Vodacom World Online, a Tiscali S.p.A company, has in partnership with SecureData launched Virus Alert, a free service to World Online subscribers that will automatically scan and quarantine e-mails for viruses before being forwarded to users.
"If a virus is detected, the e-mail is quarantined and fixed, and notification sent to the subscriber. This significantly reduces the risk of World Online subscribers receiving an e-mail or an attachment with a virus," explained World Online manager B2B and e-Commerce, Odette Meredith.
"The pace of virus infections is accelerating rapidly. Viruses are creating havoc and the damage is costly to repair. World Online`s anti-virus strategy is aimed at protecting customers from viruses even before the virus would normally reach their PC," she added.
Meredith said the service takes away the need for subscribers to continually keep up to date with the latest viruses. "The virus protection responsibility is now taken away from the subscriber and falls fully on World Online as the ISP as no mails will be received with a virus. On a dial-up line it is difficult to always ensure that you have the latest virus software," she explained.
"This preventative measure is one of the most compelling reasons why PC users should be linked to our service. Costs relating to the loss of data as a result of viruses amounted to millions of rands in the last 18 months in South Africa alone. We see this as a major cost cutting benefit to World Online subscribers," added Meredith.
People are spending more and more time both online and using email to communicate with friends and business associates," says Wayne Biehn, sales director to SecureData, sole local distributor of Trend Micro anti-virus solutions. "Given the impact of viruses, like the famous `Loveletter` virus, it is critical that virus protection be built into the Internet infrastructure in order to protect users from these types of threats."
"We are thrilled to work with World Online," added Biehn. The software industry is increasingly embracing a web delivery model. We are pleased that World Online has recognised the importance and value of offering virus scanning services to its customers."
In addition to the Virus Alert service, World Online offers, through the World Online portal (www.worldonline.co.za), two other Trend Micro virus protection solutions provided by SecureData, Housecall and PC Cillin.
Housecall, available to non-World Online users as well, is an on-demand anti-virus application that can be downloaded from the portal at no cost. Once downloaded it scans the PC and fixes any viruses one might have. Once done, the software uninstalls itself, and can be downloaded again in the future.
At a minimal fee users can opt to go for PC-Cillin, a continuous real-time virus protection solution that resides on one`s computer. It automatically updates virus definitions when connected to the Internet and scans all incoming mail, Internet downloads and file copies from floppy disks.
When a virus is detected, PC-Cillin will automatically rectify the problem and notify the subscriber via e-mail regarding the time, subject and sender of the infected message.
World Online MD Graeme Victor said the virus protection service forms part of an added-value offering providing more than just e-mail and the Internet. "Other World Online services include satellite connectivity, news, health, travel, accommodation, cinema bookings, an online backup service soon to be launched and an online shopping mall to name a few," he said.
For more information on the World Online anti-virus tools, visit http://antivirus.worldonline.co.za
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World Online International
"World Online International, acquired by Tiscali S.p.A. in December 2000 (Nuovo Mercato: TIS), is part of one of the largest and fastest-growing Internet network companies in Europe, and, in conjunction with Tiscali, provides access, content, applications and services to 6.8 million registered subscribers as of September 30, 2000. With local operations in 15 countries, the Company has the largest geographical footprint of any European Internet provider.
World Online was officially listed on Euronext (formerly the stock exchange of Amsterdam Exchanges) on March 17th, 2000. On November 7th 2000, Tiscali launched an offer to combine the two companies that was accepted by shareholders representing 96.1% of World Online`s outstanding share capital on December 6th 2000. Tiscali honored its offer on December 7th 2000, creating the leading pan-European Internet network company.
SecureData
SecureData, an ERP.com company, is a Managed Security Service Provider. SecureData is the exclusive sub-Saharan Distributors of Trend Micro, providing enterprise-wide, centrally managed, server-based, virus protection, e-mail filtering and Internet filtering products and services. Concern about Internet Safety has created a vigorous and growing market for content security products and services. Today, e-mail attachments account for over 50% of virus infections, and web-based malicious mobile code (vandals) is widely thought to be the predominant content threat of the near future. SecureData, brings sub-Saharan Africa the tools that build anti-virus and content security protection into the Internet and Mail/Groupware infrastructure
WOL`s corporate website: www.worldonline.com
Tiscali`s corporate website: www.tiscali.com
SecureData`s corporate website: www.sd.co.za