March 17 (Reuters) - Google-parent Alphabet is

in advanced talks to acquire cybersecurity startup Wiz for

around $30 billion, a source familiar with the matter said on

Monday, potentially marking the tech giant's largest deal to

date.

The deal hasn't been signed and could still change, the

person said.

Alphabet and Wiz did not immediately reply to Reuters

requests for comment.

The Wall Street Journal on Monday first reported the

news of the talks between the companies, citing people familiar

with the matter.

Wiz had called off a $23-billion deal with Alphabet last

year to focus on its initial public offering.

The startup provides cloud-based cybersecurity solutions

powered by artificial intelligence that help companies identify

and remove critical risks on cloud platforms.

A buyout of this size will most likely face regulatory

scrutiny as tech giants are kept under close watch for possible

monopolistic practices.

If the deal goes through, it could help Alphabet tap

into the cybersecurity industry and expand its booming cloud

infrastructure segment, which generated more than $43 billion in

revenue last year.

Alphabet

walked away

from a deal to acquire online marketing software company

HubSpot ( HUBS ) last year.

Interest in the cybersecurity industry has surged since

the global CrowdStrike ( CRWD ) outage last year, making

enterprises more concerned about protecting their digital

infrastructures.

Wiz was last

valued at $12 billion

in a private funding round in May 2024.