FAQ – Sourcefire acquisition

We’d like to thank everyone in the ClamAV community for their dedication to the project. The acquisition by Sourcefire is a testament to the hard work of the entire ClamAV community in developing cutting edge technology that truly showcases the promise of the open source model.

With the additional resources Sourcefire will provide we look forward to working with the community to continue the advancement of ClamAV.

We’ve tried to address as many of your questions as possible in a simple Q&A format. Of course we’re happy to answer any other questions you may have.

  • Q. What does this acquisition mean to ClamAV?
  • A. This is an exciting time for ClamAV as the project will now have the support of Sourcefire, the leading provider of open source network security. ClamAV will continue to deliver cutting edge technology and daily signature updates as we always have, but with the substantial financial and engineering resources of a much larger organization.
  • Q. Will the project still be licensed under GPL?
  • A. Yes, the ClamAV engine and CVD will remain under GPL.
  • Q. What is the impact on ClamAV users?
  • A. From the end-user perspective, very little will change beyond the additional resources Sourcefire will provide in our continued efforts to advance the ClamAV technology and improve our ability to interact with the open source community. Sourcefire is totally committed to investing in ClamAV as an open source project licensed under the GPL.
  • Q. Will the ClamAV team continue to work on the project?
  • A. Yes, the core team will continue to lead the advancement of ClamAV and the CVD as employees of Sourcefire.
  • Q. What exactly does Sourcefire now own?
  • A. Sourcefire has acquired the ClamAV project and related trademarks, as well as the source code copyrights held by the five principal members of the ClamAV team. Sourcefire will also assume control of the ClamAV project including: the ClamAV.org domain, web site and web site content; and the ClamAV Sourceforge project page.
  • Q. Does Sourcefire now own the copyright to code I contributed?
  • A. No, you still own the copyright to any code that you contributed and control the license under which your copyrighted code is distributed.
  • Q. Where can I get more information on Sourcefire and the acquisition?