Is Security Consolidation Coming?

[ronjor]

-{ Quote: "News Analysis: While larger security applications vendors are thriving, some of their smaller rivals appear to be diving. Analysts say mergers across the industry may be around the bend. " }-
Story (http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1952103,00.asp?)

[bktII]

Interesting:

-{ Quote: "Grisoft, a midsize anti-virus specialist based in the Czech Republic, announced a deal on April 19 to purchase rival Ewido Networks, a much smaller company with a different type of anti-malware applications engine.

The deal, the terms of which were not disclosed, was helped along by the $52 million recently invested in Grisoft by chip giant Intel.

Dennis Smith, director of Grisoft, predicted that such investment from outside the security sector, combined with the need for applications vendors to continue to broaden their offerings, is certain to drive more deals of the same nature." }-

Intel is now a major investor in Grisoft. However, is it accurate to say that Intel [and AMD] is [are] outside the security sector?

"Hardware-enforced DEP":

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875352#2

"Intel readies rootkit-rooting hardware":

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/09/intel_anti-rootkit_chip/

This is yet another dimension to security consolidation.

bktII