RSSMicrosoft Buys Antivirus Vendor
By Ed Oswald | Published February 8, 2005, 12:11 PM
Continuing its aggressive moves in the area of protecting consumers, Microsoft announced Tuesday that it had finalized plans to acquire Sybari Software, most commonly known for its work in antivirus protection for messaging and collaboration servers. According to Microsoft, the acquisition is a key part of its security strategy.
Sybari is Microsoft's second purchase in the antivirus space after acquiring GeCAD Software in July 2003. "Through this acquisition, we're excited to be able to provide customers with a server-level anti-virus solution that delivers advanced file and content-filtering capabilities and the use of multiple scan engines," said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Security Business and Technology Unit.
Why are people so intent on complaining about Windows Technology, even when their motives are obviously to better the software.
How well do the AntiVirus Products out there really work? When you get a new virus that is ahead of the definitions curve, what do you have to do, download a removal tool. Does microsoft write the viruses? So how is it their fault? They are now taking actions to further protect their products, and so what if it's not free. Don't you pay for your AV product now. From what I have heard, they are working on technology that will not only detect and prevent viruses, but actually remove them if they happen to infect the system. Same for worms, trojans, etc.
Symantec, Mcafee, and a handful of others have been lax too long in making software that hardly works and releasing yearly updates with little more than a new version number to generate revenue. I hope that MS is a good competitor since it can only make AV protection better.
As an expample, do yourself a favor and download the AntiSpyware Beta. If this is any indication of how well their AV software will work, then I am very excited. It may not be perfect, but it does a helluva a better job than most pay spyware removal software and it's only beta1.
As for the "holes" if you would provide me to the link of the bulletproof software you have developed and scoured the code for every conceivable possible security hole, I will gladly download it. But it must also be usuable and intuitive, which is exactly what a lot of alternative operating systems are not. But, if you work for a company that only employs rocket scientists and IT professionals, then go for it.
Chew on this!
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I agree that windows bashing is getting boring and that the antispyware software is very good. If that were to stay free i would be a happy man.
I also agree that an av that worked with windows rather than around windows would be very nice. But with superb free products like Avast out there I will have to have a damn good reason to pay for an MS AV.
Time will tell and with luck they will continue this new public beta mentallity to get it tested properly!!
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The way I see it is if Microsoft didn't have so many holes in their OS we wouldn't need an AV. We know that their OS is vulnerable don't you think their AV will be too? There is a track record here.
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"The way I see it is if Microsoft didn't have so many holes in their OS we wouldn't need an AV"
This is pure unadulterated RUBBISH.
I don't know where to begin in dissecting this fallacy. Perhaps with the fact that even the best written OSs are prone to social engineering and worms, or maybe the obvious concept that when you're number one more people have you in their gunsights than the less high profile competition, or possibly the approach that the kiddies who download kits and build viruses are looking for their five minutes of fame and this is the easiest target because there is so much more of it out there than any other OS...
And that's just for starters.
Do get your head out of the sand and give it a vigorous shake.
I don't care what OS you run - it's prudent to run an AV. Your statement is as foolish and devoid of merit as the claim that a given file system runnings under such-and-such an OS doesn't fragment.
Where *DO* these ridiculous myths come from?
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You do realize that AV software on Unix and Linux is only to detect and kill Windows based viruses right?
LOL
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You do realize that ANY OS is prone to worms and social-engineered virii, right?
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This is interesting. Sybari has licenses to a bunch of AVs (Norman, KAV, McAfee, eTrust, VET, VirusBuster, and something else).
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How long will it be before Microsoft starts charging it's customer base a yearly "subscription" to virus definitions?
They aren't about to provide a free anti virus solution to clean up their mess for free! This way Microsoft can have it's high priced OS "and" continued revenue - nice.
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Why oh why do I always hear complaints about Microsoft. If Redhat were to do the same, it would be the greatest move ever. And, it would be a good move.
Ask yourself honestly... I if you had one update tool to update patches for your OS and Virus scanner, would you want that tool to exist. I will give you a hint... Microsoft is working on it and so is Redhat, Suse (Novell), and every other Linux provider will be working in that direction too.
Do you really think software is free? Facts show that Windows returns the best TCO and you can reference two of the best companies for Measurement: Gartner www.gartner.com and IDC www.idc.com. Search OS and TCO or RoIT (Return on IT). I can't help you if you don't have a subscription to one or both, but if you have niether you should not be running an IT department anyway.
I encourage you to respond with your facts and at the minimum provide your source. Enough of: I feel or facts show. If you don't show the facts that facts show, they are not facts.
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Very good choice, Sybari is a well trusted company in the AV space.
Wait till the EU hears about this, though. They'll get mad when Windows ships with an AV already installed and require a lighter, virus enabled version.
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Apparently even with all these bogus lawsuits MS insists in integrating more and more features into Windows. I'm afraid with this particular step MS is definately asking for negative attention, there are lots of people who work for McAfee and Symantec, though I personally don't care for their products this could cause many layoffs...oh, and I'm not "whining", just thinking out loud.
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It's a fine line. The whiners b**** and complain that MS does not do enough for OS functionality and then the whiners b**** and complain that they do TOO much.
I say "to hell with the whiners" and do what you need to do.
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Hopefully, Microsoft doesn't destroy McAfee... I have used Mcafee antivirus for YEARS. Microsoft has a problem with releasing products with TONS of holes and spending the next 3-4 years patching and patching the patches, and patching those patches.
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I hope this purchase DOES rattle the cages of the complacent fat cats, namely McAfee and Symantec. In the case of the former, "we'll have that in our next release" doesn't work very well and in the case of the latter, neither does an eight year old architecture propped up by add-ons and patches.
Maybe with MS in the games these overpriced white elephants will finally be forced to be innovative and competitive again.
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I think it's a great idea, we need them to be a monopoly that market too.
:-P
Seriously, more power to them.
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