Security firm McAfee announced on Monday that the company had signed a definitive agreement to buy network security vendor Secure Computing in a cash transaction valued at $465 million.

McAfee announced that it intended to pay $5.75 for each common share of Secure Computing and purchase all outstanding preferred shares for approximately $84 million. The acquisition of Secure Computing will give McAfee more products and expertise in the area of network security. Two years ago, Secure Computing purchased CipherTrust, an anti-spam and messaging security provider, for $274 million.

“Today’s announcement of this pending acquisition is a natural extension of McAfee’s security-only focus,” Dave DeWalt, chief executive officer and president of McAfee, said in the statement.

IBM, McAfee and Symantec -- the owner of SecurityFocus -- have all made major purchases in the past few years, snapping up leaders in potential markets. In 2007, McAfee bought SafeBoot and Symantec bought Vontu -- both buys vaulting the companies into the data-loss prevention market. IBM bought security firm Watchfire, and in 2006, purchased Internet Security Systems, a major security and consulting firm, in an all-cash deal valued at $1.3 billion. Google has also bought a handful of security companies, including e-mail security firm Postini and GreenBorder Technologies, which used virtualization to protect client-side applications.

Secure Computing (NASDAQ: SCUR) closed at $5.59, up 24 percent for the day.

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