Palo Alto Networks announced that its newly expanded Unit 42 combines formerly Crypsis security consultants, who respond to 1,300+ incidents a year, with the company’s veteran Unit 42 threat research team, which has been fighting emerging cyberthreats since 2014.

"Together, they will help organisations tackle the most complex cyberthreats — from ransomware to state-sponsored espionage — bringing a relentless passion for protecting our digital way of life,” Palo Alto Networks said.

“Our increasing reliance on technology has turned cybersecurity into an existential matter,” said Wendi Whitmore, senior vice president of cyber consulting and threat intelligence at Palo Alto Networks.

“We wake up every day focused on collecting and analysing the most up-to-date threat intelligence and applying our analysis to respond to cyberattacks.”

According to Palo Alto Networks, the combined team will deliver a powerful set of services that enable organisations to respond to threats more rapidly than ever and will introduce new proactive services that closely complement its product offerings.

“It will also expand incident response services to more countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East,” the company said.

“The evolving threat landscape has made it imperative for organisations to have access to up-to-date threat intelligence on emerging threats, as well as support from experts with deep experience responding to breaches,” said Chris Kissel, research director, Security & Trust Products at IDC. 

Palo Alto Networks unveiled its plans for Unit 42 at Cortex Symphony 2021, a virtual security operations conference bringing together thought leaders in cybersecurity who provide insights into the attack surface and securing the future.