The great antispyware consolidation

Within the last year or two, several independent antispyware companies have been swallowed up by larger security companies. For example, Microsoft purchased Giant Company Software, CA purchased PestPatrol, Trend Micro purchased InterMute, and F-Secure partnered with Lavasoft Ad-Aware. At the end of 2005 there remained a two notable holdouts: Webroot Spy Sweeper and Sunbelt SpyCatcher. Now these independent antispyware companies may have tipped their hands. Webroot recently beefed up its infrastructure with the addition of Gerhard Eschelbeck, formerly of Qualys, who coined the famous that state, among other things, that Windows systems users have about 30 days to patch announced flaws or face a computer virus such as MSBlast. Sunbelt has added Eric Howes, formerly an independent researcher at University of Illinois with degrees in English literature, and Joe Wells, formerly with Fortinet, who brings with him nearly 20 years of antivirus research. Given the addition of these high-profile individuals, it looks like Webroot and Sunbelt are positioning to hold their ground against the security behemoths of Microsoft, CA, Trend Micro, McAfee, and Symantec.