Challenging Microsoft to a "horse race," Symantec CEO John Thompson Tuesday assailed the software giant's recent efforts to secure its software platform. The remarks, made during Thompson's appearance at the RSA Conference, came as little surprise in light of Microsoft's purchase last week of server-level anti-virus software vendor Sybari, a move that competes directly with Symantec.

Challenging Microsoft to a "horse race," Symantec CEO John Thompson Tuesday assailed the software giant's most recent efforts to secure its software platform. The remarks, made during Thompson's appearance at the RSA Conference, came as little surprise in light of Microsoft's purchase last week of server-level anti-virus software vendor Sybari, a move that competes directly with Symantec. The Cupertino, Calif.-based security vendor already is fending off Microsoft to provide desktop-level antivirus software based on the Redmond, Wash.-based vendor's 2003 acquisition of antivirus ISV GeCad. In a rollicking keynote address, Thompson noted that a cross-platform solution is necessary to help disparate enterprises handle compliance and other security issues, and said Microsoft's strategy fails because it does not address security across more than one platform.