (Score:2)
You did this before I did, but it ain't no lie [wired.com].
Corp buyout means contracts void (Score:1)
Your protection just went bye bye.
Seen this movie before.
Lifelock is useless (Score:3)
A couple of years ago I got caught in the Stratfor hack. They waited a couple of weeks before telling customers. I verified my info was in the wild. A full month later Lifelock informed me I might have been hacked. By that time I had replaced everything. Useless service.
Instead of lifelock (Score:2)
Serious question, has anyone tried putting freezes on their credit? I think its like 10 bucks(each bureau) and then you have to do a thaw/freeze everytime you want to actually do credit. Is the freeze/thaw a huge hassle? I've done temp freezes when I was in one of those giant hacks, but those only last 6 months and are free.
Great Another Product They Will Mess Up (Score:1)
Farewell LifeLock (Score:2)
I'm not saying LifeLock was worthwhile. But after Symantec acquires it, it will no longer be viable. I hope a start-up is waiting in the wings to take over the spot LifeLock tried to fill.