Symantec Teams with Microsoft to Promote New Secure Computing Initiative

CUPERTINO --Calif. - October 13, 2003 -- Symantec, the world leader in Internet security, today announced it is working with Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) to educate home and business users on the need for secure computing. Symantec and Microsoft have agreed to develop a variety of educational and promotional programs that will inform users of the simple measures they can take to safeguard their computing experience.

"Now, more than ever, computer users need to take proper steps to protect themselves from online threats. As the world leader in Internet security, Symantec enthusiastically endorses Microsoft's new security initiatives. We continue to support Microsoft in its efforts to raise user awareness of Internet security risks, hacking dangers and privacy threats," said Janice Chaffin, Chief Marketing Officer at Symantec.

Symantec's recently released Internet Security Threat Report found that blended threats remain one of the most significant security issues facing computer users today. Additionally, the speed of propagation of blended threats is increasing while the time from discovery of a security vulnerability to the outbreak of a threat that exploits that identified vulnerability is shortening significantly.

"Microsoft depends on the expertise of industry partners such as Symantec to help customers meet the ever-growing challenge of getting and staying secure. In today's environment of more sophisticated criminal attacks, Symantec offers important security solutions for all types of customers to protect their computer systems," said Jonathan Perera, senior director of the Security Business Unit at Microsoft Corp. "We are pleased that Symantec will continue to make its security expertise available to help Microsoft customers better secure their systems."

Symantec provides a wide array of security solutions to safeguard users of Microsoft products. Consumer customers can choose from products including Norton AntiVirus, the world's most trusted antivirus solution, and Norton Personal Firewall, which keeps hackers out and personal data in. Symantec's Norton Internet Security includes best-of-breed antivirus, firewall, intrusion detection, privacy protection, spam filtering, and content filtering solutions in a single tightly integrated suite.

All Symantec consumer products carry the Designed for Windows XP logo. In fact, Symantec's Norton AntiVirus 2002 was the world's first antivirus solution to earn the Designed for Windows XP logo from Microsoft. Symantec also provides security solutions that meet the needs of enterprise customers operating in Microsoft Exchange environments. Symantec's entire family of antivirus products will be the first to automatically detect and remove virus threats found in the new XML document format introduced with the release of Microsoft Office 2003. Using LiveUpdate, Symantec's virus definition updating mechanism, all current Symantec AntiVirus and Norton AntiVirus solutions will include this protection.

The Symantec Mail Security solution offers support to users of Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. The Microsoft Exchange Server is a critical component of today's enterprise networks. Symantec Mail Security provides comprehensive protection, detection and removal of security threats in Microsoft Exchange environments. By providing spam prevention, antivirus and content filtering in a single integrated product, Symantec provides comprehensive protection with a single solution.

Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition and Symantec Client Security support the Windows Server 2003 operating system. With support for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and 64-bit Windows, Symantec Client Security and Symantec AntiVirus are providing customers with up-to-date Internet security.

In addition, Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition, which provides the antivirus technology within Symantec Client Security, has earned Microsoft Certification for Windows Server 2003 Standard and Enterprise editions. Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition is also currently undergoing certification testing for Windows Server 2003 DataCenter Edition and Symantec Client Security is currently in the testing process to earn the Designed for Windows XP logo.

All of these products are backed by Symantec Security Response. This group of dedicated intrusion experts, security engineers, virus hunters, threat analysts, and global technical support teams work in tandem to provide extensive coverage for enterprise businesses and consumers. Symantec Security Response also leverages sophisticated threat and early warning systems to help provide customers with comprehensive, global, 24x7 Internet security expertise to proactively guard against today's blended Internet threats.

About Symantec
Symantec, the world leader in Internet security technology, provides a broad range of content and network security software and appliance solutions to individuals, enterprises and service providers. The company is a leading provider of client, gateway and server security solutions for virus protection, firewall and virtual private network, vulnerability management, intrusion detection, Internet content and e-mail filtering, remote management technologies and security services to enterprises and service providers around the world. Symantec's Norton brand of consumer security products is a leader in worldwide retail sales and industry awards. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has worldwide operations in 36 countries. For more information, please visit www.symantec.com.au

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FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT: This press release contains forward-looking statements, including forecasts of future revenue and earnings per share, expected activities, and other financial and business results that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from results expressed or implied by this press release. Such risk factors include, among others: the sustainability of recent growth rates, particularly in consumer products; the anticipation of the growth of certain market segments, particularly enterprise security; the positioning of Symantec's products in those segments; the competitive environment in the software industry; general market conditions, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, changes to operating systems and product strategy by vendors of operating systems; and whether Symantec can successfully develop new products and the degree to which these gain market acceptance. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in the Risk Factors sections of Symantec's previously filed Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 4, 2003. Symantec assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release except as otherwise required by law.