Symantec Adds Protection Against Spyware And Bots

Symantec Network Security 7100 Series Adds Protection Against Spyware And Bots

Symantec Intrusion Prevention Appliances Provide Added Layer of Protection in Comprehensive, Multi-Layered Security Strategy

Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC), the global leader in information security, today announced that its Symantec Network Security 7100 Series Intrusion Prevention appliances now provide extended protection against spyware and bots. The added protection enables organisations to block these risks and threats at the network level and protect desktops, preventing personal and confidential information from being transmitted outside the enterprise.

“Across organisations of all sizes, spyware is fast becoming one of the greatest security concerns among enterprise customers,” said Richard Batchelar, country manager Symantec New Zealand. “The new protection in Symantec Network Security 7100 Series centrally blocks spyware and bots, increasing uptime and optimising bandwidth on the network so that customers can focus resources on business-critical applications.”

Symantec Network Security 7100 Series detects and blocks the communication that spyware and adware sends from infected hosts to collection servers, keeping confidential information from being transmitted outside the enterprise environment. In addition, Symantec Network Security 7100 Series detects and blocks the covert communications methods that bots use to communicate and transmit passwords, steal sensitive data or be controlled to issue a denial-of-service (DoS) attack against a network. The extended coverage also allows IT managers to pinpoint and remove systems that have been infected by spyware and bots, aiding them in the process of cleaning infected systems.

Spyware gathers confidential information by logging keystrokes, performing screen captures and monitoring email correspondence and Instant Messaging conversations. Once the information is obtained, spyware programmes such as Gator, Hotbar and Cydoor use various methods to provide the data to another party, often for monetary gain. Because spyware captures sensitive information before it is encrypted for transmission, it can bypass security measures and forward the text in an easily readable format.

Bots, such as Gaobot, Spybot and RxBot, are programmes that are covertly installed on a targeted system, allowing an unauthorised user to remotely control the computer for a wide variety of purposes. Attackers often coordinate large groups of bot-controlled systems, or bot networks, to scan for vulnerable systems and use them to increase the speed and breadth of their attacks. Bot networks create unique problems for organisations because they can be remotely upgraded with new exploits very quickly, which could potentially allow attackers to outpace an organisation’s security efforts to patch vulnerable systems.

Symantec Network Security 7100 Series spyware and bot protection is available free via Symantec LiveUpdate technology to existing customers as part of their product maintenance. As new spyware and bot risks emerge, Symantec plans to continue providing customers with proactive security updates powered by the world’s leading research and response organisation.

Symantec Network Security 7100 Series provides real-time, proactive network intrusion prevention to protect critical enterprise assets. An innovative Intrusion Mitigation Unified Network Engine (IMUNE) combines multiple detection technologies to accurately identify and block known, unknown (or ‘zero day’), and DoS attacks. LiveUpdate technology automatically updates protection policies to help organisations stay ahead of continuously evolving threats. The highly scalable, best-of-breed appliances meet a range of deployment needs by supporting aggregate network bandwidth from 50Mbps to 2Gbps across as many as eight network segments.

Symantec Network Security 7100 Series is a key component of a multi-layered anti-spyware strategy, providing an additional layer of protection at the network. For comprehensive protection at the client level, Symantec Client Security and Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition will automatically detect and remove spyware, as well as provide integrated fix tools and repair damage caused by these threats (please see separate press release issued today, “Symantec Announces Enterprise-Class Anti-Spyware Solutions”).

About Symantec Symantec is the global leader in information security providing a broad range of software, appliances and services designed to help individuals, small and mid-sized businesses and large enterprises secure and manage their IT infrastructure. Symantec’s Norton brand of products is the worldwide leader in consumer security and problem-solving solutions. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in more than 35 countries. More information is available at http://www.symantec.com. ##

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