According to a latest update, the Social Networking giant Facebook has joined hands with five security vendors to offer a range of free and subscription-based antivirus packages.

Sources informed, security leaders like Microsoft, McAfee, Trend Micro, Sophos, and Symantec are now a part of Facebook's third party security providers, which will offer a range of antivirus packages for Windows and Mac users.

Facebook’s Antivirus Marketplace is reportedly offering  few software suites to download including McAfee Internet Security (PC), Microsoft Security Essentials (PC), Norton Antivirus (PC and Mac), Trend Micro (PC and Mac), and Sophos Antivirus (Mac).

Out of these products, Microsoft's Security Essentials for Windows and Sophos' Home Edition for Mac are actually free.

It is reportedly said that the antivirus companies will also contribute towards educational information and security updates for the community via a Facebook Security Blog.

To the reader’s surprise, six months of free updates are included with each download. However, users can download just one free antivirus application per Facebook account. 

Surely, this initiative will help Facebook to meet security standards.