Microsoft Revamps, Rebrands Sybari Anti-Virus

Less than a year after its acquisition of enterprise anti-virus vendor Sybari Software Inc., Microsoft Corp. is revamping and rebranding the flagship Antigen product line.

The product will now assume the Microsoft name and a new virus scan engine that was internally developed at Redmond using technology acquired from GeCAD Software Srl.

The Antigen line gives customers a choice of as many as seven anti-virus scanning engines from third-party vendors Network Associates Inc., Norman Data Defense Systems, Sophos Inc., Computer Associates International Inc. and Kaspersky Lab.

The Antigen makeover was announced by Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer during a powwow with business partners in Munich, Germany.

Ballmer said the addition of Microsofts own anti-virus scan engine is part of the companys defense-in-depth strategy. Existing Sybari customers will get the Microsoft anti-virus scan engine at no additional charge throughout the length of their contracts.

The rebranded product, which has undergone a code rewrite in keeping with the companys Security Development Lifecycle, offers anti-virus and anti-spam security software for messaging and collaboration servers.

Microsofts enterprise anti-virus plans do not extend to customers on Unix and Linux platforms. Click here to read more.

Since the acquisition earlier this year, Microsoft has dropped support for the Unix and Linux platforms, a move that affected the Sybari Antigen 6.0 for Lotus Domino servers running IBMs AIX Unix operating system.

During the meeting, Ballmer also outlined Microsofts companywide security strategy and product road map, which includes plans for the rollout of Microsoft Client Protection, a new anti-spyware/anti-virus and rootkit detection product for the corporate market.

Ballmer said Microsoft will continue to make "significant investments" around security to ensuring the highest degree of quality in Microsoft software and the creation of new security products and services.

Ballmer also announced the formation of the SecureIT Alliance, a group of security partners that are working together to develop security products for the Microsoft platform.

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