New company behind the “Hacker Safe” seal

McAfee announced a definitive agreement to acquire the privately-held ScanAlert, Inc., creators of the HACKER SAFE Web site security certification service, for approximately $51 million in cash up front and with an earn-out of up to an additional $24 million if certain performance targets are met. The acquisition will extend McAfee’s leadership position in Web security, and will help to guide the more than 116 million U.S. consumers who shop online to safe e-commerce Web sites.

ScanAlert audits and certifies the security of 8,000 customers representing more than 75,000 Web sites, and its patent-pending technology protects more than 15 million e-commerce transactions each month. The HACKER SAFE security trust mark is displayed by over 60% of the Internet Retailer Top 500 list, including well-known brands such as American Red Cross, GUESS, PETCO, Toshiba and Warner Brothers.