Norway-based digital rights management (DRM) vendor Beep Science has been acquired by US security technology company SafeNet, reports DRM Watch. It turns out the deal went down a few months ago and closed last week, but we're only finding out about it today.

The report said that SafeNet has made a string of acquisitions in recent years, including antipiracy service provider MediaSentry, also in 2005, and that the company started in the 1980s as an enterprise security technology vendor.

"Mobile DRM is an uncertain and fragmented market, even where it is eventually adopted; several technologies are in play, including Microsoft's PlayReady, Marlin, SDC, and potentially Apple's FairPlay in addition to OMA DRM 2.0," the report said. "It remains to be seen whether SafeNet can successfully integrate Beep Science's technologies with the ones it already has and translate that into opportunities that meet the needs of this ever-changing market." And to think that we just want DRM to go away already.