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Microsoft to Add Homegrown A-V Engine to Sybari Antigen

The next version of Microsoft Antigen, Microsoft's anti-virus and anti-spam security software for messaging and collaboration servers, will go into beta testing in the first half of next year, and customers using the product will get an extra anti-virus scanning engine developed by Microsoft at no charge.

Microsoft acquired Sybari Software Inc. in a deal announced in February that closed in June. Sybari Antigen was a cross-platform, enterprise anti-virus and anti-spam product. The anti-virus versions of the product use multiple scanning engines from major vendors, including Computer Associates, Sophos and Norman, to ensure the most comprehensive protection. Sybari did not have its own anti-virus scanning engine.

Microsoft is developing its own anti-virus scanning engine from the foundation it acquired with the purcase of GeCAD Software in June 2003. Microsoft did not say specifically whether the Microsoft anti-virus scan engine would be available when the beta ships.

Also Thursday, Microsoft said Microsoft Antigen for Exchange recently passed the Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle review process.

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

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