Security software vendor Symantec Corp. has accused Microsoft of abusing its monopoly in deciding which security products can run on its upcoming operating system, Vista. It said Microsoft Corp., which started selling its own security products in May, is deliberately withholding information needed to develop products that work on its new and almost certainly dominant operating system (link here).

While Symantec hasn't filed a formal complaint, it said it is going public to pressure Microsoft to release software development kits that would allow rival products to work with Vista, like a "dashboard designed to show what protection programs are switched on."

European antitrust regulators previously warned Microsoft not to shut out rivals in the security software market as it builds more security into Vista. Symantec said it had faced similar problems with the Windows XP Firewall but Microsoft finally backed down. It believes Microsoft has stopped co-operating with vendors after it entered the security market with its anti-virus and firewall product OneCare.