''Our mission is to build confidence for our customers''

Can the new Security Response Lab in Pune content be a cue or input for future products from Symantec’s R&D?

Yes, for a product you need to understand the reasons and implications behind it and the lab can be an input source here. For instance, zero level detection can be done with the help of behavioral tracing. This can be done with the collaboration of response and development team.

What is the tangent that you see technology threats take as we move ahead in the future?

From 1990s to 2005, we have seen a metamorphosis in the nature and extent of threats, as they have grown from traditional viruses to worm, spams, spyware, crimeware, phishing to botnets and zero day exploits today. We also see an increase in polymorphic malicious code, which has led to worms with larger number of variants that take different forms at run time. For instance, the second most reported malicious code ‘Redlof.A’ was a polymorphic virus. Threats to confidential information will continue to increase. As we move forth, attacks will be more modular with far higher degrees of sophistication and will be targeted at specific client side targets.

What is the extent of the security pandemic on the enterprise side? Are there any sector-specific vulnerability?

Economic offence is a conspicuous part of the security problems today. Only one per cent of every 50,000 crimeware are reported today. Symantec expects phishing targets to expand, as phishers employ increasingly sophisticated methods to avoid detection. India has witnessed around 81 per cent increase in phishing in last six months and ranks in top 15 countries hosting phishing sites. While basic infrastructure in IT and BPO has to be at par in terms of policy mandates on security posture, the challenge is more on the SME and end user segment. I don’t mean that enterprises are not vulnerable but home users are often the weakest link in the chain and are the most targeted. Around 86 per cent of total attacks were targeted at home users via bot network attacks. As regards vulnerability, everyone in the digital world can be prone to attacks but BFSI (Banking and Financial Industry), PSUs, Governments and ISPs are obvious attack targets.

How intense has the security landscape on web applications grown to be?

Web applications and browsers are being increasingly targeted. About 60 per cent of all reported vulnerability will affect web applications. In fact, 26 per cent of the top attacks originating from India were estimated to be aimed at web browsers.

When can we see an umbrella product from Symantec that takes care of all the security needs? What else is coming out from Symantec’s pipeline?

Our mission is to build confidence for our customers as they embrace technology and we keep working for it all the time. Security is one side of the coin but information is a vital aspect too as there’s no use of something, which is secure in a locker but not available. Veritas acquisition has plugged that gap. Besides, there are new requirements on performance and compliance side also. So we have adopted a holistic approach and are moving towards integrated applications. Some products in our stable already reflect that direction. For instance, Lifecycle recovery product and another offering on image-based tool for recovery and back-up functions.

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