Antivirus: Panda Administrator Introduced; Most Centralized and Bulletproof Antivirus Protection for Networks Multiple Platforms Benefit From 24/7 Live Technical Support

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, Nov 23, 1998

Panda Software, the leading European antivirus developer, Tuesday announced it is making available the highest level of protection available for computer networks, along with the easiest way for network administrators to distribute the software to servers, workstations, and e-mail systems from their administrator workstations.

Version 2.0 of Panda Administrator features Zero Administration Security (ZAS), which allows rapid distribution of Panda's antivirus software protection. Within minutes, network administrators can remotely deploy, monitor, configure, schedule and update antivirus protection to their entire PC network.

It features NT Server (3.51 & 4.0), MS Exchange Server, Novell 3.x through 5.x (YES certified) and client versions of Panda Antivirus, which can be installed across a wide variety of platforms, including Windows NT, 98, 95, Win 3.x, as well as MS-DOS and OS/2.

Panda Administrator also allows networked machines, both clients and servers, to be automatically updated daily with the latest antivirus definitions from Panda's internationally-based research labs. Panda Software has assumed a leadership role in making daily updates to its customers, regardless of the company's size.

"Panda's antivirus protection gives administrators two less things to worry about," said Pedro Bustamante, president of Panda Software USA. "It enables them to have the very highest level of protection available at all times, as well as lets them quickly deploy and update that protection throughout their entire PC network easily," he added.

Panda's corporate protection also includes an additional level of antivirus protection from infections contained in incoming e-mail attachments. Panda's unique solution scans both incoming and outgoing e-mail messages for viruses, before they are copied to a computer's hard drive.

It disinfects all levels of compressed, even nested, files, all but obliterating the chance of infection when a user opens an e-mail message. This protection is available for Exchange Servers and any type of e-mail client, such as Outlook, Eudora, cc:Mail, etc.

People who have already used Panda Administrator to protect their networks from virus infection say it provides them with a higher level of protection than available from any other antivirus software.

Ken Pfeil, senior network analyst at Merrill Lynch says he was impressed by Panda's attention to his needs. He first ran McAfee and Dr. Solomon's antivirus products on his system, "and came up dry. Then I ran Panda, and it found Concept virii, Hard_v and a new strain of NoNo that they missed completely.

"The biggest thing that impressed me, though, was Panda's response. Within an hour of receiving a copy of the Normal.dot that I sent them, they had run it through the lab and came up with a solution. These people are serious about their business, so they provide DAILY updates rather than monthly, and actually ENJOY killing virii," Pfeil wrote.

Peter Yollin, CEO of Rival Internet Services, has installed Panda Antivirus on his network's servers and workstations. "It provides us with an extra layer of security and confidence. As far as we know, the competition doesn't have anything like it," he said. Rivalnet provides Internet services in the Los Angeles area, and handles hundreds of thousands of e-mail messages on behalf of its clients everyday.

Yollin said Rivalnet has tried anti-virus products from companies such as Symantec and McAfee, but commented "we've had macro viruses sneak through them. Panda, by contrast, has been bulletproof."

Panda's Unsurpassed Expertise Panda's unsurpassed level of protection has been regularly cited by the world's two leading antivirus software certification firms. Panda Antivirus has been certified by the International Computer Security Association (ICSA) in the United States, and has received the Checkmark certification from West Coast Labs in the United Kingdom. In fact, Panda has received more certifications from both groups across its complete product line than any other antivirus company in the world.

Panda is also a leader in its commitment to around-the-clock protection, with 24-hour live technical support available every day of the year. Panda's SOS Virus program pledges a "kill" within 24 hours, if a previously undiscovered virus infects a customer's computer. "For 1999, we plan to make this a 12 hour service rather than a 24 hour service," added Urizarbarrena, founder and CEO of Panda Software.

Pricing for Panda Antivirus protection begins at $49 per seat, with volume discounts available.

Since 1990, Panda Software has been developing antivirus programs using its own 100% technology. It currently provides solutions for Windows 95/98, Windows 3.x, Windows NT w/s, DOS, OS/2, Novell NetWare, Windows NT and Exchange.

Both the ICSA and West Coast Laboratories (Checkmark) have certified Panda Software as one of the best computer security companies in the world. Panda Software is one of only nine firms that currently possess both certifications.