Netgear Moves Beyond VPNs With Exium Acquisition, Targets SMEs With Built-In SASE Security

• Netgear acquires Exium to deliver built-in cybersecurity for small business networks.
• Aims to replace traditional business VPNs with integrated SASE-based security systems.
• New routers will offer zero-trust protection and cloud-managed security out of the box.

Netgear is stepping into the business cybersecurity market with its acquisition of Exium, a U.S.-based company that provides cloud-delivered secure networking. The move signals Netgear’s intent to offer more than just hardware. By embedding cybersecurity directly into its products, it hopes to simplify protection for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

Traditionally known for its routers and Wi-Fi equipment, Netgear now wants to replace standard business VPNs with a more advanced Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) approach. SASE is a modern cybersecurity model that combines networking and security in a single, cloud-managed solution. By integrating Exium’s platform, Netgear plans to make enterprise-grade protection more accessible and automatic for companies with limited IT resources.

"AI has changed the threat landscape for small and medium enterprises as well as larger businesses, but the solutions for SMEs are often too difficult to implement or need to be cobbled onto the network and managed separately,” said Pramod Badjate, President and GM of Netgear for Business. “By offering the Exium SASE solution with the goal of integrating it into our Insight cloud management platform, we’ll be able to bring our customers a seamless, single-pane-of-glass solution.”

Netgear says the new system will combine secure networking (both wired and wireless) with built-in cybersecurity protections, right out of the box. This will eliminate the need for separate VPN software or third-party tools. The hardware itself will be “secure by design,” meaning routers and switches will come pre-equipped with Exium’s security layer.

At the heart of Exium’s solution is a “zero trust” architecture, which means that no user or device is trusted by default, even if they are inside the network. This approach helps prevent unauthorized access and limits damage from potential breaches. The technology aligns with Netgear’s roadmap to offer Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) to its business customers.

Exium CEO Farooq Khan said the company’s original mission was to bring better cybersecurity to SMEs. “Exium was built from the ground up as a cybersecurity solution to help protect small and medium enterprises that lack a comprehensive solution for combating cybersecurity threats,” he said. “We share a similar vision with Netgear and are excited to be joining the team.”

The acquisition also means Netgear can develop future hardware with cybersecurity deeply integrated, aiming to give SMEs a plug-and-play experience when it comes to both connectivity and protection.

With the rise of AI-driven threats and increasingly complex digital infrastructures, Netgear’s latest move reflects a growing demand for simplified, all-in-one security solutions that don’t require large IT teams to operate. The company is positioning itself as a one-stop shop for SMEs looking for performance and peace of mind in a single package.