Symantec Unveils Norton SystemWorks 2004 with New Password Management Tool for Easier, Safer Computing

Business Wire, Sept 8, 2003

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 8, 2003

Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq:SYMC), the world leader in Internet security, today announced Norton SystemWorks 2004, the newest version of Symantec's market-leading productivity and problem-solving suite. Scheduled for availability in late September, Norton SystemWorks 2004 will include a new secure password management component -- Norton Password Manager. This new feature will ease the burden of securely managing a large set of complex Internet and Windows application passwords, while protecting these passwords from falling into the wrong hands.

Symantec's Norton SystemWorks 2004 will also include the newest version of Norton AntiVirus, the world's most trusted antivirus solution. Integrated seamlessly with all of Norton SystemWorks' performance maximizing solutions, Norton AntiVirus will continue to provide reliable, automated protection from viruses. The new version will also include added protection from certain emerging non-virus threats, including spyware, adware and keystroke logging programs, which can threaten the security of a system, spy on users' private data, or track users' online behavior.

"Password protection has recently become a common PC security measure, fundamental to most aspects of computing. With this kind of password prevalence there is a challenge of finding the appropriate balance between security and productivity," said Steve Cullen, senior vice president of Consumer and Client Product Delivery at Symantec. "Complex, difficult to guess passwords help protect data from prying eyes, but they are also difficult to remember and can thus negatively impact user productivity. Norton SystemWorks, however, takes care of remembering passwords, storing them securely on the user's hard drive."

In addition to Norton Password Manager and Norton AntiVirus, Norton SystemWorks 2004 will also include Norton Utilities and Norton CleanSweep, comprehensive tools that provide all the essentials for easy system optimization, problem-solving and hardware maintenance. Norton SystemWorks 2004 will also feature the quick data recovery capabilities of Norton GoBack Personal Edition; Norton Web Tools, which delivers simple mechanisms for removing of Internet clutter and for sustaining dial-up connections to the Internet; and One Button Checkup for flexible, powerful system scans that can be scheduled at regular intervals. Additionally, as a measure to protect users from pirated or counterfeit software, Norton SystemWorks 2004 will also now include a product activation component.

Securely Manages Complex Passwords

Norton SystemWorks 2004 will include Symantec's new Norton Password Manager, a feature designed to make it easy for users to manage passwords for desktop applications, Web sites, e-commerce sites, and more. Norton Password Manager obviates the security risks of routinely using the same password, failing to reset passwords, using easy-to-guess passwords, and improperly storing passwords.

Employing strong encryption methods, Norton Password Manager will help prevent passwords from being compromised, while remembering and automatically filling in Internet and Windows application passwords. Users need only sign into Norton Password Manager with a master password and the product will automatically enter the username and password information on user approved sites.

Norton Password Manager also will streamline the cumbersome and often error-prone process of online form-filling by automatically completing Internet transaction and purchasing forms on Web sites. The feature will also provide a secure manual method for filling in Web page forms. Additionally, an intuitive wizard eases setup of multiple user accounts and helps users edit addresses, telephone, and credit card information for secure form-filling.

Protects Against Viruses and New Hacking Tools

Norton SystemWorks 2004 will help keep users safe from the latest virus threats with the newest release of Norton AntiVirus, the world's most trusted antivirus solution. The new version of Norton AntiVirus, integrated seamlessly into the software suite, will introduce new expanded threat detection capabilities. With innovative technology, the product will identify certain emerging non-virus threats, including spyware, adware, and keystroke loggers. These threats are frequently used to compromise system security, pry into confidential data, or track online behavior. In addition, to proactively protect users of file-exchange services such as peer-to-peer networks and instant messaging services, Norton AntiVirus will unveil new scanning capabilities to detect viruses in compressed file archives at their entry point into the PC.

Norton AntiVirus will continue to provide automatic scans of both incoming and outgoing email; removal of viruses, worms, and Trojan horse infections; and detection and deletion of viruses in email and instant messages. Symantec's automatic LiveUpdate, which checks for new antivirus updates whenever the user is online, will ensure that Norton SystemWorks 2004 users have the most up-to-date protection against the latest online threats. Worm- and script-blocking technologies automatically defend against certain known and unknown threats -- such as the Nimda worm and script-based threats such as I Love You -- without the need for virus definitions. As a result, Norton AntiVirus effectively protects Norton SystemWorks 2004 users against an expansive range of malicious code.