Double launch for Exchange anti-virus shields

Security vendors Network Associates and Trend Micro have independently launched anti-virus products to be used on Microsoft Exchange.

The double launch is in response to the recent plague of high-profile virus and malicious code attacks such as Melissa and Worm.ExploreZip.

Trend Micro's ScanMail for Microsoft Exchange version 3.0, now provides email-filtering mechanisms and spam blocking; GroupShield for Exchange version 4.0.3 from Network Associates provides central management plus the Active Update system that updates virus-scan engines.

Alex Shipp of virus-filtering company, Star ISP, said that small virus-protection vendors have been offering network-based products for some time now, and that the double release was a "a case of the big boys finally catching up".

But Shipp claims even these products are missing the mark because most viruses arrive via Hotmail accounts - completely bypassing Microsoft Exchange.