Microsoft and Cisco Systems plan to work more closely together to improve IT security.

The world's largest computer software and networking firms announced, this afternoon, that they will share product information with each other to address the growing threat of malicious software.

The move will help allay previous fears that the two dominant technology firms were taking different approaches to security, potentially leading to interoperability problems when customers tried to integrate systems.

By sharing information the firms hope to achieve product compatibility between Cisco's Network Admissions Control and Microsoft's Network Access Protection, their respective endpoint security software products.

'Safer and assured access to the network is a basic requirement if we are to continue our reliance on technology to support business growth,' said Chris Byrnes, senior vice president at analyst firm META Group.

'Security is not an island,' said Cisco chief executive John Chambers. 'By working with Microsoft, Cisco is again demonstrating its commitment to taking every step possible to provide our customers with the industry's best tools and technologies for network security.'

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer added: 'This important alliance with Cisco underscores Microsoft's ongoing commitment to creating a more secure computing environment for customers.'

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