Trend Micro, BigFix Partner on Enterprise-scale Security

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 01/13/09

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Two security companies--BigFix and Trend Micro--have teamed up in a joint licensing agreement to integrate their malware prevention and security management systems in an effort to woo business among organizations with more than 10,000 endpoints. The first delivery is the Trend Micro Web Protection Module, designed to protect endpoints against Web threats and provide security enhancements to the BigFix platform.

The new module, which will work with existing endpoint anti-malware solutions, uses Trend Micro's Smart Protection Network, a service that prevents users from accessing malicious Web sites based on reputation ratings. BigFix's software focuses on providing centralized access to networked devices for security patch, configuration, and systems management. The goal of the integration is to enable IT managers running very large networks to achieve easier deployment, management scalability and control of their endpoints.

"The management capability of endpoint protection suites is a substantial differentiator," said Andrew Hanson, security analyst at IDC. "By combining multiple correlated technologies into a single management framework, endpoint protection platforms have the promise of increasing security while lowering complexity, cost, and administrative overhead."

Eventually, Trend Micro will release an enterprise security product that will include the BigFix management console and functionality.

"Trend Micro Enterprise Security, now poised to be combined with the BigFix Platform for easier management, offers a powerful business case to very large enterprises grappling with the dual challenges of staying ahead of the increased threat environment and lowering the complexity of security management," said Thomas Miller, general manager of the enterprise business unit at Trend Micro. "Our value proposition of better, more immediate protection and less complexity is now taken to an even higher level."

The BigFix management platform is also expected to complement the existing Trend Micro platform and plug-in architecture for OfficeScan, directed at enterprises under 10,000 seats.

The Trend Micro Web Protection Module is currently available; additional Trend Micro-branded endpoint security modules will roll out during the first quarter of 2009.