Security firm creates spin-off for broadband consumers
Check Point establishes SofaWare Technologies to provide Internet security software for high-speed Net access users.
SofaWare will sell Check Point's software, such as HomeSecure, to home and home office users connected to the Internet via "broadband" technologies, the company said. HomeSecure protects users from hackers and helps Internet service providers maintain traffic control.
Redwood City, Calif.-based Check Point is venturing into a quickly growing market, hoping to tap what analysts expect will become a lucrative business. Both digital subscriber lines (DSL) and cable modems are proving popular with consumers tired of waiting on slower dial-up connections.
Because broadband connections are typically "always on," some critics have claimed that they are more susceptible to penetration by hackers or crackers. Check Point sees the concern as an opportunity and decided a new company could best handle the extra load, the company said.
"Today's broadband Internet access offers unparalleled speed and ease of use, but a security solution is key for the widespread success of broadband technologies," Gil Shwed, Check Point chief executive officer, said in a statement.
Check Point is not spinning SofaWare off, but will own and operate the new company internally.