Allegations of "predatory pricing" are beginning to swirl around Microsoft's emergence as a player in the security software space.

On the heels of the software giant's release of its Windows OneCare PC care bundle for consumers and a massive rebranding effort in the enterprise security sector, competitors are crying foul, charging that Microsoft is using its financial clout to kill competition and stifle innovation.

Alex Eckelberry, president of enterprise anti-virus vendor Sunbelt Software, went on the offensive on his company's blog, accusing Microsoft of "endangering the entire security ecosystem with ruthless, Standard Oil-style pricing."

Accusations of predatory pricing and unfair competitive practices could spur regulators in the United States and abroad to investigate Microsoft's tactics, and Eckelberry suggests that the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) take a serious look at the way Redmond has priced its products way below fair market value.