Container security just consolidated: Echo Software has acquired the assets of Minimus, a rival hardening specialist that wound down operations.
Echo rebuilds software artifacts with vetted repairs rather than just scanning for flaws, distributing vulnerability-free containers, libraries, OS packages, virtual machines and Helm charts. Its AI agents investigate vulnerabilities, develop and validate patches, and maintain a hardened ecosystem for customers.
Minimus built purpose-built minimal containers that strip away shells, compilers and package managers to shrink attack surfaces. Echo chief executive Eilon Elhadad said the deal ensures Minimus’s work does not disappear, while Minimus CEO Ben Bernstein called Echo the right home for its technology.
The acquisition broadens the number of Linux distributions Echo can support. It follows Echo’s $35M Series A in December, led by N47, and puts it in direct competition with Chainguard in the secure-container market.
Supply chain risk remains acute: Black Duck found open-source vulnerabilities in 87% of commercial codebases it audited this year.
