HCL AppScan
| Company type | Product |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software security testing |
| Predecessor | IBM AppScan |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Sanctum Ltd. (originally Perfecto Technologies) |
| Headquarters | Israel, United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Owner | HCLTech |
| Parent | HCLSoftware |
HCL AppScan (previously known as IBM AppScan) constitutes a collection of desktop and web security testing and surveillance solutions. Initially, it was part of IBM's Rational Software division. In July 2019, the product was acquired by HCLTech and is currently promoted under HCLSoftware, a branch of HCLTech.
History
The origins of AppScan trace back to the Israeli firm Sanctum Ltd. (originally Perfecto Technologies), which launched the product in 1998. The following year, Sanctum broadened its portfolio by introducing an application firewall named AppShield, created by Gili Raanan and hosted on a dedicated Linux server.
February 2001 saw the release of version 2.0, which featured a policy recognition engine, a knowledge base, a customizable crawler, and an attack simulation tool. Version 3 arrived in April 2002, enhancing the product with collaborative testing capabilities alongside improvements to the scanning and reporting user interface. By 2003, AppScan had gained over 500 enterprise clients and generated close to $30 million in yearly revenue.
In July 2004, Sanctum was acquired by Massachusetts-based Watchfire, which positioned AppScan as its primary product and designated Sanctum’s Herzliya research and development center as Watchfire’s central development site.
IBM purchased Watchfire in June 2007, incorporating AppScan into its Rational Software portfolio to strengthen its application lifecycle security offerings. Consequently, Watchfire’s R&D facility became part of IBM’s Israeli laboratories.
In 2009, IBM expanded AppScan's capabilities by acquiring Ounce Labs, integrating source code vulnerability analysis via the AppScan Source Edition.
June 2019 marked HCL’s acquisition of selected IBM software assets—including AppScan, commerce, collaboration, digital experience platforms, and BigFix solutions—through a $1.8 billion transaction.