Hong Kong Correctional Services Department chooses Symantec for data protection

Hong Kong -- November 28 2001 - Symantec, the world leader in Internet Security, today announced that the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department has chosen Symantec's Norton AntiVirus Corporation Edition for anti-virus protection. The security solution has been deployed to nearly 100 servers and over 1,000 desktops and notebook computers cross 34 remote locations in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

With a staff of more than 7,000, the Correctional Services Department is responsible for the administration of 24 institutions consisting of 14 prisons, 2 training centres, 2 drug addiction treatment centres, 1 detention centre, 1 psychiatric centre and 4 institutional centres. The department also operates 4 half-way houses and 2 custodial wards in public hospitals. Desktop computers and servers at these various locations are linked to the department's central IT network by a high-speed intranet network.

Prior to the implementation of Symantec's anti-virus solution, the department assigned specialised IT staff to update the virus definition sets and clean up infected machines manually. "This took a lot of manpower and wasn't very efficient," said Wilfred Ma, IT Superintendent of the Correctional Services Department. "A centralised administration tool will certainly enhance productivity and cost-effectiveness."

According to Ma, the chief advantage of Symantec's corporate AntiVirus solution is the Symantec System Centre, a tool for security policy and systems management from a single console. The scalable Symantec System Centre management console offers real-time communication with clients and servers from a single point, allowing prompt distribution of new virus definition sets. This is essential for the department, since its extensive network covers sites (as far apart as Stanley, Lantau Island and Lo Wu, near the border) from remote islands in the territory to the Shenzhen border.

Symantec Norton AntiVirus Corporate Edition also comes equipped with a Digital Immune System, the company's exclusive closed-loop automation technology for detection and cure of security threats. Symantec's Digital Immune System improves system uptime by providing automatic, hands-free virus detection, analysis, and delivery of cures to an infected PC -- or within an entire organisation. This can be accomplished with or without administrative intervention, depending on individual requirements.

"A benefit of the automated updates is that a fix can be distributed across the organisation in time before a worm can spread," added Ma.

The Correctional Services Department has already begun to harvest the benefits of the anti-virus solution. Viruses attacking its network are detected promptly and cleaned. Symantec's Norton AntiVirus Corporation Edition is now fully installed and protecting nearly 100 servers and over 1,000 desktops and notebooks computers.

"When a virus strikes, corporate networks with thousands of users can be brought to a standstill in a matter of minutes. The increased use of the Web and the growing adoption of new Internet technologies provide fertile ground for viruses to spread quickly and in epidemic proportions," said Daniel Cheng, managing director for Hong Kong and PRC, Symantec.

"As part of Symantec Enterprise Security, Norton AntiVirus enables customers like the Correctional Services Department to build a better security solution for their organisation and protect valuable information," Cheng said.

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 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, California, Symantec has worldwide operations in 37 countries. For more information, please visit www.symantec.com

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Issued on behalf of Symantec by Newell Public Relations.