History
History
What You Should Know About SafeNet
In 1983, in a Timonium, Maryland basement, two U.S. National Security Engineers (NSA) engineers founded Industrial Resource Engineering (IRE). IRE made a name for itself, selling enterprise network security solutions, using encryption technology to protect the public and private networks of financial institutions before expanding into the federal government sector.
By leveraging key investor funding and customer wins, IRE became a fast-rising star in the information security industry. Then, in 2000, IRE was officially renamed SafeNet after its award-winning VPN product line.
SafeNet strategically expanded its interests in the security information field through acquisitions of Securealink, Cylink Corporation, Raqia Networks, Inc., and SSH. In 2004 SafeNet merged with Rainbow Technologies, which had recently acquired Chrysalis-ITS and Mykotronx. As a result of these strategic acquisitions, SafeNet became the world’s seventh largest information security company and tripled its revenue. Continuing its interest in technological growth, SafeNet acquired a number of other complementary companies including Datakey, DMDsecure and Eracom Technologies during the next few years. The resources of these companies improved SafeNet’s already broad range of interests. In 2007, SafeNet was taken private by Vector Capital.
In 2008, SafeNet acquired Ingrian Technologies. Ingrian's DataSecure family of products complements SafeNet's security solutions to ensure that enterprise and government organizations are compliant and limit liabilities. With this acquisition, SafeNet became the first vendor to offer a comprehensive Enterprise Data Protection (EDP) Solution Suite that secures sensitive data across devices, applications, networks, and databases.
In March 2009, Aladdin Knowledge Systems acquired by Vector Capital and placed under common management with SafeNet. This combination brings together market leading vendors that in concert can offer the first comprehensive set of critical solutions in rights management and enterprise data protection. Aladdin’s industry leading Authentication and Content Filtering products have strengthened SafeNet’s Enterprise Data Protection Solution Suite. Aladdin and SafeNet join forces to enable emerging software industry needs in entitlement and license management. The combined company is now the 5th largest vendor in the security market and 3rd largest provider of information security solutions in the world.
SafeNet and Aladdin's combined annual revenue is approximately $475 million. The companies employ 1,600 employees globally, including 600+ encryption engineers, more than any other company. With more than 25,000 customers extending across 100 countries including Bank of America, the U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, Adobe, Samsung, Texas Instruments, Siemens, MedStar, Unisys, Chicago Bears, Dartmouth College, leading companies across several industries rely on SafeNet's technologies.