By ASHLEE VANCE
Published: July 5, 2009

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The two leading makers of computer security software, Symantec and McAfee, are like preachers who conduct dueling tent revivals.

They boast and frighten and denounce each other while trying to convince the crowd that their particular brand of salvation will ward off the devil — in this case, malicious e-mail viruses and evil Internet worms.

The stakes are huge: millions of global followers willing to donate a steady sum every year for protection against online threats.

Recently, the competition between the two has become fiercer, as both have tried to get their software tied to more new personal computers, Web sites and Internet service providers. McAfee has been particularly aggressive, using a string of deals with large PC makers in a bid to usurp Symantec’s leadership position.

“It’s like an arms race,” said Albert A. Pimentel, the chief financial officer of McAfee, who goes by the pugilistic nickname Rocky. Security companies must constantly persuade customers and partners to renew subscriptions or switch from a competitor with similar products.

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