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17 January 2020PatentsEdward Pearcey

Zscaler settles Symantec patent lawsuits for $15 million

Zscaler will pay $15 million to settle several patent infringement lawsuits filed by Symantec, bringing to an end a three-year dispute around issues such as internet security, data loss and antivirus software.

According to a statement from cloud-based net security company Zscaler, a “full and complete” settlement has been reached between Zscaler and Broadcom, following Broadcom’s acquisition of the patents underlying the Symantec lawsuits as a part of its recent purchase of the Symantec enterprise security business.

“We are pleased that we were able to reach an amicable agreement with Broadcom to resolve the lawsuits,” said Zscaler chairman and CEO Jay Chaudhry.

“While we were confident of our position in the case, we believe this outcome is in the best long-term interest of our stockholders and customers,” he added.

In November 2019, Broadcom, a semiconductor and infrastructure software provider, purchased Symantec’s enterprise security business.

Under the settlement, Broadcom will license the patents at issue to Zscaler and undertake not to sue in exchange for a payment of $15 million.

In June 2016, Symantec, a cybersecurity software company, purchased Blue Coat Systems, a provider of cybersecurity hardware and software. The trouble began a few months later when Symantec filed a lawsuit (with the US Federal District Court for the District of Delaware) against Zscaler accusing it of violating seven of Symantec’s web security and data protection patents.

This was followed shortly by another lawsuit claiming another seven infringements, around security scanning and intrusion prevention.

Both Broadcom and Zscaler have been contacted for comments.

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9 February 2015   A US court has awarded licensing company Intellectual Ventures $17 million in damages after finding that anti-virus software business Symantec infringed two of its patents.