# VMware Carbon Black

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U.S.-based cybersecurity company

This article is about the cybersecurity company. For the chemical compound, see [carbon black](/source/Carbon_black).

VMware Carbon Black Formerly Bit9 Bit9 + Carbon Black Carbon Black Type Subsidiary Industry Endpoint security Founded 2002; 24 years ago (2002) (as Bit9) Founders Todd Brennan Allen Hillery John Hanratty Headquarters Waltham, Massachusetts , U.S. Key people Patrick Morley, CEO Products Security software Number of employees 1000+ (2019) Parent VMware Website carbonblack.com

**VMware Carbon Black** (formerly **Bit9**, **Bit9 + Carbon Black**, and **Carbon Black**) is a cybersecurity company based in [Waltham, Massachusetts](/source/Waltham%2C_Massachusetts).[1] The company develops cloud-native [endpoint security](/source/Endpoint_security) software that is designed to detect malicious behavior and to help prevent malicious files from attacking an organization.[2] The company leverages technology known as the [Carbon Black Cloud](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carbon_Black_Cloud&action=edit&redlink=1) (CBC), a [big data](/source/Big_data) and analytics [cloud](/source/Cloud_computing) platform that analyzes customers’ unfiltered data for threats.[3]

The company has approximately 100 partners.[4] It has over 5,600 customers including approximately one-third of the [*Fortune* 100](/source/Fortune_100).[5]

In October 2019, the company was acquired by [VMware](/source/VMware).[6][7][8]

## History

Carbon Black was founded as Bit9 in 2002 by Todd Brennan, Allen Hillery, and John Hanratty.[9][10] The company's first CEO was George Kassabgi.[11] In 2007, Patrick Morley, the former [chief operating officer](/source/Chief_operating_officer) of [Corel](/source/Corel), took over as CEO.[12]

In 2013, the company's network was broken into by malicious actors who copied a private signing [key](/source/Key_(cryptography)) for a certificate and used it to sign [malware](/source/Malware).[13]

In February 2014, Bit9 acquired start-up security firm Carbon Black.[14][15] 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.[16] The company acquired Objective Logistics in June 2015.[17] In August 2015, the company announced that it had acquired [data analytics](/source/Data_analysis) firm Visitrend and would open a technology development center in downtown [Boston](/source/Boston).[18] A month later, the company announced it would partner with [SecureWorks](/source/SecureWorks), [Ernst & Young](/source/Ernst_%26_Young), [Kroll](/source/Kroll_Inc.), [Trustwave](/source/Trustwave_Holdings), and [Rapid7](/source/Rapid7) to provide managed security and incident response services.[19][20]

The company changed its name to Carbon Black on February 1, 2016, after being known as "Bit9 + Carbon Black" for approximately two years.[21]

In July 2016, Carbon Black announced it had acquired next-generation [antivirus software](/source/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](/source/The_Wall_Street_Journal)*, the deal was valued at $100 million.[22]

On May 4, 2018, the company joined public markets, listing as "CBLK" on the [Nasdaq](/source/Nasdaq) exchange. As part of its [initial public offering](/source/Initial_public_offering) (IPO), Carbon Black raised approximately $152 million at a valuation of $1.25 billion.[23] Prior to its IPO, the firm had raised $190M from investors including [Kleiner Perkins](/source/Kleiner_Perkins_Caufield_%26_Byers), [Highland Capital](/source/Highland_Capital_Partners), [Sequoia](/source/Sequoia_Capital), [Accomplice](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Accomplice_(company)&action=edit&redlink=1), and [Blackstone](/source/The_Blackstone_Group).[24]

In October 2019, the company was acquired by [VMware](/source/VMware) for $2.1 billion.[6][7]

On November 22, 2023, [Broadcom Inc.](/source/Broadcom_Inc.) acquired VMware in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at [US$](/source/US%24)69 billion.[25]

In March of 2024, Broadcom merged its existing Symantec security assets with Carbon Black assets to form the Enterprise Security Group.[26]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Carbon Black, Inc.: Private Company Information - Bloomberg"](https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=22562259). *www.bloomberg.com*. Retrieved 2018-02-13.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Advanced prevention: Nothing new, just better"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140608052643/http://www.networkworld.com/article/2360729/cisco-subnet/advanced-prevention-nothing-new-just-better.html). Network World, June 6, 2014. 6 June 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.networkworld.com/article/2360729/cisco-subnet/advanced-prevention-nothing-new-just-better.html) on June 8, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Carbon Black stocks close 26 percent up on first day of public trading"](https://www.cyberscoop.com/carbon-black-ipo-first-day/). Cyberscoop. May 4, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["SEC S-1 Filing"](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1366527/000104746918002643/a2235165zs-1.htm). SEC, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Carbon Black Announces Second Quarter 2019 Financial Results"](https://www.carbonblack.com/company/news/press-releases/carbon-black-announces-second-quarter-2019-financial-results/). Retrieved 2023-12-22.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_6-1) ["VMware Completes Acquisition of Carbon Black"](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/10/08/1926966/0/en/VMware-Completes-Acquisition-of-Carbon-Black.html) (Press release). [GlobeNewswire](/source/GlobeNewswire). October 8, 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_7-1) Lardinois, Frederic (August 22, 2019). ["VMware acquires Carbon Black for $2.1B and Pivotal for $2.7 billion"](https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/22/vmware-acquires-carbon-black-for-2-1b-and-pivotal-for-2-7-billion/). *[TechCrunch](/source/TechCrunch)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:2_8-0)** Lardinois, Frederic (August 23, 2019). ["VMware acquires Carbon Black for $2.1B and Pivotal for $2.7 billion"](https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/22/vmware-acquires-carbon-black-for-2-1b-and-pivotal-for-2-7-billion/). *[TechCrunch](/source/TechCrunch)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Dropbox's tale speaks to a Bay State weakness"](https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/08/04/dropbox-how-another-rocket-like-tech-company-got-away-from-boston/bZfzGajKNw3doamqZiJ2OK/story.html). *[The Boston Globe](/source/The_Boston_Globe)*. August 5, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["John Hanratty"](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/19030441). [Bloomberg L.P.](/source/Bloomberg_L.P.)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["George Kassabgi"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151009135306/https://www.veracode.com/leadership/advisors/George-Kassabgi). Veracode, 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.veracode.com/leadership/advisors/George-Kassabgi) on 2015-10-09. Retrieved 2014-08-13.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Bit9 Names New CEO"](http://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-and-threats/bit9-names-new-ceo/d/d-id/1062040?). Dark Reading, December 3, 2007. 3 December 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Elite Chinese Cyberspy Group Behind Bit9 Hack"](http://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/elite-chinese-cyberspy-group-behind-bit9-hack/d/d-id/1140495?). Dark Reading, September 18, 2013. 18 September 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["What does the Bit9 and Carbon Black merger mean for businesses?"](https://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/management/what-does-the-bit9-and-carbon-black-merger-mean-for-businesses-1233194). Tech Radar, March 12, 2014. 12 March 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Carbon Black S-1/A Filing, pg. 11"](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1366527/000104746918003408/a2235562zs-1a.htm). *SEC.gov*. May 2, 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180504081758/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1366527/000104746918003408/a2235562zs-1a.htm) from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Bit9 raises $38M, merges with Carbon Black in cybersecurity consolidation"](http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/techflash/2014/02/bit9-raises-38m-merges-with-carbon.html). Boston Business Journal, February 13, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Exclusive: Bit9 acqui-hires Objective Logistics"](https://fortune.com/2015/06/15/exclusive-bit9-acquires-objective-logistics/). Retrieved 2015-06-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Bit9 + Carbon Black Continues Investment in Innovation by Acquiring Security Data Analytics Firm and Establishing Development Center in Boston"](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/) (Press release). August 27, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2019 – via carbonblack.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Bit9 + Carbon Black Announces the Addition of EY's Managed SOC to the "Bit9 + Carbon Black Connect" Alliance Partner Program - Bit9 + Carbon Black"](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/). Archived from [the original](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/) on 2015-10-10. Retrieved 2015-09-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Cutting-Edge MSSPs Supercharge their Services with Bit9 + Carbon Black, the Market Leader in Next-Gen Endpoint Security"](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) (Press release). 2 September 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Bit9 + Carbon Black is Now Carbon Black - Carbon Black"](https://www.carbonblack.com/company/news/press-releases/bit9-carbon-black-is-now-carbon-black/) (Press release). February 1, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2016 – via carbonblack.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** Zakrzewski, Cat (2016-07-19). ["Carbon Black to Acquire Confer in $100 M Deal"](https://www.wsj.com/articles/carbon-black-to-acquire-confer-in-100-m-deal-1468927501). *The Wall Street Journal*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0099-9660](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0099-9660). Retrieved 2016-07-21.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["Carbon Black IPO Pops In Hot Cybersecurity Market"](https://www.investors.com/news/technology/carbon-black-ipo-cybertsecurity/). Investors Business Daily, May 4, 2018. 4 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** ["Bit9 + Carbon Black Raises $54.5M - Carbon Black"](https://www.carbonblack.com/company/news/press-releases/bit9-carbon-black-raises-54-5m/). *Carbon Black*. Retrieved 2016-02-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["Chipmaker Broadcom completes $69bn deal to buy VMware"](https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67505114). *BBC News*. 2023-11-23. Retrieved 2025-05-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** ["Broadcom Merges Symantec and Carbon Black Into New Business Unit"](https://www.securityweek.com/broadcom-merges-symantec-and-carbon-black-into-new-business-unit/). *SecurityWeek*. 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2025-05-28.

## External links

- [Official website](https://www.carbonblack.com/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [VMware Carbon Black](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMware_Carbon_Black) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMware_Carbon_Black?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.