Its not just anti-virus alone - CIOL News Reports

It's not just anti-virus alone

Till yesterday, it was busy keeping its foothold intact in the anti-virus market. But today it is moving to newer pastures like security 2.0, identity management and Internet safeguards. Lets find out what sends Symantec avidly cracking forts beyond the anti-virus forte with Norton

Saturday, March 15, 2008

The anti-virus market continues to grow, in turn pushing the worldwide security software revenue that is expected to total $9.1 billion in 2007, a 10.7 per cent increase over 2006 revenue of $8.2 billion, according to Gartner, Inc.

Anti-virus software revenue is expected to total $4.9 billion in 2007, and will account for 53.8 per cent of the total security software industry and will continue to lead the security software market in 2007.

But as the threat firmament undergoes changes, there is a futuristic shift from signature-based anti-virus defenses to more predictive proactive defenses. So is the move towards converged security.

Gartner has predicted that for the next 18 months, less than 15 per cent of enterprise clients will purchase licenses for converged clients for their entire desktop population.

Enterprise adoption of converged clients will slowly increase, and by year-end 2009, 35 per cent of enterprises will have purchased deployed converged clients.

Symantec is emphasizing its vision for "Security 2.0," a new generation of security products and services for the connected world.

Apart from protecting against threats coming from the outside world, such as worms and viruses, security majors are also gearing up for threats such as data leakage or internal fraud.

Symantec and its Norton line of products are expanding its scope and appetite by all ways possible even as it stands in the face of new and mighty incumbents like Microsoft which has entered the space with Windows Live OneCare, its PC care service, with unified virus and spyware scanning, file backup options etc.

Symantec continues its onslaught with new launches like Norton Internet Security 2008 and Norton Anti-virus 2008, Norton Internet Security 2008 added with Norton Identity Safe.

In this interview with Pratima Harigunani of CyberMedia News Janice Chaffin, Group CEO, Symantec Consumer Unit, shares the group’s direction on areas like preventive security, web security, internal threats, and of course why it is no more just an anti-virus company.

Has the journey from reactive to preventive security been adequate enough for Symantec?

It’s a continuously changing problem. We can never expect a 100 per cent status. But our Response Lab is making great strides and we are as proactive and ahead of time. There are a lot of behavioral techniques coming. We are trying a heuristics approach against the hitherto signature approach. But one needs all layers to be 100 per cent proof. We are closer to 100 per cent.

As the Norton 2008 line hints, Symantec seems to be extending its radius beyond anti-virus? How and why?

We have definitely built a lot more expertise around anti-virus. It’s not just the basic response any more and we have added more capabilities.

We are now focusing on different types of customers. It’s not just the PC, but everything - the background, the data, the digital family with products like Norton 360, PC Tune-up. All kinds of security and concerns would be touched in the new spectrum. With security 2.0, we are talking about protection from any device anywhere.

How potent is the web-security proposition?

We are expecting more interactions on the web, not in a traditional anti-virus way but in other ways too. Identity business as an underground economy is a serious aspect.

There is not enough protection on the web but we will keep going. Partnering with Google and Yahoo will help reach a broader population and wider access to user base.

As espoused in your new strategic focus on Mobile security, do you see it materializing it as a ripe area soon?

The world we are living today is about web world, 3G phones etc. We know threats will happen and could be already resident too. Smartphone security with anti-spyware, anti-spam is one such area.

We will watch and see and depending on threats we will start covering devices and other areas. Passport space turned out to be an interesting leap in web security, as a central repository for personal information, with 'single sign on' system so people don't have to remember hundreds of passwords and usernames as they navigate online.

What pumps your appetite in this foray? Any concerns as this territory has been already tried and tested by Microsoft Passport Network that met with criticisms like inconsistencies, problems in user experience and a wider debate on identity privacy?

We released Identity Safe that guides users passing on from one site to another with management of passwords. There are different standards that operate in this realm.

Ours was a standard-neutral offering categorized in a card format. It has seen good adoption with hassle-free and easy-to-use benefits. It provides a common interface for users to manage the different identities, passwords and protocols they use to access services over the Web.

Throughout your experience in leading and steering Norton, what changes you mark in the technology and market frontiers?

As we move on, there is broadband adoption with millions of users to get ready for. This brings needs for security as we see greater Internet and mobile communication.

It’s changing the landscape totally as seen in some countries already. There are many more ways of attacks that will emerge.

©CyberMedia News