Cisco Buys Security Vendor NetSift For $30 Million

San Diego-based NetSift, a privately held, 15-employee company founded in June 2004, would add technology for deep packet processing. Cisco said it plans to incorporate the technology into its modular switching platforms and other areas.

On its Web site, venture capital firm Enterprise Partners Venture Capital lists NetSift on its software portfolio and describes the company as a developer of systems to protect enterprises from large-scale worm and virus attacks.

NetSift represents the sixth company that Cisco has moved to acquire this year and its seventh security-related acquisition since 2003.

Cisco said the deal is slated to close in its fiscal fourth quarter ending July 30. Plans then call for NetSift to become part of the San Jose, Calif.-based networking giant's Internet Systems Business Unit led by Tom Edsall, vice president and general manager.

Shares of Cisco traded down 14 cents at $19.16 Monday morning.