Accenture buys Brazilian cybersecurity consultancy Real Protect

Accenture has onboarded a team of 90 information security professionals to its Managed Security Services practice in Latin America, following the acquisition of Brazil-based Real Protect for an undisclosed sum. 

The goal is to help companies navigate the ever-expanding threat profile in Brazil – a “hotspot for cybercrime” according to Kelly Bissel, global lead of Accenture Security. She pointed to Accenture estimates, which place the cost of cybercrime to Brazilian businesses at over $100 billion in lost revenues by 2023.

According to Accenture Technology lead for Latin America Paulo Ossamu, managing these risks requires knowledge of “specific tactics” used by Brazilian cybercriminals. This is where Real Protect brings value, as a Rio-based team of cybersecurity experts who have been serving security needs in Brazil since 2005.

Real Protect’s proposition includes a range of packaged and tailored managed security services – spanning network monitoring, advanced threat protection, web & mobile security, and firewall & anti-malware protection, among others. The firm has served clients number of rapidly digitalising sectors over the years, including healthcare, energy, oil & gas and financial services. 

Since launching, Real Protect has grown into a team of around 90 professionals spread across two offices – Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The team will now serve under the Accenture Security banner, joining a global outfit of more than 7,000 professionals.

“The acquisition of Real Protect is a natural complement to our existing Managed Security Services business, which offers tailored industry-focused solutions to help clients rapidly anticipate, detect and respond in real time to cyber threats,” said Bissel.

As part of the deal, Real Protect CEO Daniel Lemos will take over as leader of Accenture’s Managed Security Services in Latin America. For him, the move marks a big step forward for Real Protect – the first Latin American firm to receive the Unified Certification Standard for Cloud and Managed Service Providers by global governance body MSP Alliance.

“We are excited to join Accenture​ and tap into their breadth of MSS capabilities, building on the success we have achieved in our business to date. Together, our shared commitment to providing market-leading cybersecurity solutions positions us well to drive growth in the adoption of these services in Brazil and across Latin America,” said Lemos.

His firm joins Accenture at a time when the latter is rapidly expanding its security offering worldwide. Of note here is Accenture’s acquisition of Symantec’s 300-strong global cybersecurity services unit early last year, topped off with the acquisitions of US-based Context Information Security and US-based Revolutionary Security a few weeks after.