Simplified security for SMEs

Symantec has announced its Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013, offering small- and medium enterprises (SMEs) a cloud-managed service and traditional on-premise management in a single endpoint protection product.

By simplifying the deployment options, SMEs have the freedom to easily move to the cloud when they’re ready, without adding complexity to their environment. SMEs can also effortlessly protect their information at a time when targeted attacks have doubled against businesses with 250 or fewer employees, climbing to 36 percent of all targeted attacks.

“Today’s SMEs are four times more at risk of malware attacks than larger companies. Despite the risk, some just cross their fingers and wing it because buying, deploying and managing security systems is too complicated. This announcement demonstrates Symantec’s commitment to simplifying information protection for SMEs,” says Symantec’s Small Business Manager, David Ribeiro. “It takes just minutes for a virus to destroy a business. Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 protects it just as fast. It installs in minutes and updates automatically, so small businesses can be confident that lifeblood of their business - their information – is always protected against viruses and malware.”

Nearly all SMEs have reported suffering from cyber attacks. As a result, SMEs need scalable, easy-to-deploy and easy-to-manage security solutions to protect against the onslaught of malware and web-based attacks targeting their business. Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 addresses these requirements by installing, in minutes, protecting against viruses and malware, and updating automatically to deliver critical protection for laptops, desktops, and file servers. Built specifically for SMEs, this new solution delivers on Symantec’s commitment to serving, enabling, helping and protecting this important business community around the world.

Simple, Fast and Effective Protection against Cyber Attacks

Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 allows SME owners and their employees to work confidently knowing they’re always protected with features that include:

·       Industry-leading security: 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.

·       Management choice: The simplicity, power, and convenience of a cloud-managed service, or an on-premise management application, enables better budget management with a simple subscription fee that flattens operating costs and covers either management choice. Customers that prefer to initially deploy an on-premise management server can switch to the cloud at no additional cost when they’re ready, which future-proofs their investment.

·       Windows 8 support: Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 is compatible with Windows 8 to protect computers and tablets running the new operating system.

The cloud-managed service provides additional benefits to SMEs including:

·       Sets up in minutes: Easy setup in minutes that requires no specialised staff or training. There is no hardware to install or upgrade, as everything happens effortlessly over the Web. The user-friendly, web-based console allows SMEs to change security settings, set up alerts, and view reports with just a few clicks, and local security updates deliver better bandwidth optimisation.

·       USB device control: New capabilities to detect and protect against harmful files from USB storage devices, which are commonly used to spread malware.

Partner Management Console

Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 is supported by the Symantec Partner Management Console, which allows partners to easily monitor and manage their customers’ environments using cloud-managed deployments of Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 and Symantec Backup Exec.cloud through a single web-based portal. The console enables fast customer set up and accelerates partner profitability by reducing the costs of managing multiple customers and services while demonstrating increased value to end users.

Pricing and Availability

SMEs currently using a competing endpoint security product may qualify for discounted pricing on Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013. Symantec customers using a different Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition product may qualify for discounted pricing when switching to the new product. Symantec customers currently using Symantec Endpoint Protection.cloud are automatically transitioned to Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013 and inherit all of the new features of the service.

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