Facebook wants to buy a big cybersecurity company after 2 catastrophic data breaches

AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

• Facebook is looking to acquire a major cybersecurity company, The Information reports.
• The tech firm has reportedly assembled a team to scout out big cybersecurity firms to add to its technical expertise and to quell criticism of its data protection.
• It comes a few weeks after Facebook disclosed it had detected the biggest data breach in its history, which affected 30 million users.

Facebook is shopping around for a big cybersecurity company, The Information reports.

Citing four people familiar with the matter, The Information said Facebook has approached a number of cybersecurity companies with a view to a possible acquisition.

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Sources declined to say which companies had been approached, but one said a deal could be closed as soon as the end of this year.

Facebook has reportedly assembled a team to scout out targets with a view to bolstering its cybersecurity expertise and to quell public criticism of its data protection.

Facebook has faced a barrage of criticism due to a few high-level scandals. Last month it disclosed that it had detected the biggest data breach in its history which affected some 30 million users. Facebook stated in October that it believed spammers, not state-sponsored agents, were behind the hack.

The Cambridge Analytica data-scraping scandal also exposed Facebook to scrutiny over how well it protects the data of its users.

Business Insider has contacted Facebook for comment.