Google to buy cybersecurity firm Wiz for $32 billion in the biggest deal in company’s history

SAN FRANCISCO — Google has struck a deal to buy cybersecurity firm Wiz for $32 billion in what would be the tech giant’s biggest-ever acquisition at the same time it’s facing a potential breakup of its internet empire. Wedbush analysts called Google’s move to buy Wiz “a shot across the bow” at other tech giants, particularly Microsoft and Amazon, who have already made big bets on cyber security as the fight to dominate cloud computing intensifies. A $5.4 billion purchase of another security firm, Mandiant, in 2022 also helped fuel the recent growth of Google’s Cloud division, which posted an operating profit of $6.1 billion last year. Still, Wedbush’s analysts note the industry is “ripe for consolidation” — which could pose “massive growth opportunities on the horizon heading into this AI Revolution.” Antitrust worries were also believed among the reasons Wiz called off sales talks with Google last year while President Joe Biden’s administration was seeking to block a variety of tech deals.