Network Associates CEO pans 'reactive' anti-virus software

The CEO of Network Associates has admitted current anti-virus software leaves something to be desired in protecting users from malicious code.

Despite recording record sales in the last year for its McAfee anti-virus software, CEO George Samenuk told silicon.com these kinds of products are "not great" because they don't protect users until the virus has hit.

Samenuk's frank admission highlights an increasing belief within the security industry that current methods of virus protection aren't good enough to deal with the growing virus threat.

In an exclusive interview, Samenuk said: "Anti-virus software is good - but it's not great. Anytime a new virus hits we've got our team in Slough able to look at the virus and within 45 minutes they can develop a cure and send it round the world. But it's not an automatic fix."

However, he did say this is an area Network Associates (NAI) is addressing: "We're working on expert systems that will enable us to be pro-active and block many of the viruses and hacks that are currently infiltrating our customers' systems."

Heuristics software, which relies on recognising patterns and types of viruses to stop attacks, rather than spotting exact virus signatures, was one method he said NAI is using.

So far the uptake of heuristics software has been slow because its more complex nature uses up valuable computing power.

Samenuk said this is where ISPs and anti-virus companies themselves need to pick up the baton. "Implementation will be between us and the ISPs - it probably won't be the end users - they don't have the skill and experience to implement that," he said.

Others experts agreed with Samenuk's position. Mike Hill, a former Dr Solomon's executive and now an independent technology marketing consultant, said: "The fundamental problem is that anti-virus software is reactive. We have a situation now where a virus could have done 80 per cent of its damage before a fix has been written - we're shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted."

Since joining NAI as CEO last January, Samenuk has turned the loss-making company into one of the brightest stars in the technology firmament, with record revenues. Partly piggy-backing on an increased interest in IT security across the board, NAI's share price has increased six-fold in the last year.