EMC to Purchase RSA for $2.1 Billion

Storage manufacturer EMC announced late Thursday that it would acquire RSA Security, maker of the popular SecurID devices, in a deal valued at $2.1 billion. EMC will pay $28 per share for RSA, a hefty premium that has concerned investors and sent EMC shares plunging on Friday.

Security has become a critical factor in data storage, with companies like Microsoft releasing technologies to help companies lock down their data. EMC says it was missing a security solution from its product offerings. The acquisition is expected to close late in the third quarter, with RSA becoming EMC's Information Security Division.