Trend Micro Expands Security Offerings To Include IM

Trend Micro's security product for Microsoft's Live Communication Server IM platform helps prevent worms such as Bropia, Fatso and Kelvir from using IM as a propagation vehicle, said Howard Price, senior global product manager at the vendor.

Extending messaging security "end to end" to cover IM is a significant move for Trend Micro, said Kathy Johnson, director of sales at Johnson Consulting, a messaging consulting company in Woburn, Mass. "People now use instant messaging every day as a part of business," she said. "It needs to be as secure as e-mail."

Bill O'Brien, principal of Commercium Technology, a security specialist in Rumson, N.J., said Trend Micro's new products will be attractive to large companies considering adopting Microsoft's collaboration technologies. "Trend is in lockstep with Microsoft on their collaboration products," he said. "The ability to use one vendor instead of using point products will be attractive to large clients."

Still, customers aren't beating down the doors for collaboration security products, O'Brien said. "Collaboration is in the very early stages of adoption," he said. "As companies move to these newer Microsoft products, we will be talking to them about the security."

Trend Micro's updated ScanMail platforms add optional antispam and content filtering technology for both Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino. IM and collaboration security products for IBM's Lotus product line are planned for the fourth quarter, Price said.

Available now, the new IM security product is priced at $14.98 per user for a 501-user license. Also for a 501-user license, ScanMail is priced at $19.20 per user for Exchange and $21.20 per user for Domino. The updated Portal Protect is priced at $17.92 per user.