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Symantec Debuts Preemptive Security Option
David Utter
Staff Writer
2006-06-28
 Insider Reports RSS Feed
The Threat and Vulnerability Management Program from Symantec offers a security option that helps business users develop strategies and processes for meeting security threats.
When it comes to information technology, many companies try to make do with fewer people than would really be optimal to effectively manage all the pieces of an IT department. Staffers pull double, triple, or quadruple duty on IT tasks while their managers spend most of their time in meetings trying to keep the tech budget from being pared down again.
Non-technology executives tend to view IT like a money pit because all they see are the expenses, which they want reduced. That doesn't eliminate the tasks needing to be done, just the people and their time to perform them.
Which brings us to security information systems like the one announced today by Symantec. By leveraging its Global Intelligence Network, Symantec said it can provide real-time data on exploits in the wild, and guide customers on protecting their systems before an exploit can hit them.
In a perfect IT world, staff would be dedicated to following and addressing these threats. That's what system and network administrators used to be able to follow before corporate dictums caused them to do the jobs of two or three other people, frequently with management's warm approval.
Symantec's Threat and Vulnerability Management Program will assess a business for its strengths and weaknesses regarding computer security, and report on and recommend improvements. A Program Framework suited to the customer would be designed, accounting for budgetary considerations and risk tolerance.
After implementing the Framework, Symantec would help the company place someone in the role of Threat and Vulnerability Management Officer (TVMO.) That can either be a current staffer, or a Symantec consultant can fulfill the role.
If an on-site consultant from Symantec would be a more cost-effective option for a business, it's not difficult to see this option coming into play in enterprises. Consultants don't draw benefits from the firm contracting them, which appeals to corporate accountants, so if a specialist can be contracted for a lower cost than hiring a regular employee, Symantec may place a few TVMOs in the business world.
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About the Author:
David Utter is a business and technology writer for SecurityProNews and WebProNews.
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