Security threats Toolkit

US Report: Symantec buys Intel anti-virus business

ZDNN, US ZDNet US

Published: 28 Sep 1998 15:57 BST

Symantec said it has also licensed Intel systems management technology which it will combine with its own anti-virus technology to create anti-virus systems to protect corporate computer networks from unwanted intrusions or sabotage.

Symantec's existing Norton AntiVirus technology will be integrated into a new anti-virus product that Intel has had under development for most of this year.

The product will be combined with Intel LANDesk Management Suite and launched as a Norton AntiVirus product later this year to provide an upgrade for current LANDesk Virus Protect customers. LANDesk is a group of products that monitors computer network's functioning.

Companies to support each other's products

As part of the agreement, Symantec will support Intel's 18,000 registered anti-virus customers, and Intel will recommend Norton AntiVirus to its corporate customers worldwide. Intel will also market the Norton AntiVirus product line through its reseller channel worldwide.

Symantec will use the Intel systems management technology it has licensed to help build the Digital Immune System that Symantec is developing with IBM.

The Digital Immune System combines Symantec's products with network technology from IBM to provide corporate customers with an automated environment to keep systems up.

Intel is the world's largest chip maker and also makes computers. Symantec is the largest maker of utility software.