The cloud environment is, as a class, mostly secure. But the way that enterprises, and their employees, actually utilize the cloud service ecosystem is not.

That was the insight that helped a startup’s founding team scale and sell their first cybersecurity company, Adallom, to Microsoft for $320 million in 2015. Now, they are back at it. This time, however, it’s Google on the buying side. And in 2025, the acquisition price for a cutting-edge cybersecurity solution, it turns out, is $33 billion.

News broke Monday (March 17) that Google parent Alphabet is reportedly close to a deal to acquire cybersecurity startup Wiz after a $23 billion deal fell through last summer due to investor and antitrust concerns.

Founded in 2020 by veterans of Israel’s elite cyber intelligence defense unit, Wiz has rapidly ascended in the cybersecurity domain. The company offers artificial intelligence (AI)-driven, cloud-based security solutions that enable organizations to identify and mitigate critical risks across their cloud infrastructures. It was valued at $12 billion after raising $1 billion in a funding round last spring.

The acquisition comes at a time when cybersecurity is paramount. A supply-chain attack over the weekend (March 15), spotlighted by Wiz, compromised open-source software used by more than 23,000 organizations with credential-stealing code. In response to the evolving threat landscape, organizations are increasingly investing in advanced security solutions to safeguard their operations and data.

Read more: How Back-Office Leaders Are Selling the C-Suite on Risk and Compliance

The Imperative of Enhanced Cloud Security

Upon the pending completion of the renewed acquisition, Wiz will integrate into Google’s cloud unit, with its products remaining accessible across other major cloud services. This integration is expected to enhance Google’s cybersecurity offerings, providing clients with more robust and comprehensive security solutions.

According to the PYMNTS Intelligence report “Cybersecurity Risks Cause Middle-Market CFOs to Cancel Innovation Plans,” 44% of middle-market firms have invested in cybersecurity defenses.

The deal is projected to close “quickly,” pending regulatory approvals. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, there has been a discernible shift towards a more deal-friendly antitrust environment. Neither Alphabet nor Wiz immediately replied to PYMNTS’ request for comment.

Google’s pursuit of Wiz serves as an exclamation point on how the landscape of cloud security is continually evolving, with several key trends shaping its future.

One of the biggest strides being made is the embrace of AI and machine learning (ML) as integral to cybersecurity strategies, enabling real-time analysis and swift identification of anomalies. These technologies enhance the ability to pre-emptively detect and respond to threats, thereby reducing potential damages.

PYMNTS Intelligence’s 29-page report, “Leveraging AI and ML to Thwart Scammers,” a collaboration with Hawk, contains eight charts of proprietary data examining the role of ML and AI to help keep fraudsters from getting the upper hand.

See also: What B2B Firms Can Learn From Big Tech’s Cybersecurity Initiatives

The Future of Cyber Defense

At the same time, the traditional perimeter-based security approach is giving way to Zero Trust architectures, which operate on the principle of “never trust, always verify.” This model requires continuous verification of users and devices, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access.

As cyber threats targeting supply chains become more sophisticated, organizations are also demanding greater transparency from vendors and employing advanced tools to analyze code dependencies in real-time.

PYMNTS has been monitoring the rapid evolution of the cyber threat landscape, as revealed by the staggering number of attacks in 2024. Among the more prominent incidents was the theft of a “significant volume of data” stolen from at least 165 customers of multi-cloud data warehousing platform Snowflake, in which the personal information from “nearly all” of AT&T’s wireless customers was stolen.

“The barrier for entry has never been lower for threat actors,” Sunil Mallik, chief information security officer at Discover® Global Network, told PYMNTS, noting that the cost of computing power has decreased dramatically over the past decade, making it easier for criminals to access powerful tools and launch sophisticated attacks.

These efforts are happening as regulators are pushing for stronger cloud security protections, as noted here. Separately, B2B cyber audits can help organizations assess their security posture, identify vulnerabilities and build trust with partners and clients. For C-suite leaders, these audits are not just about compliance but about safeguarding their enterprise’s long-term stability, resilience and trust.

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