Symantec Raises the Bar for Enterprise Security with Symantec Endpoint Protection

Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced a significant step in its Security 2.0 vision with the introduction of Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0 and Symantec Network Access Control 11.0 (codenamed Project Hamlet). Symantec Endpoint Protection – the most significant update to Symantec’s market-leading enterprise antivirus product in years – combines Symantec AntiVirus with advanced threat prevention in a single agent delivering unmatched defense against malware for laptops, desktops and servers. Symantec Endpoint Protection is available today in public beta at www.symantec.com/endpointsecurity.

In order to protect customers from both today’s threats and tomorrow’s emerging threats, Symantec Endpoint Protection includes proactive technologies that automatically analyze application behaviors and network communications to detect and actively block attacks. Customers are provided integrated antivirus, antispyware, firewall, host- and network-based intrusion prevention solutions (IPS), and application and device control into a single solution that is easy to install and easy to manage.

Symantec Endpoint Protection reduces administrative costs associated with managing multiple endpoint security products by bringing together award-winning technology from Symantec, Sygate, Whole Security and Veritas. This provides operational efficiencies and gives customers a best-of-breed, yet fully integrated solution that works across platforms and is supported by a single vendor. It is also backed by Symantec’s Global Intelligence Network with eight Symantec Security Response Centers, four Symantec Security Operations Centers, 120 million systems and more than 40,000 sensors deployed in 180 countries.

“Symantec Endpoint Protection makes it easier for businesses to adopt a more effective multi-layered security solution and extends the power of antivirus to address today’s evolving threat landscape,” said Tom Kendra, group president, Security and Data Management, Symantec. “It resets the bar for endpoint security, reducing overhead, time and costs so that customers can efficiently manage security and gain confidence that corporate assets and business are protected.”

Symantec Endpoint Protection is the only product that offers the benefit of essential security technologies (antivirus, antispyware, desktop firewall, intrusion prevention and device control) via a single integrated agent and administered from a single management console. Symantec Endpoint Protection features the new simplified management console, Network Access Control (NAC) enablement out of the box, and a range of training and support offerings to speed implementation for partners and customers.

Today, Symantec also introduced a new version of its Symantec Network Access Control product. Symantec Network Access Control 11.0 is an optional module tightly integrated with Symantec Endpoint Protection to help customers discover and evaluate the status of endpoints, provision the appropriate network access and provide remediation capabilities to ensure security policies and standards are met. Both Symantec Endpoint Protection and the new version of Symantec Network Access Control are expected to be available worldwide in September.

Brian Rosario, vice president, support systems manager with BankUnited, the largest bank headquartered in Florida, added, “BankUnited makes it a priority to deploy the most advanced, multi-layered security measures to protect the highly sensitive financial data of our customers. Symantec understands that security is more than antivirus and helps us ensure the security and availability of our business-critical systems and protect the integrity of our customer information. The fact that Symantec Endpoint Protection can be deployed, managed and maintained from a single location across our 81 branch offices is a key benefit for our company.”

Strengthening Endpoint Security

Symantec Endpoint Protection was designed from the ground up to ensure a truly integrated experience for customers, resulting in broader and stronger endpoint protection. The solution is designed to be more resource friendly by reducing the memory footprint by more than 80 percent. The solution blends signature-based antivirus with new proactive threat detection technology to protect from both traditional and emerging threats. It includes the following:


Enhanced antivirus and anti-spyware technology – provides better real-time malware detection, blocking and remediation. It features improved performance, a new client interface and new deep-scanning technology from Veritas to find and remove rootkits which often evade detection.
New proactive threat protection – protects against unknown (or zero-day) threats by utilizing behavioral-based scanning. By checking both good and bad behaviors the algorithms significantly reduce the rate of false positives. Also includes Proactive Threat Scan, a unique technology acquired from Whole Security that detects and blocks malware without signatures to prevent outbreaks before they happen. Device control allows users to restrict access to devices (USB memory keys, back-up drives) in accordance with designated security policies, mitigating the risk of data loss.
New network threat protection – incorporates Generic Exploit Blocking (GEB), utilizing unique vulnerability-based IPS technology. Because this IPS technology is embedded at the network level, malware is blocked before it enters the system. Unlike traditional exploit-based IPS technologies, GEB blocks all new exploits of a vulnerability (including variants) with a single signature to improve detection and speed remediation. Also provides a new rules-based firewall acquired from Sygate. The firewall dynamically adjusts port settings to block threats from spreading, and inspects both encrypted and cleartext network traffic.

Simplifying and Extending

With a widening group of users tapping into corporate resources, the need to secure endpoints and ensure compliance with security policies can no longer be separated. Symantec Endpoint Protection comes NAC-enabled out of the box. By integrating NAC and security into a single endpoint agent, Symantec enables customers to more quickly and easily deploy Symantec Network Access Control, and provides significant operational efficiencies such as single software and policy updates, unified reporting, and unified licensing and maintenance.

“Enterprises want to reduce the cost of protecting their business environments and of complying with regulations and policies,” said Andrew Jaquith, senior analyst, Yankee Group. “By combining compliance, network access and threat protection into a single client, products like Symantec Endpoint Protection reduce complexity and simplify the job IT has to do.”

To help customers and partners maximize the value of their investments, Symantec Global Services is offering a range of consulting, education and support services that guide customers through the migration, deployment, operation and management of Symantec Endpoint Protection. These services include Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0 and Symantec Network Access Control 11.0 implementation and migration services that are available for a single site deployment for small and mid-size businesses through global multiple site deployments for large enterprise customers. In addition, Antivirus Residency Services to help customers augment their IT staff and refocus existing resources on strategic business priorities, and Antivirus Operational Services to help clients confidently meet their Services Level Agreements through cost-effective outsourcing of antivirus activities.

Symantec Education Services provides hands-on technical training on new migration, administration, and advanced features for Symantec Endpoint Protection and Symantec Network Access Control. To complement these courses and to stay up-to-date through continuous learning, customers can subscribe to Symantec’s regularly updated Endpoint Security Tech Center - a self-paced, online training offering that covers key features, common questions, and advanced topics specifically on Symantec Endpoint Protection and Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition. In addition, Symantec Enterprise Support Services offer customers three levels of protection designed to meet the needs of the small business to the large enterprise.

Licensing and Availability

Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0 and Symantec Network Access Control 11.0 are expected to be globally available in September, and can be purchased directly or through Symantec’s worldwide network of value-added authorized resellers, distributors and systems integrators. For more information on these products and to download the public beta of Symantec Endpoint Protection, visit: www.symantec.com/endpointsecurity.

About Security 2.0

Security 2.0 is Symantec’s vision for the future of security. As security evolves to be more of an enabler than inhibitor, solutions must protect consumers and businesses at every connection, giving them confidence that their information and interactions are protected everywhere they go. Security 2.0 is about helping customers both protect themselves and take advantage of new opportunities in this increasingly connected world.

About Symantec

Symantec is a global leader in infrastructure software, enabling businesses and consumers to have confidence in a connected world. The company helps customers protect their infrastructure, information and interactions by delivering software and services that address risks to security, availability, compliance and performance. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in 40 countries. More information is available at www.symantec.com.