Grisoft acquires Exploit Prevention Labs

Antivirus software vendor Grisoft Wednesday announced it has acquired start-up Exploit Prevention Labs for an undisclosed price.

J.R. Smith, CEO of Grisoft, said the firm wanted to acquire Exploit Prevention Labs because its LinkScanner desktop products that can identify and block Web-based exploits are a good complement to Grisoft’s AVG antivirus products (compare products). Smith said the intent is to both integrate the Exploit Prevention Labs security software into Grisoft products and continue to sell them standalone, with some free offering as well.

Smith said Grisoft, which counts 60 million customers, most of them consumer or small business, does not plan to retain the product name LinkScanner.

Exploit Prevention Labs was established in 2005 by CEO Bob Bales and Roger Thompson, an anti-malware researcher, as CTO. Thompson said he has joined Grisoft as chief research officer as Exploit Prevention Labs and Grisoft combine their operations.