Symantec provides U.S. Department of Defense with security intelligence - Symantec DeepSight Threat Management System and Symantec DeepSight Alert Services

EDP Weekly's IT Monitor, June 9, 2003

Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq:SYMC) recently announced that the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), the U.S. military's lead agency for communications and information technology, has selected Symantec DeepSight Threat Management System and Symantec DeepSight Alert Services to serve as key early warning solutions delivering actionable intelligence to DISA's Department of Defense Computer Emergency Response Team (DOD-CERT) on global cyber attack activity and vulnerability risks.

Symantec DeepSight Threat Management System and Symantec DeepSight Alert Services were selected for use through Northrop Grumman Information Technology, an I-Assure contract holder with DISA.

Under terms of a three-year agreement, DISA will utilize real-time threat and vulnerability intelligence reports generated by Symantec to issue security recommendations and protect extensive IT assets throughout the Department of Defense (DOD) from malicious code and intrusions.

"DISA's holistic security strategy utilizes early warning notifications to complement existing security resources," said Mark J. Bogart, chief of contracts, National Capital Region, DISA. "Incorporating worldwide attack intelligence and vulnerability discoveries into ongoing infrastructure protection effectively manages risks posed by novel and sophisticated threats."

The agency receives custom intelligence updates from the Symantec DeepSight Threat Management System, which aggregates attack data from 19,000 sensors, including multiple vendors' intrusion detection and firewall products, in more than 180 countries. Symantec DeepSight Alert Services complements DISA's threat notifications by tracking vulnerabilities in more than 13,000 versions of 3,200 products from more than 1,600 vendors and by sending custom vulnerability alerts to DISA via email, fax, SMS or voice communication.

"Given the extensive base of IT assets DISA maintains and protects within the Defense Department, the combination of Symantec DeepSight Threat Management System and Symantec DeepSight Alert Services provides a comprehensive and prioritized view not only of immediate Internet attack data, but also vulnerabilities pertaining to specific network components," said Brian J. Finan, Symantec's director of strategic programs and homeland security. "Actionable intelligence on evolving external threats teamed with superior vision of internal vulnerabilities is a powerful tandem for dramatically reducing security risks."

Symantec DeepSight Alert Services provides personalized vulnerability and malicious code alerts to bridge the gap between security awareness and action. By providing detailed notification of potential threats as they're identified, the service delivers actionable information that maximizes IT resources and helps users mitigate vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. The Symantec DeepSight Threat Management System tracks security on a global basis, providing early warning of active attacks. With personalized notification triggers and expert analysis, the system enables enterprises to prioritize IT resources in order to better protect critical information assets against potential attacks.

Symantec's DeepSight early warning solutions are key elements of Symantec Enterprise Security, which provides any size organization with the technology, global response and services necessary to manage its information security. Symantec's comprehensive solutions offer best-of-breed products to protect gateways, servers and clients with firewall security, virtual private networking (VPN), intrusion detection, vulnerability management and virus protection. Customers benefit from Symantec's global network of researchers that provide customers with around-the-clock, immediate response to any new security-related attacks. Symantec Enterprise Security customers are also supported by one of the largest professional security organizations in the world, offering security consulting, security education and managed security services.