CA To Sell Antivirus Business

antivirus private equity firm Updata Partners

Financial terms of the deal, expected to close in June, were not disclosed.

Following the acquisition, CA's Internet Security Business Unit, which incorporates the company's endpoint security offerings, including its consumer and enterprise antimalware and antivirus products, will be transformed to a new company called Total Defense, Inc.

The transaction does not, however, affect CA's enterprise security business, which is increasingly focused on identity and access management software, cloud security and business intelligence solutions.

"This is a win-win for CA Technologies and for our ISBU customers," said Jacob Lamm, CA executive vice president, in a statement, adding that the acquisition would free the company up to pursue other endeavors in cloud security and IT management spaces.

Updata Partners, a technology-focused growth equity firm, has a history of security-oriented investments, including recent financial backing of Web gateway provider M86 and cloud security firm Alert Logic.

"CA Technologies is one of the top software companies in the world, with a record of innovation and best-in-class solutions," said James Socas, general partner at Updata Partners, in a statement. "We are delighted to be able to work with them, with the ISBU's strong team, and on behalf of their customers and partners, to create a new leader in the information security market."

However, while CA's Internet Security Business Unit has been in existence for about 10 years, the acquisition follows after CA Technolgies' disappointing Q4 earnings and less-than-glowing reviews of its antimalware products from independent testing firms, such as AV-Test.org, which failed to certify CA Internet Security Suite 2011 in its quarterly report.

Meanwhile, more than 60,000 businesses across a wide range of industries and market segments have deployed CA's solutions, with an additional four million consumers worldwide deploying the company's Internet Security Business Unit products.