Intel will pay almost $US8 billion to purchase antivirus giant McAfee.

“With the rapid expansion of growth across a vast array of Internet-connected devices, more and more of the elements of our lives have moved online,” said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO.

“In the past, energy-efficient performance and connectivity have defined computing requirements. Looking forward, security will join those as a third pillar of what people demand from all computing experiences.

“Hardware-enhanced security will lead to breakthroughs in effectively countering the increasingly sophisticated threats of today and tomorrow,” said James. “This acquisition is consistent with our software and services strategy to deliver an outstanding computing experience in fast-growing business areas, especially around the move to wireless mobility.”

Ovum analyst Graham Titterington believes the influence of Intel in the information security arena will have a major impact on the future of computing

“McAfee's products extend beyond IT security into governance and aspects of systems management, and so this acquisition will increase Intel's exposure to the CxO level executives in the world's largest organisations,” said Titterington.