CensorNet cheers end of Intel Security email protection

CensorNet CEO Ed Macnair targeting Intel Security partners in wake of end of life for Intel's SaaS email protection and archiving

UK security vendor CensorNet has claimed the termination of Intel Security's SaaS email protection and archiving offering will give it an opportunity as the latter's partners are left "high and dry".

Last week Intel Security, formerly McAfee, announced the end-of-life for its email archiving, email encryption and email protection and continuity offerings.

Intel Security released a statement which said that this decision was due to it focusing more on endpoint and cloud security.

"We are working to create an integrated system that delivers faster protection, detection and correction," the statement said. "To create that security system, we are investing in solutions for the endpoint, cloud, threat detection, and management that will ensure the security of the endpoint and cloud and all data traversing in between.

"Increasing our investments in these critical areas required exiting other product areas such as McAfee email security solutions. We apologise for any disruption this action causes you, and are committed to delivering continued support for McAfee email security solutions through the end-of-life process."

Ed Macnair, CEO of content security vendor CensorNet, said the move will spark instability in the channel.

"I would have thought there would be some movement of partners, and no partner wants to be left high and dry, and unable to offer a hosted email security service," he said. "We have been taking McAfee partners, especially in the US recently, and when you see this sort of announcement you can understand why."

Macnair would not say exactly how many resellers CensorNet has taken from Intel Security, but simply indicated it was a "couple of very significant partners".

Intel Security was unavailable for comment on this matter at the time of publication.

Macnair added: "One of the things we are doing at CensorNet is forming a plan to help McAfee customers and partners migrate off the email security platform and onto CensorNet's platform, which provides better reporting, management and efficacy around virus protection."