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2 April 2003 Security software vendor Network Associates has paid $100 million in cash to buy IntruVert Networks, an intrusion detection and prevention appliance start-up.

The purchase mirrors Cisco's move for Okena in January. Computer security vendors are seeking to augment their firewall and intrusion detection products with new technology that can more intelligently sense potential danger and take action to stop or prevent attacks, rather than just sending out alerts to IT staff.

IntruVert specialises in network-based intrusion detection and prevention appliances that use a variety of techniques to analyse network traffic. It claims that it can do this at multi-gigabit speeds. This is crucial because current generation intrusion detection devices are struggling to keep up with fast-increasing network speeds.

"We will now have the capability of reliably blocking network attacks at multi-gigabit speeds, which is a dramatic improvement over existing intrusion detection products," said Sandra England, executive vice president of corporate development and strategic research at Network Associates.

However, the deal is likely to bring the company into direct competition with Internet Security Systems (ISS). In May 2002, the two had agreed to integration Network Associate's anti-virus software with ISS's intrusion detection software. That may now be abandoned, hinted Gene Hodges, president of Network Associates.

Hodges added that Network Associates would start work to integrate its Sniffer network troubleshooting software with IntruVert's technology to create an appliance that can also detect and rectify network problems.

Links:
Cisco buys 'behaviour blocker' Okena for $154m (24 January 2003)
IntruVert rebuffs network intruders at speed (December 2002)