DUBLIN, Ireland: Accenture has announced it will acquire Australian cybersecurity provider CyberCX, which it says will be its largest-ever purchase in the sector, as demand for cyber defense services soars worldwide.

The Australian Financial Review valued the deal at over A$1 billion (US$650 million).

The seller is private equity firm BGH Capital, which created CyberCX in 2019 by merging 12 smaller cybersecurity companies. Neither Accenture nor BGH Capital has confirmed the valuation or provided additional financial details.

The acquisition comes amid a surge in cyberattacks targeting industries from healthcare to finance. Increasingly sophisticated threats are disrupting operations and exposing sensitive data.

CyberCX employs about 1,400 staff and operates security operations centres across Australia and New Zealand, as well as offices in London and New York.

For Accenture, the deal marks the latest in a series of security-focused acquisitions. Since 2015, the Dublin, Ireland headquarted company has completed 20 such purchases, including Brazilian cyber defense firm Morphus, MNEMO Mexico, and Spain-based Innotec Security.

"Client demand for cybersecurity services is accelerating as data and digital environments become increasingly connected and heightened threats are exposed across operational value chains, supply chains, and the enterprise," said Peter Burns, who heads Accenture's operations in Australia and New Zealand.