Mixed reaction to Microsoft spyware

Security firms at the CeBIT trade show in Hanover are giving mixed opinions about Microsoft's newly developed spyware products.

"We do not think that single-point protection products are much use," said Olaf Linder, director of Symantec's security services.

"You need a good mix of antivirus, anti-spam and anti-spyware to give effective protection. That is especially true in the enterprise sector."

Symantec chief executive John Thompson garnered cheers last month when he castigated Microsoft for its poor security.

But others in the industry are more open to Redmond's efforts, albeit within limits.

"In the spyware field Microsoft will be a major player with end users, and I feel sorry for small spyware companies that will go out of business," said Raymond Genes, European director at Trend Micro.

"But on the enterprise no-one will touch it. A chief executive told me that Microsoft had sold him dirty water not clean water, and that he was going to try and charge for a water filter."

Genes pointed out that it is only consumer companies like Symantec, which derive a large part of their business from consumers, not businesses, that have anything to fear from Microsoft's security strategy.