Symantec tops antivirus league

NEWS An IDC report on Internet security has put Symantec at the top of the league in terms of market growth for anti-virus software. Whilst the market as a whole grew 28 percent from 1997 to 1998, Symantec performed strongly, achieving 55 per cent growth. Network Associates, grew in the same period by only 14%. IDC analyst, Chris Christiansen, said Symantec's relative success is due to it focusing almost exclusively on anti-virus software. He added that Symantec has also been helped by its acquisition of IBM and Intel's anti-virus businesses. "It has managed to incorporate the technology into its own products, and more importantly, has converted customers to Symantec products and maintained revenue streams." Early IDC indicators suggest a similar level of growth for the coming year.