Controversial Firms Cellebrite and Corellium Announce $200 Million Acquisition Deal

Israel-based forensic investigation solutions provider Cellebrite announced on Thursday an agreement to acquire US-based virtualization software firm Corellium in a $200 million deal.

Cellebrite provides governments and other organizations with tools that enable the extraction and analysis of data from mobile devices and computers. Corellium has developed device virtualization solutions for mobile security research, mobile app testing, and IoT device modeling.

By joining forces, the two companies aim to provide customers in the public safety, intelligence, defense and private sectors with advanced solutions for the identification of mobile vulnerabilities and exploits, tools for visualizing and interacting with virtual devices as if they were real, enhanced DevSecOps solutions, and mobile pen testing.

Cellebrite has agreed to acquire Corellium for $170 million in cash, with $20 million converted to equity at closing. Cellebrite is also prepared to pay up to an additional $30 million in cash over the next two years if certain performance milestones are achieved. 

Both companies have been at the center of controversy in recent years. Cellebrite’s mobile forensic tools have made headlines for the exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities as part of spyware campaigns. 

Corellium was sued by Apple in 2019 for copyright infringement over its product replicating the iOS mobile operating system. A US appeals court sided with Corellium in May 2023 and by the end of the same year the two companies reached a confidential settlement. 

Documents shared by Apple as part of the lawsuit showed that Corellium engaged with some controversial companies such as spyware maker NSO Group.

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