Symantec introduces industry's first integrated security solution for network clients, remote users

Symantec, the world leader in Internet security, today announced Symantec Client Security, the first integrated security solution for network clients and remote users. Symantec Client Security integrates anti-virus, personal firewall and intrusion detection technologies to effectively protect desktops against today's blended threats. Integrated central management of these multiple technologies offers IT administrators the powerful combination of lowering the total cost of ownership and increasing the security of the network client frequently, the most costly and least secure IT asset.

Additionally, the critical response time during a blended threat outbreak can be dramatically shortened through Symantec Client Security's single update mechanism, combining virus definitions, firewall rules and intrusion detection signatures.

"The security perimeter is rapidly disappearing, allowing today's malicious code to spread quickly via email, Internet browsing and file sharing, often through inadequately protected clients," said Patrick Evans, regional manager for Africa at Symantec. "Symantec Client Security is the ideal solution for organisations seeking more cost-effective methods to deploy and manage the growing number of desktops and laptops in their network."

Symantec Client Security offers IT administrators the ability to centrally configure and deploy the solution as well as set day-to-day policy management and reporting functions. To reduce administration time, administrators can easily deploy Symantec Client Security using one of three pre-packaged installations full installation, lightly managed, and thin client, the smallest possible footprint without sacrificing protection. Administrators can also apply lock-down policies throughout the organization to prevent users from modifying client security settings. Customised policies can be applied based on user groups (eg departments or locations).

Symantec Client Security is an integrated security solution that provides a proactive approach to security against blended threats, such as Klez and Code Red, before they attack. For example, when the firewall technology encounters a suspicious incoming or outgoing file it will call the anti-virus scanning engine regardless of whether the anti-virus real-time protection is turned on or off. If the anti-virus scan determines the file is infected, the anti-virus engine will instruct the firewall technology to raise the threat level to high with a default action to block the file from accessing the Internet or block the file from entering the client.

The integration of multiple security functions enables Symantec to provide quick and comprehensive updates in a single LiveUpdate packet when malicious code attacks occur, a much more efficient and effective alternative to multiple-product updates. Most important, these updates are delivered by the Symantec Security Response team, which provides fast, global, integrated analysis and response.

Symantec Client Security is a centrally managed client security solution that integrates multiple security functions:

Centralised management -- Symantec Client Security utilises Symantec's proven management infrastructure, Symantec System Centre, to deliver managed client security. Administrators will be able to completely configure, install, manage, and update all the security components for the workstation, anti-virus, firewall and intrusion detection, and virus protection for the network server from one management console.

Symantec's award-winning anti-virus technology --Symantec Client Security offers virus protection at both the network server and client tiers.

Symantec offers the only anti-virus solution in the market with closed-loop automation technology. This technology is a part of the Digital Immune System, a sophisticated back-end infrastructure designed to provide enterprise customers with the highest levels of protection available. The Digital Immune System greatly improves system uptime by providing automatic, reliable, and hands-free virus detection, analysis, and delivery of virus cures to an infected PC or entire corporation with or without administrator intervention depending on the needs of the administrator.

Symantec's award-winning firewall technology -- Utilising a rules-based firewall, Symantec Client Security stops known and unknown Trojan horses, spyware and denial of service agents from making connections to the Internet without the users knowledge. Additional firewall features include the ability to designate trusted and restricted Internet Zones and the ability to block access to any TCP or UDP service from any Internet address or range of Internet addresses. Administrators can also deploy lockdown policy settings.

Intrusion detection --This component of Symantec Client Security compares the traffic against a known set of signatures maintained by the Symantec Security Response team, thus providing a significantly higher level of protection. In the event of an intrusion attempt, Symantec Client Security will automatically block the offending IP address for 30 minutes. Symantec Security Response ensures customers are protected with the latest security updates, and provided the most current threat information available.

Symantec Client Security is a key component of Symantec Enterprise Security, which provides any size organisation with the technology, global response and services necessary to manage its information security.

Symantec's comprehensive solution offers best-of-breed products to protect gateways, servers and clients with firewall security, virus protection, intrusion detection, vulnerability management and virtual private networking (VPN). Customers benefit from Symantec Security Response, a global network of researchers, automated response technology and a 24x7 technical support staff that provides customers with immediate response to any new security-related attacks. Symantec Enterprise Security customers are also supported by one of the largest professional security organizations in the world, offering security consulting, security education and managed security services. For more information, please visit Symantec's enterprise Web site at http://enterprisesecurity.symantec.com.