Thoma Bravo has approached TPG to buy its stake in McAfee. : Private equity firm Thoma Bravo is in early discussions to acquire security software company McAfee from TPG and Intel for a significant premium over the company's 2016 $4.2 billion valuation, according to people familiar with the matter. Talks may still fall apart and a deal announcement isn't expected soon, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. McAfee, founded by John McAfee in 1987, historically developed cybersecurity software for personal computers and servers, protecting users from malware and other viruses.