June 29 (Bloomberg) -- McAfee Inc., the second-biggest maker of security software, rose to the highest level in more than 10 years in New York trading amid speculation the company will be acquired.

McAfee advanced $1.89, or 4.7 percent, to $42.05 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading, its highest price since March 16, 1999.

The company, based in Santa Clara, California, has used trial versions of its programs installed on new personal computers to grab share from larger rival Symantec Corp. Investors have begun to speculate a larger company may acquire McAfee, Rob Owens, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities in Portland, Oregon, said today in an interview.

McAfee has climbed 22 percent this year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Rochelle Garner in San Francisco at rgarner4@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: June 29, 2009 16:14 EDT