RSS Alerts

Share

More services

Related Links

Related Stories

  • Comment: Security Has Become a Black and White Issue
    As cyber-attacks become increasingly sophisticated, Bimal Parmar of Faronics argues that organizations can no longer rely solely on traditional blacklist technologies, but must adopt a layered approach to endpoint security
  • RSA: Lumension and Microsoft ink whitelisting deal
    Endpoint security company Lumension teamed up with Microsoft at the RSA show to launch a software whitelisting service. The move, which sees the companies sharing information about legitimate software applications, lends increasing credence to the idea that blacklisting malicious software by signature is becoming less tenable as the number of malware variants increases.
  • Does it Matter if It’s Black or White(listing)?
    While many experts agree that whitelisting provides superior security to that of its antonym, blacklisting, there are concerns over its practicality and usability. Kevin Townsend puts the technologies head to head
  • Comment: Managing Cybercrime
    Matthijs van der Wel from Verizon Business Security Solutions discusses the emerging threats from cybercriminals and how businesses can manage cybercrime in 2011.
  • Increased use of IT in vehicles poses greater security and privacy risks
    With the increasing use of information technology in vehicles, the security threats and privacy concerns created by this technology are also growing, warned Raj Samani, chief technology officer (CTO) with McAfee EMEA.

Top 5 Stories

News

McAfee acquires Solidcore for whitelisting technology

20 May 2009

McAfee will acquire Solidcore Systems, a whitelisting specialist, in a US$33m deal which will allow McAfee to integrate Solidcore's technology into its blacklisting malware detection and prevention products, as well as to bolster its high-end corporate IT security offerings.

The acquisition is interesting, Infosecurity notes, as Solidcore's dynamic whitelisting technology allows IT managers to choose which elements of programme code can execute on their computers.

Using this approach is viewed by many as a better option than selecting which applications that are not allowed to run - i.e. the blacklisting approach.

Although McAfee has yet to reveal which areas of the specialist security market it plans to offer the Solidcore technology into, there is a strong possibility the company will boost its efforts in the financial services sector (for ATMs) and SCADA deployments, which are used to protect national infrastructure networks.

Solidcore already has more than 100 financial institutions with 200 000 endpoints and around 15 000 retail stores amongst its customers worldwide.

According to David DeWalt, McAfee's president, the acquisition will allow McAfee to expand its reach into new markets, secure new platforms and strengthen its hold as the leader in the US$6bn endpoint security market.

"Solidcore has strong financial results, is profitable and has a very good customer base. I see this as a win-win for our customers, partners and for Solidcore and McAfee."

The US$33m deal is expected to be closed during the second quarter of 2009, at which point McAfee's Risk and Compliance business unit will be expanded to incorporate the Solidcore team.
 

This article is featured in:
Application Security • Malware and Hardware Security

 

Comment on this article

You must be registered and logged in to leave a comment about this article.

Terms & Conditions |Privacy |Website Design|Reed Exhibitions. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2012