"Phishing" – the attempted capture of financial, and/or other confidential corporate, information by criminals – is becoming increasingly common, as is the creation of "botnets", which illegally utilize corporate computing resources for fraudulent purposes. System administrators, therefore, need to remain vigilant to such activities at all times, and this is where an industry leading software security suite, such as Symantec Antivirus Small Business can help.

Symantec Antivirus Features

Spyware and adware, sometimes collectively known as "malware", may intercept sensitive information, such as banking details, or passwords, and transmit that information to unauthorised individuals, or groups, outside an organisation. Sources of malware may include "spam" email messages, or websites, which may otherwise appear to be bona fide. Symatec Antivirus Small Business Edition provides proactive protection against malware, preventing unauthorised installation of software, and detecting and removing even "stealth" spyware. Spyware may also affect Windows registry entries, Internet browser settings and other files; all of these items can be reversed, or repaired by Symantec Antivirus. The software also detects and prevents malicious attacks which attempt to disable, or bypass, security measures, such as virus protection.

Symantec Antivirus Small Business Edition does, of course, provide comprehensive protection for desktop PCs and network servers against existing, and new, virus threats. Viruses, worms and Trojan horses can all be detected and removed from POP3 email messages, attachments and other incoming files. Threat protection for client systems, content filtering and spam prevention features are all included, and Symantec Mail Security extends protection to email servers, often a gateway for intrusion.

Symantec Antivirus Small Business Edition allows enterprise wide control of spyware and virus protection from a single point, via a centralised, and easy to use, management console. Indeed, the software affords a degree of flexibility, such that security settings can be adjusted for a particular server, group of workstations, or a single workstation, as and when required. Furthermore, Web-based reporting functions allow system administrators to keep track of the state of their systems, virus outbreaks, etc.

Symantec "LiveUpdate" allows virus definitions to be downloaded from the Internet, and installed, automatically. This allows system administrators the peace of mind of knowing that virus protection is always current, without intervention on their part.

Perhaps most significant feature of the latest version of Symantec Antivirus Small Business Edition is that it is engineered and optimised to run under Microsoft Vista. This is obviously vitally important to those small businesses which have already upgraded, or are in the process of upgrading, to the latest incarnation of the Windows operating system from Microsoft.

Conclusion

Backed by the knowledge and experience of Symantec Security Response, the leading Internet research and support organization in the world, Symantec Antivirus Small Business Edition is a comprehensive, "one box" solution to virus protection for the small, or medium sized business. The software provides proactive, reliable, and, more importantly, hands free protection for network servers and workstations, plus easy configuration, control and management from a central management console.