Total Defense To Sell Internet Security Via Subscription

The Islandia, N.Y.-based company said Wednesday that the consumer bundle will cost $20 upfront, followed by the monthly fee, which covers software and virus signature updates. Called Total Defense Unlimited, the package will be available through retailers.

Resellers will have the option of selling the subscription package through their web sites and billing customers themselves or letting Total Defense handle the billing. Resellers' cut of the initial sale and monthly fee would range from 15 percent to 35 percent, according to Paul Lipman, chief executive of Total Defense.

Total Defense has 5,000 resellers to business and consumers worldwide, with roughly half of the partners in the U. S. Total Defense expects TigerDirect, P.C. Richard & Son, Buy.com and hhgregg to sell the subscription package. To set up a subscription, consumers would get a key code from the retailer and use their credit card number to open an account. Once the account is activated, customers can then download security software for their devices, including for members of their family. Total Defense declined to provide details on how it would prevent fraud. "We'll protect against that the best we can," Lipman said.

The subscription package will include anti-virus software, a firewall, parental controls, spam filtering and an application to spot malicious links on web sites. The bundle also comes with 25 GB of online storage and includes software for locating and tracking a smartphone. Mobile phones can be locked or wiped clean of data, if the device is lost or stolen.

Total Defense was formed last year after the sale of CA Technologies' Internet Security Business Unit to private equity firm Updata Partners, based in Reston, Va.. Financial terms were not disclosed.