Dublin-based digital security firm Espion has been acquired by business services provider British Standards Institution (BSI) for an undisclosed sum.

Espion, which has 85 employees, was established in 2001. The group provides information management and security services that include governance, risk and compliance, R&D, eDiscovery and digital forensics.

In addition to its headquarters in Dublin, Espion also has offices in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Brussels and New York.

Espion was recently in the headlines when it was revealed it was hired to carry out a forensic examination of documents on a memory stick, linked to a High Court action taken by businessman Denis O’Brien against the PR firm Red Flag.

BSI is the originator of the internationally recognised ISO 27000 series of information security standards. It also provides training and certification to ISO 27001, a secondary certification standard. The group operates in 30 countries, including Ireland where it has over 2000 clients.

Howard Kerr, BSI's chief executive, said the acquisition of Espion would support BSI's expansion of its professional services activities.