Symantec launches SmartPhone protection

US-based tech security specialist has rolled out a suite of consumer mobile security products that provides anti-virus, firewall and anti-spam protection for Windows Mobile and Symbian OS phone operating systems.

Symantec’s Norton Smartphone Security aims to give mobile device users the same level of security that has become standard for laptops and other computing devices.

“Smartphones are expanding consumer freedom to communicate and access important information anytime, anywhere,” said Symantec Consumer Business Unit senior vice-president Rowan Trollope said.

“However, unsecure public WiFi or network connections can put users at risk. In addition, web and e-mail viruses can directly infect smartphones, enabling hackers to remotely control the device, access sensitive information or disable applications,” he said.

“Norton Smartphone Security runs discreetly in the background, providing the confidence and peace of mind to engage in everyday activities like e-mailing, Web browsing or banking online from these handheld devices.”

As more users transact using their mobile devices, the financial incentives for virus writers and mobile hackers increase, Symantec says.

In a U.S. survey of smartphone users conducted by Applied Research, 34 per cent of respondents said they access their bank accounts via their mobile device and 54 per cent of respondents said they access web sites that require a password.

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Norton update crashes PCs in China

MILLIONS of personal computers and servers in China have been crashed by a faulty update to Symantec’s popular Norton anti-virus software, China’s state-run Xinghua News Agency has reported.

Xinghua said more than 1000 customers in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou has reported the problem by lunchtime last Friday.

It said an automated update of the Chinese version of Norton Anti-Virus issued last Friday caused computers running Windows XP to crash to a blue screen of death. The computers returned to the blue screen even after a reboot.

Symantec confirmed the incident had resulted from an inappropriate handling of an automatic upgrade of the AntiVirus security software. It is thought the update accidentally prompted computers to kill two essential system files.

Xinghua said it was estimated that several million users ran the Windows XP operating system with Norton Anti-Virus in China.

The state-owned English language China Daily newspaper said Chinese companies were already seeking compensation.

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Huawei inks joint-venture with Symantec

CHINESE networking giant Huawei has signed a groundbreaking joint-venture with US security specialists Symantec to develop and distribute security and storage appliances for corporate customers.

The joint-venture’s storage and security appliance products will also target phone companies and service providers.

“The joint venture will help carriers and enterprises effectively address these challenges by offering security and storage appliances that are easy to implement and maximize value to customers,” the companies said.

The yet-unnamed joint-venture is subject to government approvals, though Huawei and Symantec hope it will be operational by the end of the year.

The joint-venture will be headquartered in the Chinese city of Chengdu. It will be 51 per cent owned by Huawei and 49 per cent by Symantec.

“Network security will definitely form the foundation as telecom networks migrate toward an All IP environment,” Huawei chief executive officer Ren ZhengFei

“The partnership will enable us not only to provide leading network security solutions to carriers, but also to deliver professional security and storage solutions to enterprises, helping our customers build a safer and more efficient network.”

Huawei will contribute its telecommunications storage and security businesses including its integrated supply chain and integrated product development management practices.

Additionally, the new company will have access to Huawei’s intellectual property (IP) licenses, research and development capabilities, manufacturing expertise and engineering talent, which includes more than 750 employees.

The joint venture’s services and support infrastructure will draw upon Huawei's successful model for customer service and technical support, including worldwide technical support and call centre operations.

Symantec will contribute some of its leading enterprise storage and security software licenses, working capital, and its management expertise into the new company. Symantec will also contribute US$150 million toward the joint venture’s growth and expansion.

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Symantec cranks online security with Norton 360

GLOBAL giant Symantec will launch its much-anticipated Norton 360 online security and back-up service in Australia next month.

The all-in-one Norton 360 combines Symantec’s full range of security technologies – including anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, intrusion detection, anti-phishing, back-up and tune-up – into a single online product aimed at consumers and small businesses users.

Announced in the US yesterday, Norton 360 will be available to Australian users in mid-March for $129 for a one-year subscription and software licences for up to three computers.

The company says the breadth of Norton 360 coverage meant users could source all their security needs in a single product. The product is geared to both protect the computers and the information stored on them from internet risks, as well as from data loss.

Norton 360 also diagnoses and fixes common problems and automatically optimises PC speed and performance.

Symantec’s consumer business unit chief Enrique Salem said Norton 360 aimed to give one-stop protection to people using their computers for more than just work and storing documents, but for those that also use their PC for online banking, shopping, keeping in contact with friends and managing their music – among other daily activities.

“(Norton 360) not only protects against traditional online threats, but also helps secure users’ identity when transacting online and safeguards valuable files like music and photos,” Mr Salem said.

Yankee Group senior analyst Andrew Jacquith said that with Norton 360 Symantec was rejuvenating its consumer product line.

Included in Norton 360 is the Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response (SONAR), which provides behaviour-based malware detection to identify new threats in real-time based on application behaviour.

It also includes new local and online backup and restore capabilities. The online backup is secured through the users’ Norton Accounts, as well as through encryption both during file transfer and on the storage server.

The product includes 2GB of online storage, while users can purchase up to 25 GB of additional storage where needed.

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