Symantec Accuses Microsoft of Monopoly

Security vendor Symantec, has accused Microsoft of monopoly, claiming that the IT giant is deliberately withholding information needed to develop products that work on Windows Vista. Although Symantec has not filed a complaint yet, it is pressurizing Microsoft to release software development kits to allow rival products to communicate with Vista’s new security features. Symantec said that it will take the matter to the European Union, if Microsoft does not respond.

Symantec claims that Microsoft, which started selling its own security products in May, is withholding information needed to develop products that work on Windows Vista, such as a dashboard designed to help customers see what protection programs are switched on and Microsoft’s anti-spyware program, Defender.

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European antitrust regulators have already warned Microsoft, which is scheduled to ship Vista soon. While Adrian Robinson, a director in Microsoft’s security technology unit, said that Microsoft did make changes, allowing security software companies to turn off Defender and offer their own application, Symantec said that Microsoft ought to give access to rival vendors as well. She also added that Microsoft has been working closely with companies, including Symantec, to provide them with the tools they need to address the changes before Vista ships. Symantec is clearly not impressed.

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