European Commission raps Check Point's knuckles

Anti-competitive behaviour in firewall market

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Security, 10th April 2002 15:18 GMT

The European Commission has closed an investigation into Check Point Software after the Israeli firm promised not to engage in exclusionary supply practices with its distributors.

Last June, Finnish security firm Stonesoft lodged a complaint to the Commission alleging Check Point abused its dominant position in the firewall software market.

Once upon a time, the pair were partners - Check Point did the security software, Stonesoft did the clustering technology. That was until March last year when Stonesoft released a software firewall and VPN product, which competed head-on against Checkpoint products.

The Commission's investigation revealed evidence that Check Point had told some of its distributors and resellers that if they attempted to sell Stonesoft's competing firewall/VPN product, they would no longer be supplied with Check Point's own product.

Naughty.

These practices stifled free competition, according to the Commission, which has obtained a promise from Check Point to cease such behaviour.

As a result of Check Point's undertaking, Stonesoft agreed to withdraw its complaint. The Commission will continue to monitor developments in this market in order to ensure that it keeps to its bargain. ®