Major antivirus suppliers responded with guarded
optimism to Microsoft's announcement that it will buy antivirus
technology from Romania's GeCAD Software and offer its own
antivirus products.
The five biggest antivirus software suppliers, Symantec, Network
Associates, Trend Micro, Computer Associates and Sophos, see
Microsoft's move as an acknowledgement that fighting viruses is a
key part of cybersecurity.
However, the suppliers also stressed that using antivirus
technology alone is not enough to be safe online.
If Microsoft were to become a major player in the basic
antivirus space, the suppliers would be in the game of selling
crucial additional software and services such as intrusion
detection, firewall and security management applications.
"We still need to understand the full implications of this,"
said Genevieve Haldeman, spokeswoman for market leader
Symantec.
"We believe that customers are going to continue to look to
independent security companies to provide comprehensive threat
protection for Microsoft's as well as other popular operating
environments."
Computer Associates said Microsoft has taken "the next
evolutionary step in the world of plain antivirus", said Ian
Hameroff, a security strategist at Computer Associates.
However, antivirus is just one piece of a total security
strategy and Computer Associates sells the other pieces.
Although Microsoft will now become a competitor, the software
maker is also an important partner for antivirus software
suppliers. Access to Microsoft APIs (application program
interfaces) is key to making virus traps work well.
"We still see Microsoft as collaborators," said Network
Associates president Gene Hodges.
Cutting off access to APIs would backfire on Microsoft as it
would result in hordes of angry customers, Hodges said.
"I don't think Microsoft would do that. I expect Microsoft to
work in its self interest and its self interest would be to give
access to other suppliers," he said.
Trend Micro said Microsoft's acquisition of GeCAD's technology
is a necessary part of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing
initiative.
Bundling antivirus software with Windows could change the
competitive landscape dramatically and even sideline antivirus
suppliers in a Netscape-like scenario. Netscape is the web browser
that fizzled when Microsoft bundled Internet Explorer with
Windows.
"The situation might change if they bundle it [antivirus
software] with Windows," Network Associates' Hodges said.
Microsoft said it would not offer antivirus software for free as
part of Windows or any other product.
Several analysts said Microsoft has a major technology advantage
in building antivirus software for its own products.
"Microsoft will be a competitor with a strong advantage," said
Jan Sundgren, an analyst with Forrester Research.
"They could bundle it and if it just comes along for free,
customers will look at it first before buying another product," he
added.
The worldwide antivirus software market hit $1.1bn (£666m) in
2001 in terms of revenue and is growing steadily with a predicted
compound annual growth rate of 11% to hit $1.8bn (£1.1bn) in 2006,
according to research firm Gartner.
With its products and operating systems the frequent target of
virus writers, Microsoft is devoting an increasing amount of
attention to antivirus technology in recent months.
In May, the company joined with Network Associates and Trend
Micro to form the Virus Information Alliance in an effort to keep
users better informed about virus threats to Microsoft
products.
Microsoft also developed a virus scanning API for its upcoming
Exchange 2003 e-mail server.
Microsoft acquires antivirus technology >>
Joris Evers and Paul Roberts write for IDG News
Service