We take a good first look at the next
generation ESET Endpoint solutions
Meeting the security needs of two different
segments has been a challenge that is very difficult to be met by security
vendors, especially for companies and SMEs who are very picky about the
security solutions that they choose to secure their IT infrastructure.
The ESET Endpoint Solutions is part of the
Czech security company's new generation of products for SMBs (small-to-medium
businesses) and enterprise customers. Used by companies such as Intel, Canon
Japan and China Tobacco, the ESET endpoint solutions combine cloud-powered
scanning technology with ESET's live grid system and its own ThreatSense scanning
engine for improved security performance.
Ignacio
Sbampato, chief sales and marketing officer for ESET
"As in the rest of the world, malware
infections continue to plague businesses and consumers in Asia-Pacific. Many of
these malware instances can be avoided with better user education." said
Pierre Marc Bureau, security intelligence program manager, ESET.
The ESET Endpoint Solutions also comes with
a version for the home user, called the ESET smart security. Both these
enterprise and home user security solutions come with similar features
including Antivirus, malware and rootkit, cloud-based whitelisting, host
intrusion prevention system and Microsoft network access protection support.
The Endpoint Solution meanwhile has several
key endpoint protection features, including Bi-directional Firewall for open
networks, Client Antispam, Web Control for filtering websites within the
network, URL blacklisting and component based installation.
Pierre Marc
Bureau, security intelligence program manager, ESET
To make things easier, ESET has also
introduced a new licensing solution called Unilicense, which allows users to
connect one ESET endpoint license to multiple devices. As ESET’s solutions
cover a wide range of operating systems and devices, the unilicense concept is
an excellent way to keep track of the devices that have the security solutions
installed.
Speaking of devices, ESET has also launched
a new security app for Android devices called the ESET mobile security for
Android. Features of this app include thorough scanning of downloaded files and
messages for malware, GPS localisation for tracking purposes and even call
intercept and remote wipe as a last gasp measure, so that your phone’s data is
not compromised.
ESET Endpoint Solutions and ESET Smart
Security were both launched on the second half of May, with existing customers
of the business editions of ESET NOD32 Antivirus and ESET Smart Security both
being eligible for a free upgrade to both versions respectively.
The ESET Mobile Security for Android app
meanwhile is already available on the Google Play Store for free for the first
30 days of using it.
Trends in malware
As an online security firm, ESET constantly
tracks down worms and malware that have, as of late, become more and more of a
threat to not only home users, but businesses and corporations worldwide.
Pierre Marc-Bureau said that in the first
quarter of 2012, as many as malware are detected daily, with malicious files
and URLs coming in at the hundreds of thousands. The ratio of users
encountering such malware is also large, with five percent of its worldwide
user base encountering such malware daily.
In view of such worrying numbers, ESET has
recently launched a new office in Montreal, Canada that specializes in malware
reverse engineering and botnet tracking, so that the malware issue can be
nipped at the bud, making the Internet much safer for users.
Eva Markova,
chief operations officer of ESET Asia Pacific
Some of the examples of malware attacks
recently includes the Win32/ Georbot malware, which specifically targets its
attacks towards Georgian Internet users, with the aim to steal sensitive
information from computers that are infected. Not only that the hackers can
also gain control of webcams and microphones (if any) of the infected machines.
One of the biggest attacks of the year so
far happened on a platform that most consider to be one of the most secure, the
MacOSX. The OSX/Flashback worm, at its peak infected 600,000 Macs, and is one
of the most complex malware known in recent history. It features a multi-
component, advanced cryptography that makes cracking it down a very difficult
task.
The fact that each malware ID is created
for that specific targeted machines did not make it any less easy to contain.
It is deduced that the method of dissemination was most likely done through
advertisement delivery via websites or email. Whilst not fully cracked yet, it
is slowly being cleaned up, with various antivirus companies and Apple
themselves pushing out patches to close up the exploit.
ESET Asia Pacific
Despite being malicious, Pierre added that
malware authors are in the end, human, as the main motivation behind such
attacks is typically profit, either in terms of money or information obtained.
Malware attacks are also typically low risk operations as tasks are usually
delegated in teams of people who could be from anywhere in the world.
The fact that malware attacks usually start
from a set of botnet servers also make it difficult to track down the culprits,
although there have been joint efforts between the security firms and law
enforcement agencies that managed to track down the criminals.
Whilst malware attacks are more common in
the Americas and European region, Asia is also not free from such targeted
attacks. Some of these include Win32/Toolbar, Win32/lnjector, Win32/ Adware and
Win32/Dorkbot. Most of these attacks, according to Pierre come from online
advertisements, and most likely unwanted applications that install themselves
when users download a program from any unsafe websites.
Some of the more specific methods of
malware infection in the Asian region include advertisements, online games
password stealers and spam mails, although the infection rate is still kept
relatively low.
ESET has also been doing some research in
future malware trends, and some of the threats to look out for include banking
information stealers that target small and medium businesses (SMBs), more
"grey zone" software, MBR rootkits which completely disable computers
and an increase in attacks on emerging platforms such as Android smartphones
and tablets.
In order to stay safe, according to ESET,
users need to always apply updates on their operating systems, antivirus
software, and use strong passphrases instead of just passwords, and to practice
using different passphrases for different online services for optimum safety. www.eset.com
