Sophos Expresses Frustration in a Strange Way

Now that Microsoft is offering a free anti-virus software to the public called Microsoft Security Essentials, the anti-virus vendors are not too happy, which is understandable. But the way some of them are fighting back is rather strange. For example, Sophos, which offers security products such as anti-virus, anti-spam, and firewall client decided to get even with Microsoft by making claims that Windows 7 failed to prevent 80% of malware attacks in their lab test. According to Sophos,  “Windows 7 disappointed just like earlier versions of Windows.”

What Sophos didn’t tell everyone was that the Windows 7 computer that they tested didn’t have any anti-virus software. Hello? Anybody home? Sophos completely rigged the results as if no one would notice that they were cheating. Microsoft didn’t think this was funny and fired back.

I understand that Sophos didn’t like the fact that Microsoft is offering a free anti-virus software tool but I am sure they could have used a better way to express their frustration. Risking your credibility may not be an ideal way to fight back, but that’s exactly what Sophos did. Hopefully other vendors will use better judgment.