McAfee sends 'Falcon' after Symantec, Microsoft

McAfee is readying new security software, code-named Falcon, to rival upcoming products from Symantec and newcomer Microsoft.

The product will integrate features found in McAfee's current range of security products with a revamped user interface to manage it, McAfee said in a statement Tuesday. The Santa Clara, Calif., company had been expected to make such an announcement in response to Microsoft's entry into the security market.

Falcon will protect PCs against spam, viruses, spyware and other threats such as phishing scams and rootkits, McAfee said. It will also offer tools to prevent data loss, help optimize PC performance and secure a wireless network, it said. The product is slated to debut this summer in a variety of packages.

"OneCare and Genesis are promoted as all-in-one, everything-you-need offerings," Marc Solomon, director of product management at McAfee, said in an interview. "We have done extensive research and talked to a lot of consumers and found out that one size does not always fit all."

Like Microsoft and Symantec, McAfee is promoting Falcon as a security product that is easy to use. The product will be sold as a service, with the consumer paying a recurring subscription price. Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare and Symantec's "Genesis" will also be sold on the same basis, the companies have said.

"McAfee has been doing security as a service since 1999, yet Symantec and Microsoft are coming out and touting this as a new thing," Solomon said. "There is a lot of learning that we have been able to integrate."

Overall, the new McAfee product looks very compelling, said Chris Swenson, an analyst at The NPD Group. "I think it will definitely help McAfee compete against the new subscription-based offerings from Microsoft and Symantec," he said. Yet, Swenson said he would have liked to see more details from McAfee, particularly pricing.

The consumer security software market is about to be shaken up by Microsoft's entry into the space. The software giant plans to ship OneCare next month, charging $49.95 a year to shield up to three PCs against viruses, spyware and other cyberthreats. Microsoft unveiled its plans for OneCare in May 2005.

In anticipation of Microsoft's entry into the consumer security domain, Symantec announced its Genesis service, which offers many of the same features as OneCare and McAfee's Falcon and is due by the end of September. Symantec and McAfee have not announced pricing for their new products.

[jasonemanuelson1]

The real question

How many pop-ups will they force upon users? Both Symantec
and McAfee SUCK when it comes to trying to upsell absolutely
everything. As an ISP/ASP, it is almost impossible to recommend
either of them. Yeah, they sometimes protect against viruses,
but most of the time, they are nothing more than a nuisance,
and big ones at that. It is too bad they do not listen to their
customers, or those that would recommend them, because they
would find far more support.

[BMR777]

Bigger (and bloated) isn't always better.

Honestly, I hate the McAfee software. I installed their AntiVirus and Firewall on my laptop and it seriously slows down boot time.

I am sticking with AVG Free. Best damn antivirus ever! And it's free!

BMR777
http://www.webringamerica.com

[SeizeCTRL]

Microsoft / Security

Relying on Microsoft for security is like hiring a crack addict as your accountant.

[Tanjore]

Nothing wrong if they have learnt their lessons

Nothing wrong to use microsoft solutions if they have learnt their lessons.

Any solution is to prevent future attacks. Microsoft will succeed depending on how quick they respond to problems and the quality of service they can provide.

You may say that microsoft gets attacked with Virus etc because of their lousy job at creating a decent software and I agree.

To give the credit, microsoft seems to be working hard to improve the OS!!!

If Vista has lots of problems, then god save microsoft!!!

[Jim Hubbard]

WIll it delete Word, Excel, etc. again?

Just wondering.....

[Ted Miller]

I don't like any of them!

I work with a lot of computers and give advice to service, sales people as well as in house. Norton was good a looooooooooooooing time ago. I loved them then but now they have have become so intrusive on my PC as if I am a stupid idiot who can't control my own security. I had switched to McAfee because they always seemed to be on the cutting edge of something better but know they are just like Norton. Microsoft??? Well who would know windows better... But then again guess who screwed up windows better. I liked their windows defender but I believe they should hand that out freely to everyone. Don't get me wrong, I think they should protect their interests, but then again eradicating virus, adware ect.. on a hackers or pirates computer is also protecting their interests (One less leak).

My recommendation is to to use Adaware, Spybot S&D, AVG, Spyware Blaster and Spyware Guard. I also recommend using ToniArts Easy Cleaner. They all are as of this date very FREE. Less intrusive on my computers (I AM IN CONTROL!!)