Continuing its security-technology buying spree, Computer Associates on Monday announced that it is buying Tiny Software, a desktop firewall software maker, for an undisclosed sum.
Computer Associates International Inc. completed the acquisition of Santa Clara, Calif.-based Tiny Software Inc. on May 26 and plans to integrate Tinys wares with its eTrust Integrated Threat Management software. The purchase will add a new consumer security product to CAs growing line of desktop wares.
It is also part of an effort to tie together key CA security functions, including anti-virus and anti-spyware, with a common client for the companys enterprise customers, said Sam Curry, vice president of eTrust Security Management at Computer Associates.
Tiny, which also has offices in the Czech Republic, makes firewalls for Microsoft Corp. Windows systems. CA picked the company from among about 15 firewall vendors for its advanced features, such as XML architecture, support for 64-bit Windows operating systems, enterprise-class management features and advanced protection features, Curry said.
CA plans to use the Tiny technology to help build an integrated threat management client for desktops and servers that has anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall and intrusion prevention features, all managed from a centralized eTrust console, Curry said.
“We want our customers to have one agent and get one set of updates,” he said.
Customers will be able to select security functions a la carte, and add new functions through license updates rather than new software downloads, he said.
Currently, customers who are using eTrust for anti-virus and anti-spyware protection have to install separate clients on each machine. But the company plans to introduce an integrated anti-virus and anti-spyware client in the fourth quarter of 2005. The Tiny firewall will be integrated with that client the following year, in the fourth quarter of 2006, Curry said.
While it integrates Tinys technology into eTrust, CA plans to continue selling a rebranded version of the companys products to consumers, planned for December 2005. The company also will introduce new versions of the Tiny firewall in different languages, Curry said.
“Tinys not going away,” he said.
CA also will pursue OEM deals, as it has with anti-spyware technology it acquired with PestPatrol Inc. in August 2004, Curry said.
Over time, CA plans to integrate host-based IPS (intrusion prevention system) technology that Tiny developed, though Curry would not say when the IPS features might be available to customers.
CA sees the Tiny purchase and its planned integrated threat management client as a way to offer its customers client or end-point security, akin to Ciscos NAC (Network Access Control) program, Curry said.
In the meantime, CA plans to support existing endpoint security architectures such as NAC and Microsofts NAP (Network Access Protection). The companys anti-virus and anti-spyware programs are already NAC-compliant and communicate with Ciscos Security Agent software.