Citrix Buys Unicon to Bolster Endpoint Security for Users, MSPs

Unicon GmbH, the creators of the eLux secure endpoint operating system (OS), is being acquired by Citrix in a deal that aims to dramatically bolster the endpoint security capabilities and features in its virtual apps and desktop delivery technology platform.

The deal also includes the acquisition of Unicon’s enterprise management platform, Scout. No price tag or other details of the acquisition were announced, and Citrix did not respond to requests for comment from ChannelE2E about what the deal will mean for the company and its MSP partners.

What we do know from a prepared statement is that the acquisition of Unicon adds the secure eLux client OS and endpoint management platform to Citrix’s products, giving the company a broader range of endpoint security protections for customers and MSP providers. The addition of eLux also aims to help Citrix improve infrastructure resiliency and better manage operating costs for customers and MSP partners as they use it to access business applications and desktops, according to the company.

The eLux OS is a lightweight, Linux-based, hardware-agnostic, and secure x86 endpoint operating system used to scale and secure end-user computing in complex virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and Desktop-as-a-Service environments.

Citrix, a business unit of Cloud Software Group, Inc., has maintained an existing technology partnership with Unicon since 2001. Unicon is a Citrix Ready partner in the company’s partner program. Unicon’s eLux OS is deployed to more than 2.5 million endpoint devices in more than 65 countries, including large-scale customers with fleets of 300,000+ endpoint devices, the company said. 

By bringing together the Citrix and Unicon platforms, Citrix will be able to provide secure access to users without them having to buy additional endpoint protection software, the company said in the statement.

Unicon Provides Tools That Boost Citrix’s Features: Analyst

Rob Enderle, principal analyst with Enderle Group, told ChannelE2E that Citrix does already have endpoint management capabilities for its platform, but that “it may be that the offering they acquired is better for some or all applications than their own, so they are bringing the better application inside and eliminating the competitive friction.” 

And for Citrix, this could be an important step to gaining broader traction in 2025, he added.

“Citrix has been on its back foot lately; they need to revitalize their platform and attract interest in it,” said Enderle. Acquisitions like this could help the company fill in gaps in its products and features that customers and MSPs need, he added.

Another benefit for the company is that customers often appreciate bringing products together so they have fewer vendors to work with, he said.

“Customers like complete offerings and the idea of ‘one throat to choke’ where they can get remedies for a problem without coordinating across multiple vendors,” said Enderle. “So, if they like Unicon’s solution, this move will reduce their support aggravation and, over time, the product should become better integrated due to it becoming an internal offering from Citrix.” 

 Citrix’s acquisition of Unicon follows its December 2024 purchases of deviceTRUST and Strong Network, as the company increased its holdings in companies and features involving zero-trust security and hybrid work models.

Citrix is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while Unicon is based in Germany.