Why Intel bought McAfee

[Lordbob75]

Why Intel bought McAfee

There's been quite a bit of head-scratching over Intel's decision to purchase McAfee, but, despite all the breathless talk about mobile security and ARM and virus-fighting processors, the chipmaker's motivations for the purchase are actually fairly straightforward. First, Intel's management has decided, in the wake of Operation Aurora, to move security up to the top of Intel's priority list. Second, secure systems require a lot more than just hardware support—security is about the whole stack, plus the network, plus policies and practices. Third, Intel has waited for ages for its ecosystem partners to come up with ways to give consumers access to vPro's security benefits, and little has really panned out so now they're just going to take vPro (and any newer security technologies) directly to consumers via McAfee.
Let's take a look at each of these reasons in turn.

Source: Why Intel bought McAfee

~Lordbob

 

[Dinesh]

Nice article. Thanks for sharing.

 

[CarlTR6]

Good article. Thanks for the link. Intel can only improve McAfee; it can't get much worse.

 

[Dinesh]

Good article. Thanks for the link. Intel can only improve McAfee; it can't get much worse.

+1.

 

[Lordbob75]

Good article. Thanks for the link. Intel can only improve McAfee; it can't get much worse.

+1.

+2 there.

~Lordbob

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Echo that, the Mc has been on my run away list for years both anti virus and fast food!

 

[KazeNoKoe23]

Good article. Thanks for the link. Intel can only improve McAfee; it can't get much worse.

Agreed fully, although any improvements to McAfee won't stray me from MSE.

 

[SilverStar]

Its nice to hear since i havent had any antivirus since i first got a computer! I can trust Intel more than anyother anti virus company!

Thanks for the info BTW

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
Some companies often buy stuff only to realize it really is a DOG.

Just look at IBM with the universally ABOMINATED LOTUS NOTES -- IBM really bought a pig in a poke with that one.

With MSE and Client Fore Front security being developed full tilt by Microsoft I can't see ANY reason why Intel would want to waste a lot of money on buying THAT particular package. It would IMO make much more sense buying either a hardware or software vendor concerned with DECENT GRAPHICS -- which presumably INTEL could incorporate features into their next generation of CPU's.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[marsmimar]

"In explaining its purchase of McAfee, Intel has clearly indicated that the real impact of the purchase won't really be felt in the computer market until later in the coming decade—this is a long-term, strategic buy."

The coming decade ends in 2020. By then Intel may have used it as a tax write off.

 

[whs]

Their motivation makes a lot of sense. But why did they settle for McAfee where there are so many better companies/technologies around - e.g. G-Data.

 

[CarlTR6]

That is a very good question.

 

[Lordbob75]

Their motivation makes a lot of sense. But why did they settle for McAfee where there are so many better companies/technologies around - e.g. G-Data.

Money?

~Lordbob

 

[Petey7]

McAfee, dispite how crappy the product is, does have a large user base. They currently have a deal with Dell where all new PCs from them have McAfee preinstalled, with no option not to have it one there, even when custom ordered (except businesses of course). I'm sure other OEMs have similar deals with them. Several businesses and school use McAfee. So the user base and price combined probably made McAfee the best deal.

 

[Tepid]

Maybe they bought it for 1$.

If they are serious about trying to incorporate some anti-virus technology into the hardware and vPro for consumers. This could be a good thing. It all depends on how it all pans out and if they have the right people that can develop a strong reliable product out of it.

Consumer side vPro could be HUGE for a lot of reasons.
But it could also be BAD for a lot of reasons.
It all depends on how it gets incorporated and the big time security needed for it on that level.

McAfee could be to hardware, what MSE is to Windows.
And if you can stop threats at the Hardware level, would it be then that a software based only AV not be needed? at all?

 

[jjthenovice]

I'm with Comcast and they used to offer McAfee for free and now have switched to Norton. Both IMHO are average at best (I'm bein kind). I prefer MSE.

 

[patio]

Trust me....they didn't buy it for $1.00...

The near term goal is to eventually move some kind of protection onto the chips themselves that are produced...
Whether this is a valid strategy or not remauins to be seen.

 

[HerrKaLeun]

McAfee could be to hardware, what MSE is to Windows.
And if you can stop threats at the Hardware level, would it be then that a software based only AV not be needed? at all?

I think software AV always will be needed to stay up to date. when they design the chip there will be some threats 2 years later they didn't know of during design. Your software AV updates every day for a reason.

Sure, a combination of hardware and software may be the future. But any solution will have to have update capability.

It escapes me why they settled for McAfee. Just because they have the Dell contract, that can disappear at any moment. MSE is just so great for free that I even ditched Kaspersky (which I would recommend if i had a business or so).

 

[Tepid]

It was more of a random thought. While this is all speculation at this time, there is no telling if software av will be needed or not.

It could be a bios type update to the chip to update definitions on a regular basis.
I still think, if you can stop and clean viruses at the hardware level, then honestly, I don't see how SW AV would ever be needed, cause it won't be allowed to execute.

Granted, people will always find a way around security. The only 100% secure PC is one that is not used.
Even Root Kits are now possible on a 64bit Windows OS. And they hook into the MBR to do it. So, I would think that hardware based AV might prevent this type of activity?

I am guessing/speculating and not stating fact.

 

[Layback Bear]

McAffe has a very large following even with the bad things we know of for a long time. It still has a very large market share. Intel is looking forward. The things that come to mind to me is mobile and cloud computing. It is probably the biggest up coming market and they want to be there. If a company can build in security where the consumer doesn't have to do anything a company will grab large market share. I IMHO think they made a great move that will pay off long term. The bad reputation McAffe has got in the last few years will go away with improving the product and the name McAffe will slip away. Intel wants a big heads up on mobile and cloud computing security. McAffe with changes will give them that.