Image Analyser snares Websense as OEM

Image filtering vendor gets one over on old rival ICA

Image filtering vendor Image Analyser claims it has poached the last of ICA's major OEM clients in the wake of its rival's acquisition by MessageLabs three years ago.

Under an OEM agreement, Websense will integrate Image Analyser's technology into its flagship Triton web, email and DLP content security product.

MessageLabs acquired Image Analyser's rival ICA from Fortium in 2008 before being promptly acquired itself by Symantec.

Cris Pikes, chief executive of Image Analyser, claimed Websense is the last of ICA's "big revenue spenders" to move across to his firm, vindicating predictions he made three years ago.

Pikes said that over a third of sites now contain adult-oriented content.

"We are now the largest vendor of illicit image filtering in the market, which is becoming commoditised," he said.

Jonathan Wilkinson, director of product management, email security at Websense, said: "We chose to partner with Image Analyser after rigorous testing and evaluation of their image recognition technology."

According to industry whispers, several major vendors have had a sniff around Image Analyser, which has about 15 staff based in the UK, New Zealand and India. Its other OEM partners include Cisco, McAfee and M86.

Pikes, who also heads up security integrator Sysec, refused to be drawn on rumours that Image Analyser could be the next to sell up.

Symantec declined to comment for the story.