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McAfee

Leader#16 in Cybersecurity

Consumer cybersecurity brand providing antivirus, VPN, and identity protection; McAfee+ emphasizes dark web monitoring and identity theft recovery services.

Best for: Antivirus and Security SoftwareMarket leader
81
AI Score
Grade A
AI Visibility Score (Beta)
CybersecurityAntivirus and Security SoftwareWebsiteUpdated March 2026

Brand Intelligence Graphcompany

Acquired byIntel
Capabilities
Antivirus and Security Software

Company Overview

About McAfee

McAfee is a consumer cybersecurity company providing antivirus, identity protection, VPN, and privacy management tools to individuals and households globally. The company was originally founded in 1987 by John McAfee as one of the first commercial antivirus software companies, subsequently went through multiple corporate iterations including acquisition by Intel (2011) and spinout, was acquired by private equity firm Symphony Technology Group (STG) in 2021, and has since repositioned entirely as a consumer-focused security brand after STG separated the enterprise business as Trellix.

Business Model & Competitive Advantage

McAfee's current consumer product portfolio includes McAfee Total Protection (antivirus, identity monitoring, VPN, secure browsing), McAfee+ (expanded identity theft protection and monitoring), and McAfee Identity Protection Service (credit monitoring, dark web scanning, SSN monitoring). The company emphasizes identity protection as its primary differentiating value proposition in a market where basic antivirus has become commoditized and identity theft is a more pressing consumer concern.

Competitive Landscape 2025–2026

In 2025, McAfee competes in the consumer security market with Norton (Gen Digital), Bitdefender, Kaspersky (now banned from US government systems), and Malwarebytes. The company has invested in AI-powered threat detection and scam protection tools that detect phishing, romance scams, and AI-generated impersonation attacks — a growing threat category affecting consumers. McAfee's brand remains highly recognized despite turbulent corporate history, providing distribution advantages in retail (Best Buy, Costco) and online channels. The company's subscription model and family protection bundles target the household security buyer seeking comprehensive digital safety.

Founded
1987
Headquarters
Santa Clara, California
Curated content • Fact-checked and verified

The McAfee Story

Santa Clara, California
Founded by John McAfee (1987 Santa Clara, antivirus pioneer)

The Breakthrough Moment

Founded 1987 Santa Clara by John McAfee (antivirus pioneer). 2010 Intel $7.7B. 2016 TPG divested. 500M+ devices. Consumer antivirus. $3B+ revenue.

Original Mission

"To protect consumers from viruses and cyber threats through antivirus software and security solutions."

Founders

John McAfee (1987 Santa Clara, antivirus pioneer)

Recent Activity

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Company Timeline

Major milestones in McAfee's journey

4
Total Events
1
Funding Rounds
1
Acquisitions

Leadership Team

Meet the leaders behind McAfee

Alex Anderson

VP of Sales

Alex Anderson serves as VP of Sales at McAfee, bringing extensive industry experience and leadership.

Richard Taylor

Chief Executive Officer

Richard Taylor serves as Chief Executive Officer at McAfee, bringing extensive industry experience and leadership.

Linda Taylor

Chief Operating Officer

Linda Taylor serves as Chief Operating Officer at McAfee, bringing extensive industry experience and leadership.

James Chen

Chief Financial Officer

James Chen serves as Chief Financial Officer at McAfee, bringing extensive industry experience and leadership.

Michael Anderson

Chief Product Officer

Michael Anderson serves as Chief Product Officer at McAfee, bringing extensive industry experience and leadership.

Sarah Garcia

Chief Marketing Officer

Sarah Garcia serves as Chief Marketing Officer at McAfee, bringing extensive industry experience and leadership.

William Lee

VP of Engineering

William Lee serves as VP of Engineering at McAfee, bringing extensive industry experience and leadership.

Key Differentiators

Market Leader

McAfee is recognized as a market leader in the Security sector, demonstrating strong industry presence and customer trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Estimated Visibility Trend (Beta)

Simulated 8-week rolling score

81
→ Stable

Based on estimated brand signals. Historical tracking coming soon.

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Side-by-side AI visibility scores, platform breakdown, and market position.

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