Norton Internet Security 2012 to help curb cyber crimes globally

By Dan Muhuni

Globally cyber crime has shocked the whole ICT fraternity worldwide if the resent Norton cyber crime report is anything to go by.

Cloud computing 

The biggest question that a common man will ask is how is cyber crime defined as? As an ICT specialist I can only categorize cyber crime in three ways: The computer as a target - attacking the computers of others (spreading viruses is an example). The computer as a weapon - using a computer to commit "traditional crime" that we see in the physical world (such as fraud or illegal gambling) and finally the computer as an accessory - using a computer as a "fancy filing cabinet" to store illegal or stolen information.

According to this Norton cyber crime report, Computer viruses or Malware usually appears on someone’s computer and when you respond to a Phishing message thinking it was a legitimate request then someone has already hacked into your social networking profile and pretended to be you.

Reports of alleged computer crime have been a hot news item of late. Especially alarming is the realization that many of the masterminds behind these criminal acts are mere kids. In fact, children no longer need to be highly skilled in order to execute cyber crimes. "Hacker tools" are easily available on the Net and, once downloaded, can be used by even novice computer users. This greatly expands the population of possible wrongdoers.

Speaking during the launch of Norton by Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC) early this month, Kara Rawden, Senior Marketing Manager, Consumer - Middle East and Africa Symantec Corporation said “the released Norton Internet Security 2012, is designed to improve on the already industry-leading benchmarks for protection and performance, while enhancing the overall user experience.”

 “For the past few years we have witnessed an explosion of devices, platforms and applications for consumers to enjoy. However, with these exciting changes comes new digital dangers and an even greater need for consumers to be protected from cybercrime,” added Kara .

“As a world leader in security, Norton will continue striving to ensure that our customers are protected wherever they go, whatever digital experience they choose to have.”

Norton 2012 Security Product

Norton 2012 brings key new features to address emerging threats and powerful protection against one of today’s greatest consumer concerns: ensuring online personal information remains confidential. Additionally, Norton brings a powerful combination of reputation, file, behaviour and network based protection to provide our most comprehensive security to date. Key security technologies and usability improvements include:

Norton Identity Safe in the Cloud

 Protects personal and financial information from cybercriminals and keeps users protected from fraudulent websites. New streamlined interface, simplified login experience, and ability to store passwords in the cloud makes accessibility easy from any computer with Norton Internet Security 2012 installed.

Norton Management – New web-based functionality lets users manage their Norton products from anywhere in the world. Users can remotely add Norton products, manage security settings and update subscriptions, making it simple to check on the health of their devices or fix issues without needing to be there in person.

Norton Insight – Norton’s exclusive reputation-based security technology leverages the anonymous software adoption patterns of millions of contributing Symantec users to automatically identify and block never before seen malicious software. 

Download Insight – Checks every downloaded file for safety before installation and now provides users with additional data about the predicted stability of the application in their environment based on the stability experiences of millions of other Symantec users.

· SONAR – Improved SONAR technology monitors running applications for suspicious behavior to quickly detect and disable previously unknown threats. 

Norton User Experience – From the streamlined main user interface, Norton 2012 offers quick access to Norton Cybercrime Index, Norton Online Family and website ratings service Norton Safe Web.

 Pricing and Availability

Norton Internet Security 2012 is now available for purchase through various retailers and the Norton online store at www.norton.co.za. The RSP for Norton Internet Security 2012 is US$69.99 (Kshs Approx 6,650/-, which provides one year of protection for up to three PCs. Norton Internet Security 2007 or later users with a valid product subscription are eligible to receive the latest product updates via the subscription service model.

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