The world`s first anti-virus protection system which uses satellite technology to automatically update anti-virus packages, has been launched in South Africa.
The service is the result of a joint venture between Ian Melamed Secure Computing and M-Web`s Siyanda Satellite Services.
"The revolutionary system uses a satellite link to update anti-virus packages," explains Ian Melamed, managing director of Ian Melamed Secure Computing.
"This is science fiction becoming science fact. Using a satellite link, a virus solution developed in America, can - within minutes of its release - be uploaded to a computer in South Africa without the user having to do anything."
M-Web`s Siyanda Satellite was chosen to partner the project because its service is not dependent on earthbound systems. It is easily able to meet the demands created by the delivery of hands-free software to a computer system on earth.
"By using Siyanda, we not only obviated the need for a technician on the ground but are also able to deliver updates to a PC in a fraction of the time of Internet downloads," explains Melamed.
"Satellite technology has already proven to be the route for success in the corporate environment in a number of applications," says Marius Marais, general manager of Siyanda Satellite.
"Satellite links already provide a host of services which eliminate time inefficiencies and desktop delivery of solutions in - literally - a flash," Marais says.
Siyanda`s satellite system provides point-to-multi-point broadcasting of large files, direct to a PC or file server, into which a satellite card is installed.
Ian Melamed Secure Computing bundles the Siyanda Satellite card and a satellite dish with its anti-virus products - the Trend Micro suite of products - on a loan basis at no extra cost to its customers.
"The combination of a satellite service with Trend`s central management server, the Trend Virus Control System (TVCS) offers users the facility to receive virus pattern updates on a 24 hour non-stop basis," says Eva Chiang, chief technical officer at Trend Micro.
"From this single download it is then possible to automatically distribute the updates to all the LAN or WAN connected servers and workstations, guaranteeing the fastest anti-virus software distribution available anywhere."
Traditionally, anti-virus software has either had to be manually updated, or updated via an Internet connection. The human factor is one of the biggest reasons virus software is not kept up to date" Melamed says. "A few hundred new viruses appear every week, adding to the total of some 50 000 known viruses. How many business people actually have the time to laboriously download virus updates on a weekly basis?"
With a satellite updating system, this problem is easily overcome. Once the basic anti-virus package has been installed, the updates are done at satellite speed by the fully automated system as often as required.
Some serious virus outbreaks demand anti-virus updates as often as every six hours.
"In a world where we are reliant upon technology, we need to know where information is coming from," says Melamed, who is also a Member of the SA Law Commission project on Computer related crimes.
"Even with traditional Internet based anti-virus software updates, there is always a possibility that a malicious virus programmer can tamper with software even before it is downloaded by the unsuspecting user. With Siyanda, however, the chain of delivery is clear and secure. The satellite system does not use the traditional Internet network, and as such it is absolutely safe from viral infections," says Melamed.
"This security aspect, combined with the speed and automation of the process, unquestionably places the system of anti-virus updates by satellite in the forefront of the struggle against computer viruses. We are proud that this breakthrough has been launched in South Africa, and is an indication that our IT industry is up amongst the world`s leaders," Melamed concludes.
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