"Symantec Develops New Attack on Cyberhacking"

[Venustus]

Content source

http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB10001424052702303417104579542140235850578-lMyQjAxMTA0MDAwNTEwNDUyWj

"Declaring Antivirus Software Dead, Firm Turns to Minimizing Damage From Breaches"
Symantec Corp invented commercial antivirus software to protect computers from hackers a quarter-century ago. Now the company says such tactics are doomed to failure.

Antivirus "is dead," says Brian Dye, Symantec's senior vice president for information security. "We don't think of antivirus as a moneymaker in any way."

Antivirus products aim to prevent hackers from getting into a computer. But hackers often get in anyway these days. So Mr. Dye is leading a reinvention effort at Symantec that reflects a broader shift in the $70 billion a year cybersecurity industry.

Rather than fighting to keep the bad guys out, new technologies from an array of companies assume hackers get in so aim to spot them and minimize the damage.
Full Article

 

[Oxygen]

I like the sound of this.

 

[starchild76]

Commercial antivirus pioneer Symantec has finally admitted publicly what critics have been saying for years: the growing inability of the scanning software to detect the majority of malware attacks makes it "dead" and "doomed to failure," according to a published report.



Over the past two reported quarters, Symantec has watched revenue fall, and sales are expected to flag again in the most recent period when the company releases financial results later this week, anarticle published Monday by The Wall Street Journal reported. The declines come as Juniper Networks, FireEye, and other companies have rolled out products and services that take a decidedly different approach to securing computers and networks. Rather than scan for files that are categorized as malicious, these newer techniques aim to detect, minimize, and contain the damage that attackers can do in the event that they penetrate a customer's defenses. Citing Symantec Senior President Brian Dye, the WSJ said:



Mr. Dye, who has spent more than a decade with Symantec, says it was galling to watch other security companies surge ahead. "It's one thing to sit there and get frustrated," he says. "It's another thing to act on it, go get your act together and go play the game you should have been playing in the first place."



Symantec pioneered computer security with its antivirus software in the late 1980s. The technology keeps hackers out by checking against a list of malicious code spotted on computers. Think of it as an immune system for machines.



But hackers increasingly use novel bugs. Mr. Dye estimates antivirus now catches just 45% of cyberattacks.



That puts Symantec in a pickle. Antivirus and other products that run on individual devices still account for more than 40% of the company's revenue. Specialized cybersecurity services for businesses account for less than one-fifth of revenue and generate smaller profit margins. It would be impractical, if not impossible, to sell such services to individual consumers.



To be fair, Symantec began to move beyond malware long ago. Its Norton security suite has long included a password manager and code that detects malicious e-mails and Web links. Heuristic algorithms also attempt to detect malicious files even when they have never been seen before. But increasingly, Symantec is competing against its newer rivals by matching the suite of non-AV services they provide.



The Mountain View, California-based company is creating its own response team to help companies that have been hacked. Within six months, Symantec also plans to sell intelligence briefings on specific threats so clients can gain a better understanding of the root causes behind costly network compromises. "Symantec also is developing technology to look for more-advanced malicious software inside a network that mimics offerings from its rivals," the Journal said.



Source

 

[Oxygen]

This is a VERY interesting article.

 

[viktik]

That's why we have been telling people to not use Norton security products. But some people just don't listen.

 

[Oxygen]

That's why we have been telling people to not use Norton security products. But some just don't listen.

Norton is good though.

 

[Ink]

Norton do have a good arsenal like SONAR, Safe Web (bit questionable), File Reputation etc.

 

[Prorootect]

'Mr. Dye estimates antivirus now catches just 45% of cyberattacks.'

Haha, NO, thank you!

No AV of course.

 

[Littlebits]

Almost all paid only AV's are dead, this is nothing new. Finally glad to see Symantec actually to admit there are problems.
The only real live AV's are the freeware products. Like I said before many times who wants to pay for an AV product when they can't not protect you from the majority of threats. The best protection still relies in the user's own habits, no security software can match that.

Enjoy!!

 

[Oxygen]

The best protection still relies in the user's own habits, no security software can match that.

So could i have a computer with no protection and be all good?

 

[Terry Ganzi]

So could i have a computer with no protection and be all good?

Yes,now on sale fantasy pc with fan-less cooling system no need for hard drives and memory, operating system pinky & the brain -----2014

 

[Oxygen]

Yes,now on sale fantasy pc with fan-less cooling system-----2014

How much for all of THIS!

 

[Littlebits]

Merged duplicate thread.

Enjoy!!

 

[juhful]

Given how hard antivirus software makers push you to sign up, you'd think that business was booming. Far from it, according to Symantec's Brian Dye. He tells the Wall Street Journal that antivirus tools like his company's Norton suite are effectively "dead." The utilities now catch less than half of all attacks, according to the executive -- to him, the focus is on minimizing the damage whenever there's a successful hack or infection.

To that end, Symantec plans to sell both recovery services and threat briefings to corporate customers. In the long run, it should also have technology that finds malware trying to imitate other apps. However, the developer can't give up its original cash cow just yet. Antivirus packages like Norton still make up more than 40 percent of the company's revenue, and the new services won't safeguard your PC at home. You can still count on security software hanging around, then -- just be aware that you may need extra software(and a healthy dose of caution) to stay safe.
http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/06/symantec-declares-antivirus-dead/?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000589

What do we think?

 

[vmserv]

Interesting article. I was shocked with the mention of 'dead' but is the Symantec/Norton product range still staying?

I am not exactly sure if the Norton Anti-Virus range will be discontinued in the future? I still have unused license for Norton 360.

Thanks!

 

[ifacedown]

Interesting article. I was shocked with the mention of 'dead' but is the Symantec/Norton product range still staying?

I am not exactly sure if the Norton Anti-Virus range will be discontinued in the future? I still have unused license for Norton 360.

Thanks!

Please read the whole cited article. Symantec says it will continue Norton, they will just add another line of 'detect and react' products.

 

[vmserv]

Please read the whole cited article. Symantec says it will continue Norton, they will just add another line of 'detect and react' products.

Thank you for clarifying. As reads, "The company has no plans to abandon Norton".

Thank you!

 

[Viking]

There's always room fo improvement in antivirus technology. I think that Symantec have there nose
out of joint becaue they're no longer the leader in this field, as well as lower detection rates!

 

[Deleted member 178]

There's always room fo improvement in antivirus technology. I think that Symantec have there nose out of joint becaue they're no longer the leader in this field, as well as lower detection rates!

for Home users , sure but in Corporate environment , they still are.

 

[Moose]

Wrong! Just not what we are seeing at this moment in time. You will see!