Anti-malware Vendors Stare Down Microsoft Threat

Captain Rose writes "Matt Hines at eWEEK has stepped up to report the other side of the story CNET inked recently on the perceived death knell that Vista will deliver to independent anti-spyware vendors. There's definitely a fight in store (David v. Goliath), though who knows how long we'll have to wait to see it play out now that Vista's delayed yet again. Is this a bit of foreshadowing on how the new Microsoft OS will address the self-replicating, zero-day spyware threats?" From the article: "Most industry watchers concede that it will be hard for Microsoft to easily displace the enterprise security businesses of leading vendors such as Symantec, McAfee and Trend Micro, which market integrated packages of applications to companies wishing to solve long lists of problems. However, for firms that are focused on only one of those problem areas, analysts said, Vista and the other Microsoft security products could pose a significant threat."

Comments

They need not worry

[Anonymous Coward]

If Microsoft stays true to form, their security tools will be full of security holes. They might even spawn a second tier industry similar to the anti-virus/worm/etc industry.

Re:They need not worry

[tktk]

I think you've just described a user's worse nightmare.

An OS with security holes protected by a security tool that has security holes. So malware writers will attack the security holes of the security tool to attack the security holes in the OS.

You'll have to download updates to close the security holes in the security tool used to attack the security holes in the OS. Then you'll have to download updates for the security tool to close the security holes in the OS.

Ow...I think I brained my hurt.

I understand M$'s desire to squash these guys

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

I understand M$'s desire to squash these guys. Every time some server custodian buys another Symantec/Trend/McAfee license, the thought in the back of that custodian's head has to be "I wonder how much less of Symantec/Trend/McAfee's shit I would have to deal with if we didn't have so many M$ platforms running around."

Re:Write better malware

[BSDFreak]

You mean they don't already do that?

I already have anti-malware from Microsoft

[iminplaya]

format.com

Re:Self replicating ...

[mabu]

My guess is a "journalist"