(16 January 2010 5:15 pm)

MUMBAI: McAfee and online social network Facebook have announced a collaboration that will provide additional security protection to a significant portion of the Internet population.

Through this partnership, the two companies have jointly created security solutions that include McAfee security software, a custom scanning and repair tool, and consumer friendly education materials that Facebook will make available to its more than 350 million users.

Under the terms of the partnership, McAfee is Facebook's exclusive provider of consumer security software, and Facebook users will be eligible for a complimentary six-month subscription of the McAfee Internet Security Suite software. Following the six-month period, Facebook users will be eligible for special discount subscription pricing.

Facebook is applying all financial incentives from this partnership to the benefit of its users and will not be taking a share of any revenue from user subscriptions. McAfee Internet Security Suite software protects users' PCs from online threats, viruses, spyware, hackers, online scammers, identity thieves and other cybercriminals, and includes award-winning McAfee SiteAdvisor site rating technology.

McAfee Consumer, Mobile and Small Business executive VP, GM Todd Gebhart says, "Facebook is very serious about security and has made significant efforts to protect its users and service by investing in dedicated teams and sophisticated systems, and this partnership with McAfee furthers that mission. We believe our partnership will make a real difference in the battle to secure the Internet by giving so many more people access to industry leading technology from McAfee."

Facebook selected McAfee after a competitive review process among the leading security vendors.

Facebook VP of global communications, marketing and public policy Elliot Schrage says, "Keeping the Internet secure requires that users, security vendors and Internet companies all work together. We think we've developed an excellent model for this collaboration, and to ensure the greatest possible value to our users, Facebook will not accept any revenue from subscriptions. We hope this is something that other services will emulate."

Upon launch, McAfee Internet Security Suite software will be available to Facebook users in the US, UK, Australia, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Numerous additional countries will be added throughout the first quarter of the year.