MSN Hotmail has dropped anti-virus scanning technology from McAfee in favour of rival Trend Micro. Hotmail's 187m email accounts are promised "automatic protection anytime they send and receive email attachments" via Trend Micro's scanning and detection services. The switchover was made on Friday (17 December).

The McAfee virus scanner (Security Services for MSN) formerly used by Hotmail promised much the same thing. But anti-virus signature files for the McAfee service were only updated once a week (on Thursday nights). Trend said it will be updating the signature files at least three times a week.

"We are considering doing a daily update. In the meantime we'll be updating signature files three times a week or when a major outbreak occurs," said Raimund Genes, European president of Trend Micro.

Neither firm says how much the deal is worth. Trend hopes the link-up with Hotmail will help increase awareness of its consumer anti-virus and security product line, PC-cillin. ®

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