McAfee: We can compete with Microsoft

Antivirus company McAfee has vowed it can compete with OneCare, Microsoft's upcoming security package for home users.

McAfee said on Tuesday it will respond to the arrival of Microsoft in its market by pushing into new areas beyond the computer — although it is adamant that it can coexist with Microsoft in the PC space.

"We are confident that we have the right strategies in place and that we can scale our model as more opportunities arise to compete with Microsoft," McAfee said in a statement.

The antivirus company indicated it would try and stay ahead of the game by expanding into emerging technology markets, including catering for an increasingly mobile user base.

"McAfee is moving security beyond the PC. There are new, growing opportunities with emerging threat environments such as the growth of home Wi-Fi home networks, mobile phones and PC To Go devices through the U3 platform," the company said. "Our long term goal is to ensure that our customers are protected whenever they are connected to a network."

However, security company Sophos claimed on Tuesday that Microsoft's arrival in the security business may cause serious problems for security vendors that sell to home users.

"McAfee, Symantec, and Trend Micro may have nervous jitters about this. Microsoft may cause problems for security vendors who provide for home users," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.

Sophos acknowledged, though, that existing players in the security space may be better equipped than Microsoft.

"Important attributes for security vendors are being able to move quickly, and responsiveness. Now I don't know whether Microsoft has these [attributes]," Cluley added.

Microsoft OneCare beta was made freely available on 30 November, and will launch sometime in 2006.