McAfee unveils anti-spyware software plus a managed service

McAfee Monday unveiled anti-spyware software for business desktops and servers to block and eliminate what McAfee calls “potentially unwanted programs,” including adware, dialers, keyloggers, cookies and remote-control programs such as bots.

McAfee AntiSpyware Enterprise can be managed via the same console used to manage McAfee’s anti-virus products, the ePolicy Orchestrator for larger enterprises or the Protection Pilot, a simpler console designed for small offices. At the same time, McAfee also announced its managed online anti-virus scanning service has added spyware detection and will be offered under a new name, McAfee Managed VirusScan plus AntiSpyware.

Both the McAfee AntiSpyware Enterprise software and the managed online security service use the same spyware-detection signatures, says McAfee marketing manager Lillian Wu.

She said McAfee is charging a 35% increase in price for the additional spyware-detection that’s now part of the managed anti-virus service, making the total cost $36 per user per year. However, the additional anti-spyware functionality will be provided without additional cost to existing VirusScan customers until their VirusScan contract expires and is set for renewal.

The only competitor offering the same type of combined anti-virus and anti-spyware scanning service is Panda Software. A wide number of security software vendors, including Computer Associates, Symantec, Webroot and Aluria, now offer anti-spyware products.

The cost for McAfee AntiSpyware Enterprise software starts at $20 per seat for up to 25 nodes but drops to $6 per seat for 10,000 or more.