PC Tools launches 'Toyota' class security solution

Beverley Head
Tuesday, 10 November 2009 08:26

Business IT - Security

Sydney based Symantec subsidiary, PC Tools has launched its latest series of security tools aimed at value conscious customers.

Three systems were released today ranging in price from $49.95 to $79.95. The company claimed that independent testing had found that early versions of the new products managed to protect against 99.46 per cent of a library of over half a million specimens of malware and achieved 100 per cent detection of malware in the wild.

The three products released – Spyware Doctor with Antivirus 2010, Spyware Doctor 2010 and PC Tools Internet Security 2010 are being sold online and through retail stores including the newly signed Big W chain. All three products will run on XP, Vista and Windows 7 machines.

PC Tools’ senior malware analyst, Sergei Shevchenko, speaking at the launch, said that the company had identified the major threats which were faced by computer users. These included spyware which attacked games users in the search for virtual gold that could be stolen and converted to real money,  and attacks launched against online banking users with identify theft the prime objective.

Shevchenko said PC users also remained at risk from the Conficker worm which could be used to harness PCs into a botnet.

He also identified the rise of malware such as Koobface which trawls social networks for information which could allow identity theft. “Australia is most vulnerable to this sort of threat in Asia Pacific,” according to Shevchenko.

However he said that the greatest risk to Australians was now the rise of fake anti virus sites and tools. People bought these tools expecting them to protect them from malware, only to find the tools when installed on their machines launched additional malware onto their systems.

With 150 engineers, support and marketing staff based in North Sydney PC Tools was first established in 1998. In August 2008 it was bought by Symantec, which itself sells security systems under the Norton brand.

PC Tools’ general manager Tom Powledge explained to iTWire that Symantec has chosen to run both brands “similar to Toyota and Lexus.”

“We’re the Toyota. A high quality brand - you get a great car for a reasonable price.” Acknowledging that the new products had been value priced Powledge said that they were targeted at people “Who don’t want to pay the highest prices, but want a quality solution.”