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Commtouch gulps down Icelandic anti-virus pioneer FRISK
The fresh minty taste of white-label security solutions
FRISK, one of the early pioneers in anti-virus technology, has been acquired by Commtouch. Terms of the deal, announced Wednesday, were undisclosed.
Icelandic-based FRISK developed the first versions of its flagship F-Prot anti-virus software in 1989, and claims it was the first firm to develop heuristic (generic) detection of malware, a key technology that appears in all modern security scanner software. These days FRISK sells to the OEM, corporate, and consumer markets.
Commtouch develops cloud-based products for security companies and service providers. "The acquisition allows Commtouch to utilise FRISK's staff and IP to dramatically accelerate its launch of white label antivirus solutions for the OEM market," a statement by Commtouch explains. "It will also enable Commtouch to provide more services and applications, as well as enhance the company's SaaS [Security as a Service] capabilities."
FRISK's founder, Friðrik Skúlason, will join Commtouch as vice president of anti-virus technologies. ®