Computer Associates Africa has announced the immediate availability of eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware r5, designed to safeguard consumers, SMB and large enterprise PCs against unauthorised access, information theft and diminished system performance. The new version detects and removes thousands of "pests" - including spyware, adware, trojans, denial-of-service (DoS) attack agents as well as other backdoor Web-based threats.
eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware r5 - part of CA`s eTrust Threat Management software portfolio - protects users from a much wider range of threats than popular freeware/shareware tools. It is backed by the CA Security Advisor (http://ca.com/securityadvisor), which provides vulnerability and configuration research, around-the-clock monitoring and protection against malicious code, spyware/adware and blended threats.
The CA Security Advisor also maintains an extensive online threat database and provides computer users with free advice on how to delete malicious code and prevent infection.
"eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware addresses the urgent need for effective protection against the growing range of performance-killing, privacy-robbing malware that afflicts just about everyone who is connected to the Internet and doesn`t take appropriate precautions," says Roger Thompson, director of Malicious Content Research at CA.
"This new release provides enterprises, consumers and SMBs with the most comprehensive and effective protection available from this serious and pervasive threat."
Spyware, which has reached epidemic proportions, is broadly defined as any technology that aids in gathering information about a person or organisation without their knowledge - it slows system responses, disrupts Internet connectivity and can capture passwords and other keystrokes.
Some spyware even install tools that hackers can use to perform identity theft and make other unauthorised use of victims` PCs. In the last month alone, the CA Security Advisor has added more than 1 000 pests to its database.
"At mid-2004, Gartner clients are seeing a surge in manifestations of `spyware`, invasive methods to steal user privacy that disrupt users and their workstations at home and at work," says Gartner Vice-President and Research Director, John Girard. "Clients report that the cleanup effort may take a few hours, but that in no time at all, the same systems are infected again."
Comments Henry Peens, eTrust Brand Manager at Computer Associates Africa: "By protecting their systems against spyware, companies drastically decrease the risk of unauthorised access while at the same time eliminating a major cause of bandwidth waste and system degradation."
eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware r5 includes faster detection and removal, and an enhanced graphical interface. Additional enhancements include more flexibility for scheduled scans and automatic updates that protect users from the latest threats as they are discovered. eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware effectively addresses:
* Spyware that "phones home" information about an individual, their computer and their surfing habits;
* Adware that displays unwanted advertising and can slow PCs to a crawl;
* Keyloggers that can record every keystroke a person makes in order to steal passwords and other personal data;
* Browser hijackers that change an individual`s homepage and search results; and
* Remote Access Trojans (RATs) that allow an attacker to remotely control a computer.
Additionally, developers can use the eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware Software Developers` Toolkit to develop new products and integrate their solutions easily with third-party Web services and business and consumer offerings.
In support of this latest release, CA Africa will run a Tech Talk on PestPatrol Anti-Spyware r5, held on Thursday, 25 November, at its offices in Sunninghill, Johannesburg.
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