Broadcom unveils unified cybersecurity platform that’s not VMware

Broadcom has launched Symantec CBX, a unified SaaS platform designed to bring enterprise-grade security capabilities to the underserved mid-market and small business sectors. The offering integrates Carbon Black’s endpoint detection and response tools with Symantec’s attack-prevention technology, creating a consolidated extended detection and response (XDR) solution. This move signals a strategic shift for Broadcom as it leverages its channel partners to address security gaps in organizations that lack the resources for complex, multi-vendor security operations.

Broadcom’s new Symantec CBX platform represents a fusion of assets acquired through the company’s $61 billion purchase of VMware and its $10.7 billion acquisition of Symantec. By combining Carbon Black XDR with Symantec’s prevention tools, Broadcom aims to provide a single, cloud-based platform that simplifies security for midsize companies and managed service providers (MSPs). Jason Rolleston, VP and GM of Broadcom’s Enterprise Security Group, emphasized that the goal is to provide enterprise-grade protection and real-time insights to organizations that have historically been under-resourced and can no longer rely on security through obscurity.

To drive adoption, Broadcom is utilizing a channel-first strategy, moving away from its traditional focus on only the largest enterprise players. The company has restructured its distribution rights, dividing them geographically among five major partners: TD Synnex, Arrow Electronics, MBCOM Technologies, Westcon-Comstor, and Carahsoft Technology. This approach acknowledges that over 90% of the $300 billion in annual cybersecurity spending flows through the channel, according to Omdia analysts. Feris Rifai of TD Synnex noted that mid-market firms and MSPs are increasingly seeking unified platforms to avoid the operational bottlenecks and high costs associated with managing multiple disparate endpoint products.

The Symantec CBX platform incorporates advanced artificial intelligence, including a model trained on over 500,000 attack chains to predict future adversary movements. Additionally, generative AI features allow users to query complex Carbon Black data using natural language, translating technical findings into reports suitable for executive leadership. Broadcom enters an increasingly crowded field for mid-market platform security, competing with established players like Palo Alto Networks, WatchGuard, and CrowdStrike, the latter of which recently reported its managed security service provider business has grown tenfold in three years. Symantec CBX is slated for release later this year through the Catalyst Partner Program.