Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2012/04/26/facebook_av_marketplace/

Facebook shares URL blacklists with security companies

Creates “AV marketplace” with free AV software from five vendors

By Simon Sharwood

Posted in Security, 26th April 2012 06:14 GMT

Facebook has formed a two-faceted relationship with five prominent players from the security industry.

The first facet will be invisible to most, as it will see the social network share its URL blacklists with those generated by Microsoft, McAfee, TrendMicro, Sophos, and Symantec. Facebook says pooling resources in this way will make it less likely that its users are sent to known sources of malware or other online nasties.

The second part of the deal is expressed at the new Facebook AntiVirus Marketplace, a page where the five vendors above now offer their security wares for sale. Software downloaded from the page is free, but only updates with new antivirus signatures for six months. Microsoft's Security Essentials is Redmond's offering and usually offers free updates in perpetuity. It's not clear if the version offered through Facebook limits the free update period.

The five vendors will also blog on Facebook's security blog, where the new deal was announced. &reg