Investment firm General Atlantic has become the second largest shareholder in internet security provider Kaspersky Lab after acquiring a number of the business’s secondary shares.

Investment firm General Atlantic has become the second largest shareholder in internet security provider Kaspersky Lab after acquiring a number of the business’s secondary shares.

Kaspersky Lab plans to continue its international expansion and plans to acquire companies for growth following the investment, the terms of which have not been disclosed. Chief executive, co-founder and controlling shareholder of Kaspersky Lab, Eugene Kaspersky, says the partnership is a ‘strategic step’ for the company.

Founded in 1997, Kaspersky Lab develops anti-virus and threat software and is headquartered in Moscow, Russia, with a regional office, including research and development, in Oxford, UK.

According to a statement from the company, Kaspersky Lab targets both consumer and corporate clients, and plans to expand its technology and product portfolio to include services for cloud computing and mobile technology.

General Atlantic, which has offices in London and abroad, manages $17 billion (£10.7 billion) in capital, investing between $50 million and $500 million as minority or majority investors in private and public companies.