Bricata adds AI to its cybersecurity tools

Bricata got an upgrade to its cybersecurity offering by inking a deal with a startup that’s getting a lot of attention in the space.
With an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement, the Columbia-based company added artificial intelligence capabilities of Cylance, a company that was valued at $1 billion last year and played a role in discovering a 2015 breach at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Bricata commercialized open-source security engines Bro and Suricata, which detect threats on a network. The tool can look for and detect potential threats inside a firewall, said Bricata CEO John Trauth.
Adding Cylance’s engine will allow Bricata to hunt for threats that are harder to detect. The system uses an algorithm that will enable Bricata to look for ransomware and zero-day malware. Trauth said the deal can help Bricata differentiate itself, and is expected to “put us in a very unique place in the market.”
Bricata moved from Virginia to Maryland in 2015, and operated out of bwtech@UMBC before moving to its current offices in Columbia.