IBM is acquiring more property in order to expand its newly-developed security systems branch. The company announced in early October that it is buying Q1 Labs, a security software firm. The terms of the acquisition were not divulged.

The software provided by Q1 will be used by IBM to expand into the growing enterprise-grade security market. Large industries use such security software to monitor any unusual activity on their internet interface devices to make sure no one is trying to hack into their systems or steal their proprietary methods. Although they watch their own employees with this security software, workers often ask for the protection it provides when they interface their personal devices with the company's computers.

IBM currently monitors over 12 billion such security events per day, but estimates that this expansion will add an additional $94 million annually to the company's coffers. Adding Q1 and its software to its security division will, hopefully, bring thousands of new customers to its doors. Q1 currently serves over 1,800 clients in industries ranging from healthcare to finance.

San Diego mergers and acquisitions attorneys noted from news reports that Q1 is only the latest in a series of security software firms that IBM has added to its portfolio in the past decade. Just this past August the IT giant added a security software analysis firm known as "12."

IBM expects to finalize the deal with Q1 by the end of this year. By that time, in addition to enterprise-grade, IBM's new security division will vend and manage information and rational security software.

Source: PC World "IBM Buys Security Intelligence Minded Q1 Labs" Oct. 4, 2011