IBM to acquire compliance software firm Consul

IBM announced Tuesday that it plans to acquire auditing software specialist Consul Risk Management and incorporate it into its Tivoli software unit.

Consul's software product, sometimes marketed as "auditor in a box," is a compliance program that helps enterprise clients monitor and report questionable behavior among members of their IT administrations and intranets.

As a part of its Tivoli unit, IBM said, the Netherlands-based Consul will help bolster IBM's company-wide Service Management Initiative by improving data governance functions as well as compliance monitoring, auditing and reporting capabilities.

Companies currently using Consul's software include Ford Motor, Office Depot and Fidelity Bank. The acquisition by IBM is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2007.

Recent research has shown that insider threats comprise a large percentage of security breaches and identity theft incidents. Research released in September by the Ponemon Institute showed 78 percent of U.S. IT professionals report that their companies have experienced insider-related criminal activity.

This is the second Tivoli acquisition in recent weeks for IBM. In late November it announced plans to purchase wireless software development company Vallent.