Google buys messaging security firm

In a move designed to make the use of Google Apps more appealing and secure for large business users, the company today announced plans to acquire messaging security and compliance vendor Postini in a deal worth $625 million, reports Computer World.

Postini offers services such as message security, archiving, encryption and policy enforcement and has about 10 million users at 35 000 companies.

Under the deal, which is expected to close by the end of the third quarter of this year, Postini will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Google, according to the two companies.

San Diego law enforcement officials are considering a text messaging system for anonymous crime tips that was unveiled by Boston-area police last month, reports Sign On San Diego.

If successful, the effort could combine a popular communications method with familiar police tip lines to help solve violent crimes. "It's an interesting approach, but it's too early to tell how it may work," said Sally Cox, executive director of the non-profit San Diego County Crime Stoppers. "We are very interested."

The key to the Boston experiment is new technology intended to guarantee the caller's cellphone number is not revealed. Use of the system comes as many crime hotlines have become largely obsolete.

According to research released last week by Gartner, enterprise-grade IM adoption will rise from its current 25% to nearly 100% by the end of the decade, says Computer World.

However, IM remains a consumer-driven phenomenon that has locked out IT staff.

MessageLabs marketing director, Andrew Antal, said IM represents a largely unregulated hole in the messaging firewall that is usually installed by the user. "Our research shows that in Australia, over 60% of workers use or have used IM at some time, and over 50% of these workers use a consumer rather than an enterprise solution," he said.