Cyber Security Startup AlienVault Nabs Seven Senior HP Security Execs

In September 2010, HP acquired Fortify Software for what Forbes reported was about $265 million and was later folded into HP?s Software Division. Founded in 2003, Fortify makes products and services designed to protect companies from security threats in business software applications, and raised $40 million in 2003 from Kleiner Perkins and Sigma Partners.
Today, we?ve learned that HP Fortify and HP?s enterprise security have sustained some notable personnel losses, which stand to benefit a startup called AlienVault. Founded in 2007, the Silicon Valley-based AlienVault produces unified security management solutions for better threat management, not unlike Fortify. However, AlienVault is the creator of Open Source Security Information Management (or ?OSSIM?), which provides a set of tools that allow network and security administrators to access a detailed view of their networks, hosts, devices, servers, etc.
The startup calls OSSIM the ?de-facto standard open source security information and event management? system, and the solution has racked up 160,000 downloads and users in over 80 countries, with its customers primarily consisting of defense departments, government organizations, banks and enterprises. In other words, the company develops advanced cyber security products that unifies management of critical security systems and processes across the network, like vulnerability scanning, etc., for customers like the U.S. Army, NASA, AT&T, Telefonica, and Citi Bank.
And Today, AlienVault has officially become the new employer of seven former Fortify and HP executives, including the appointment of Barmak Meftah as president and chief executive, and Roger Thornton as CTO. Meftah was formerly the CPO at Fortify, and Thornton is the founder and former CTO.
The new chief executive was also formerly the vice president of software security products at HP, where he led SPI Dynamics as well as Fortify after its acquisition by HP. He has also held senior management positions at Synchron, Oracle, and P