{{short description|U.S.-based cybersecurity company}} {{about|the cybersecurity company|the chemical compound|carbon black}} {{Infobox company | name = VMware Carbon Black | logo = VMware Carbon Black logo.svg | former_name = Bit9<br />Bit9 + Carbon Black<br />Carbon Black | type = [[Subsidiary]] | industry = [[Endpoint security]] | founded = {{start date and age|2002}} (as Bit9) | founders = Todd Brennan<br />Allen Hillery<br />John Hanratty | hq_location_city = [[Waltham, Massachusetts]] | hq_location_country = [[United States|U.S.]] | key_people = Patrick Morley, CEO | products = [[Security software]] | num_employees = 1000+ | num_employees_year = 2019 | parent = [[VMware]] | website = {{URL|carbonblack.com}} }}

'''VMware Carbon Black''' (formerly '''Bit9''', '''Bit9 + Carbon Black''', and '''Carbon Black''') is a cybersecurity company based in [[Waltham, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=22562259|title=Carbon Black, Inc.: Private Company Information - Bloomberg|website=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-02-13}}</ref> The company develops cloud-native [[endpoint security]] software that is designed to detect malicious behavior and to help prevent malicious files from attacking an organization.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.networkworld.com/article/2360729/cisco-subnet/advanced-prevention-nothing-new-just-better.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140608052643/http://www.networkworld.com/article/2360729/cisco-subnet/advanced-prevention-nothing-new-just-better.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 8, 2014 | title = Advanced prevention: Nothing new, just better | date = 6 June 2014 | publisher = Network World, June 6, 2014 }}</ref> The company leverages technology known as the [[Carbon Black Cloud]] (CBC), a [[big data]] and analytics [[Cloud computing|cloud]] platform that analyzes customers’ unfiltered data for threats.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cyberscoop.com/carbon-black-ipo-first-day/ | title=Carbon Black stocks close 26 percent up on first day of public trading | publisher = Cyberscoop | date=May 4, 2018 }}</ref>

The company has approximately 100 partners.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1366527/000104746918002643/a2235165zs-1.htm | title = SEC S-1 Filing |publisher= SEC, 2018 }}</ref> It has over 5,600 customers including approximately one-third of the [[Fortune 100|''Fortune'' 100]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.carbonblack.com/company/news/press-releases/carbon-black-announces-second-quarter-2019-financial-results/ |access-date=2023-12-22 | title=Carbon Black Announces Second Quarter 2019 Financial Results}}</ref>

In October 2019, the company was acquired by [[VMware]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/22/vmware-acquires-carbon-black-for-2-1b-and-pivotal-for-2-7-billion/ |title=VMware acquires Carbon Black for $2.1B and Pivotal for $2.7 billion |first=Frederic |last=Lardinois |website=[[TechCrunch]] |date=August 23, 2019}}</ref>

==History== Carbon Black was founded as Bit9 in 2002 by Todd Brennan, Allen Hillery, and John Hanratty.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/08/04/dropbox-how-another-rocket-like-tech-company-got-away-from-boston/bZfzGajKNw3doamqZiJ2OK/story.html | title=Dropbox's tale speaks to a Bay State weakness | work=[[The Boston Globe]] | date=August 5, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/19030441 | title =John Hanratty| publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]]}}</ref> The company's first CEO was George Kassabgi.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veracode.com/leadership/advisors/George-Kassabgi |title=George Kassabgi |publisher=Veracode, 2014 |access-date=2014-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009135306/https://www.veracode.com/leadership/advisors/George-Kassabgi |archive-date=2015-10-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2007, Patrick Morley, the former [[chief operating officer]] of [[Corel]], took over as CEO.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-and-threats/bit9-names-new-ceo/d/d-id/1062040? | title = Bit9 Names New CEO | date = 3 December 2007 | publisher = Dark Reading, December 3, 2007}}</ref>

In 2013, the company's network was broken into by malicious actors who copied a private signing [[Key (cryptography)|key]] for a certificate and used it to sign [[malware]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/elite-chinese-cyberspy-group-behind-bit9-hack/d/d-id/1140495? | title = Elite Chinese Cyberspy Group Behind Bit9 Hack | date = 18 September 2013 | publisher = Dark Reading, September 18, 2013}}</ref>

In February 2014, Bit9 acquired start-up security firm Carbon Black.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/management/what-does-the-bit9-and-carbon-black-merger-mean-for-businesses-1233194|title=What does the Bit9 and Carbon Black merger mean for businesses?|date=12 March 2014 |publisher=Tech Radar, March 12, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1366527/000104746918003408/a2235562zs-1a.htm|title=Carbon Black S-1/A Filing, pg. 11|date=May 2, 2018|website=SEC.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504081758/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1366527/000104746918003408/a2235562zs-1a.htm|archive-date=May 4, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref> At the time of the acquisition, the company also raised $38.25 million in Series E funding, bringing Bit9’s total venture capital raised to approximately $120 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/techflash/2014/02/bit9-raises-38m-merges-with-carbon.html|title=Bit9 raises $38M, merges with Carbon Black in cybersecurity consolidation|publisher=Boston Business Journal, February 13, 2014}}</ref> The company acquired Objective Logistics in June 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2015/06/15/exclusive-bit9-acquires-objective-logistics/|title=Exclusive: Bit9 acqui-hires Objective Logistics|accessdate=2015-06-23}}</ref> In August 2015, the company announced that it had acquired [[Data analysis|data analytics]] firm Visitrend and would open a technology development center in downtown [[Boston]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.carbonblack.com/company/news/press-releases/bit9-carbon-black-continues-investment-in-innovation-by-acquiring-security-data-analytics-firm-and-establishing-development-center-in-boston/ |title=Bit9 + Carbon Black Continues Investment in Innovation by Acquiring Security Data Analytics Firm and Establishing Development Center in Boston |date=August 27, 2015 |accessdate=August 24, 2019 |via=carbonblack.com}}</ref> A month later, the company announced it would partner with [[SecureWorks]], [[Ernst & Young]], [[Kroll Inc.|Kroll]], [[Trustwave Holdings|Trustwave]], and [[Rapid7]] to provide managed security and incident response services.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Bit9 + Carbon Black Announces the Addition of EY's Managed SOC to the "Bit9 + Carbon Black Connect" Alliance Partner Program - Bit9 + Carbon Black|url = https://www.bit9.com/company/news/press-releases/bit9-carbon-black-announces-the-addition-of-eys-managed-soc-to-the-bit9-carbon-black-connect-alliance-partner-program/|accessdate = 2015-09-28|archive-date = 2015-10-10|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151010084216/https://www.bit9.com/company/news/press-releases/bit9-carbon-black-announces-the-addition-of-eys-managed-soc-to-the-bit9-carbon-black-connect-alliance-partner-program/|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release|title = Cutting-Edge MSSPs Supercharge their Services with Bit9 + Carbon Black, the Market Leader in Next-Gen Endpoint Security|url = https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/09/02/765640/10148074/en/Cutting-Edge-MSSPs-Supercharge-their-Services-with-Bit9-Carbon-Black-the-Market-Leader-in-Next-Gen-Endpoint-Security.html|accessdate = 2015-09-28| date=2 September 2015 }}</ref>

The company changed its name to Carbon Black on February 1, 2016, after being known as "Bit9 + Carbon Black" for approximately two years.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Bit9 + Carbon Black is Now Carbon Black - Carbon Black |url=https://www.carbonblack.com/company/news/press-releases/bit9-carbon-black-is-now-carbon-black/ |via=carbonblack.com |date=February 1, 2016 |access-date=February 2, 2016 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In July 2016, Carbon Black announced it had acquired next-generation [[antivirus software]] provider Confer for an undisclosed sum. Prior to the deal, Confer had raised $25 million in venture funding and had more than 50 employees. According to ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', the deal was valued at $100 million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/carbon-black-to-acquire-confer-in-100-m-deal-1468927501|title=Carbon Black to Acquire Confer in $100 M Deal|last=Zakrzewski|first=Cat|date=2016-07-19|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|issn=0099-9660|access-date=2016-07-21}}</ref>

On May 4, 2018, the company joined public markets, listing as "CBLK" on the [[Nasdaq]] exchange. As part of its [[initial public offering]] (IPO), Carbon Black raised approximately $152 million at a valuation of $1.25 billion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.investors.com/news/technology/carbon-black-ipo-cybertsecurity/ | title = Carbon Black IPO Pops In Hot Cybersecurity Market | date = 4 May 2018 | publisher = Investors Business Daily, May 4, 2018 }}</ref> Prior to its IPO, the firm had raised $190M from investors including [[Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers|Kleiner Perkins]], [[Highland Capital Partners|Highland Capital]], [[Sequoia Capital|Sequoia]], [[Accomplice (company)|Accomplice]], and [[The Blackstone Group|Blackstone]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Bit9 + Carbon Black Raises $54.5M - Carbon Black|url = https://www.carbonblack.com/company/news/press-releases/bit9-carbon-black-raises-54-5m/|website = Carbon Black|access-date = 2016-02-02|language = en-US}}</ref>

In October 2019, the company was acquired by [[VMware]] for $2.1 billion.<ref name=":0">{{cite press release | url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/10/08/1926966/0/en/VMware-Completes-Acquisition-of-Carbon-Black.html |title=VMware Completes Acquisition of Carbon Black | publisher=[[GlobeNewswire]] |date=October 8, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/22/vmware-acquires-carbon-black-for-2-1b-and-pivotal-for-2-7-billion/ |title=VMware acquires Carbon Black for $2.1B and Pivotal for $2.7 billion |first=Frederic |last=Lardinois |website=[[TechCrunch]] |date=August 22, 2019}}</ref>

On November 22, 2023, [[Broadcom Inc.]] acquired VMware in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at [[US$]]69 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67505114 |title=Chipmaker Broadcom completes $69bn deal to buy VMware |website=BBC News |date=2023-11-23 |access-date=2025-05-28}}</ref>

In March of 2024, Broadcom merged its existing Symantec security assets with Carbon Black assets to form the Enterprise Security Group.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.securityweek.com/broadcom-merges-symantec-and-carbon-black-into-new-business-unit/ |title=Broadcom Merges Symantec and Carbon Black Into New Business Unit |website=SecurityWeek |date=2024-03-11 |access-date=2025-05-28}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.carbonblack.com/}}

[[Category:Software companies based in Massachusetts]] [[Category:Companies based in Waltham, Massachusetts]] [[Category:Software companies established in 2002]] [[Category:2002 establishments in Massachusetts]] [[Category:Computer security companies]] [[Category:Computer security software companies]] [[Category:Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq]] [[Category:2018 initial public offerings]] [[Category:2019 mergers and acquisitions]] [[Category:VMware]] [[Category:Software companies of the United States]]