Posted by Virus Bulletin on Feb 8, 2005
Microsoft announces another AV acquisition
Microsoft has announced that it has signed definitive agreements to acquire AV and security provider Sybari Software Inc.
Microsoft says it plans to use this acquisition to further provide its enterprise customers with new solutions to help protect them from malicious software.
Microsoft has been using Sybari products to protect its own enterprise communication and collaboration infrastructure for the last eight months. The company says that it is partly due to the success it has had in deploying Sybari's solution that it intends to acquire the privately-held company (which only last month set the terms of its planned initial public offering (IPO) in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission).
Microsoft Chief Information Officer Ron Markezich said: 'We think that Sybari offers strong technologies and approaches that we can offer to help protect our customers from the threats of malicious software. There's no single answer to the problem of greater security, so Microsoft has been engaged in helping customers secure their environments by providing guidance, taking a leadership role in the industry and making investments in technology.'
Back in June 2003 Microsoft purchased Romanian anti-virus firm GeCAD - since when the AV industry has been waiting to see what Microsoft's second attempt at entering the anti-virus field will bring.
Despite last month's confirmation of the company's intentions to sell its own anti-virus product Markezich made no specific mention of such plans when explaining its latest acquisition: 'Our acquisition of GeCAD helped us to deliver cleaner tools to help customers recover after the Blaster, MyDoom, Sasser and Download.Ject infections. It also helped us to provide the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool to more than 133 million PCs. In December, we acquired GIANT Software Company to help give customers relief against spyware ... Our acquisition of Sybari is consistent with this approach. It provides us with additional technology to help address customer concerns regarding security.'
Posted on 8 February 2005 by Virus Bulletin
