CA acquires e-mail security vendor Qurb Inc.

Computer Associates International Inc. Tuesday bolstered its security software product line by acquiring e-mail security software vendor Qurb Inc.

In an announcement Tuesday, Islandia, N.Y.-based CA said it bought Qurb in an all-cash deal that allows it to add Qurb's antispam, antiphishing and antifraud tools to CA's eTrust security management products. CA has licensed Qurb technology for its eTrust consumer product line since 2004, according to the company.

After the acquisition, CA will continue to market Qurb's technology as eTrust Anti-Spam and will incorporate it into the eTrust Threat Management suite, which helps protect users from a variety of cyber threats, including viruses, spam and inappropriate use of the Web by employees.

The terms of the deal for San Mateo, Calif.-based Qurb weren't disclosed.

"Computer users everywhere -- from the CIO responsible for tens of thousands of employees to small businesses and individuals -- are desperate to get control over their inboxes," Toby Weiss, senior vice president and general manager of CA's eTrust business unit, said in a statement. "Qurb's identity-based e-mail security technology delivers that control -- effectively protecting our customers worldwide from the spam, phishing attacks and other e-mail-based assaults that undermine productivity, erode privacy and turn everyday communications tasks into a minefield of cyber-threats."

Available in 15 languages, Qurb has an installed base of nearly 1 million users worldwide, according to CA.

"CA has been a great partner for Qurb and has helped expand our market footprint around the globe," Felix Lin, CEO and founder of Qurb, said in a statement. "As part of CA's eTrust product line, we will now be able to deliver ... our e-mail security technology to an even broader audience -- while increasing its effectiveness as an integrated component of the comprehensive eTrust threat avoidance solution."

Lin will join CA as vice president of strategy for eTrust.

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