SAIC grows with purchase of cybersecurity firm

Science Applications International Corp. has acquired Atlan Inc., a cybersecurity product-testing firm in McLean, Va. Financial terms were not reported.

Atlan provides validation testing under Federal Information Processing Standards 140-2 and 201, the government computer security standards issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The standards are used to accredit cryptographic modules, including software and hardware components.

Atlan evaluates information technology security products against FIPS specifications and provides testing services for FIPS and Security Content Automation Protocol.

Certification and testing are necessary to ensure that cryptographic modules meet certain standards for collecting, storing, transferring and sharing sensitive but unclassified information. The modules are primarily used by the federal government and regulated industries, such as financial and health care institutions, company officials said.

Atlan is also certified to perform FIPS 201 validation, which is required for key technology solutions used to comply with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12.

Atlan’s employees will join SAIC’s Accreditation Testing and Evaluation Laboratories under the company’s Intelligence and Information Solutions Business Unit, led by Larry Cox, senior vice president and business unit general manager.

SAIC, of San Diego, ranks No. 7 on Washington Technology’s 2009 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.