Like Microsoft, Google also wants to buy Cybersecurity firm Mandiant (update: it’s official)

Back in February, it became apparent that Microsoft was likely to acquire the cybersecurity firm Mandiant. Reports then indicated that the talks might not have resulted in an offer, but a fresh scoop from The Information also now claims that Google might have dipped into the market, and is now also in talks to buy Mandiant.

This new report doesn’t disclose the monetary side of any offers Google might be putting in to buy Mandiant. It cites “a person with knowledge of the discussion.” and is more about how buying the firm could benefit Google’s business. Officially, Google and Microsoft also “did not immediately have a comment,” either.

For Google Though, Mandiant could fit in well with the need for boosting security in their cloud computing business beyond Google Chronicle. That’s a product designed for enterprises to privately retain, analyze, and search the massive amounts of security and network telemetry they generate.  It’s a contrast from Microsoft, which was rumored to be interested in Mandiant because it partnered with SentinelOne, whose incident response products competes with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

It’s been said that bids for Mandiant were due at the end of February, so it might not be too long until we find out who wins out. It could be a tough one for Microsoft, though, as Microsoft has a solid footing in the cyber security fields, and the FTC might want to scrutinize any potential deal.

Mandiant is most famous for discovering the SolarWinds hack, which changed the face of the cyber security industry.

Update March 8th: It’s official, Google is acquiring Mandiant for $5.4 billion.