By Brandon Teoh –
According to Symantec Internet Security Threat Report 2011, threats increased across all fronts. Malware attacks up by 81%, web attacks up by 36% and Malware variants up by 41% – 50% of these attacks targeted at SMBs.
Symantec also reported that targeted attacks have doubled against businesses with 250 or fewer employees, climbing to 36 percent of all targeted attacks.
EITN found that the most menacing threats recorded in 2012 so far were mostly politically or business driven and carried out by professionals – long gone those days where security threats were premised on hobbyists. These threats include :
- Koobface
- OSX.FalshBack.K
- Flamer
- Android.Opfake
- Gauss
- MiniFlame
Analysts felt that SMBs are the weakest link in the supply chain. Hackers use SMBs as stepping stone into larger enterprises where 28% to 41% of data breaches caused by third-party. Given that the top 500 global businesses average 60 alliances each with smaller companies, it as emerged that contracts now demand partners to employ top-level security.
It was reported that in Malaysia alone, there were about 700,000 SMBs (recorded in Nov 2011). Most of these SMBs have limited IT budgets and were forced to live with bare minimum security. The challenges facing these SMBs are critical yet were not properly addressed by the industry. For instance,
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| (L-R) Philip Routley, Head of SMB Product Marketing, Asia Pacific and Japan, Symantec, Avinash Lotke, Director of Strategic Sales, Asia Pacific and Japan, Symantec |
1.) Maintain strong protection
- Stop advanced threats
- Deploy security quickly and easily
- Secure laptops, desktops and servers
2.) Maximise productivity
- Enable employees to work confidently online
- Empower remote workforce
- Secure employees without impacting system performance
3.) Reduce complexity
- Protection that is effortless
- Maximise security with limited staff and training
- Simplify ongoing management
These challenges present opportunities for the security industry. As a result, Symantec launched Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 on 8-Nov-2012.
Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013, gives small and medium businesses (SMBs) in Malaysia choice by offering a cloud-managed service and traditional on-premise management in a single endpoint protection product. By simplifying the deployment options, SMBs have the freedom to very easily move to the cloud when they’re ready without adding complexity to their environment.
Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 supports Windows 8 and Mac OS X. Its core engine and library are legendary, at which it supports advanced virus and malware protection, supported with Symantec Insight and Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response (SONAR) behavior-based security technologies, quickly and easily detects new threats and stops them in their tracks, keeping staff computers secure and productive even when they’re mobile.
The cloud-managed option will require minimal installation as well. It also supports USB device control. The 3 main benefits of Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 are:
- Simple, fast and effective virus and malware protection
- Setup in just minutes
- Cloud-ready when you are
“SMBs in Malaysia are a key part of the supply chain in the business environment today, they are handling valuable information and regularly process important customer data. Ensuring that the important information is protected is no longer an option today,” said Avinash Lotke, Symantec’s director of strategic sales, Asia Pacific and Japan. “While SMBs in Malaysia ranked data loss and cyber attacks as top business risks, they are still facing challenges in securing their businesses as buying, deploying and managing security systems are becoming increasingly complicated. Symantec’s announcement today demonstrates our commitment to simplifying information protection for SMBs.”
Philip Routley, Symantec’s head of SMB Product Marketing for Asia Pacific and Japan, added, “Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 offers SMBs the choice of a cloud-managed service or on-premise management in a single product. This product enables SMBs to quickly and easily protect information by eliminating complexity in their environment, giving them the freedom to very simply move to the cloud when they’re ready, at no additional cost.”
How it works is simple.
- Customer buy online
- Customer receives certificate which includes URL and Serial Number
- Customer goes to URL enters serial number, logs in (or creates an account) and activates their product
- The wizard appears and the customer makes a choice to deploy cloud-managed service or on-premise option
- On-premise – customers are redirected to file connect in order to download the on-premise management application.
- Cloud-managed – customers are redirected to Add computer page in the web-management portal.
There is another feature called the Partner Management console which provides the ability for a partner to management cloud-managed service for their customers through a web-based console. This feature offers service providers an option to manage their SMB customers through a single console. Alternatively, it can also serve the purpose of allowing bosses to monitor the security happenings of employees’ PCs.
With Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013, SMB can now scan online.
In short, this is the latest Symantec Endpoint Protection product which supports cloud computing.
Symantec still distributes the solution via CDs and DVDs for existing business channels.
Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 is immediately available for purchase in select countries worldwide through Symantec’s global network of value-added authorized resellers, distributors and systems integrators or directly through the Symantec e-store.
