The Channel Wire

May 22, 2008

Now that Microsoft has secured a U.S. patent for proactive virus protection, Information Week's Alexander Wolfe wonders what it means for security software vendors who also sell proactive computer security solutions for handling malware not already listed on antivirus definition files. Microsoft on Tuesday nabbed patent No. 7376970, which is titled "System and method for proactive computer virus protection."

Here's Wolfe's take:

What I want to know is, what does this mean for all the other vendors -- like McAfee, Symantec, Kaspersky, and Trend Micro -- that have been selling proactive protection software for years? Do they now have to pay Microsoft protection; I mean, royalties?

Good question. We await a reply from the leg-breakers in Redmond.