Verizon Business Offers McAfee Security Integration

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications, announced the launch of an integrated security suite from security specialist McAfee, which provides five-way protection against cyber-threats for a monthly per-user fee. Specifically, the security suite, priced for SMBs (small to medium-size businesses) helps protect against network, endpoint, Web, data and e-mail security threats.

Verizon Business' security suite consists of two solutions for mid-market customers: McAfee Total Protection Service –Advanced and McAfee Total Protection for Secure Business software. McAfee Total Protection Service is a SAAS (software-as-a-service) solution designed for companies that do not want to purchase premises-based equipment or incur excessive software installation and maintenance costs. The Total Protection Service solution offers a Web-based console that functions as a self-service security management tool, allowing office workers to update security policies and configurations via drag-and-drop icons. It also offers virus, spyware, spam, firewall, safe searching and Web-filtering protections, as well as vulnerability assessments at both the desktop and server level.

The second offering, McAfee Total Protection for Secure Business software, is pitched at a security specialist or IT manager looking for a customizable and flexible solution. It resides on the customer's corporate LAN (local area network), enabling more internal control over the solution. Key features include protection against attacks at endpoint, network, data, e-mail and Web applications in addtion to malware, host IPS (intrusion prevention service), endpoint encryption, device control, spam, malware, content filtering, Web filtering and firewall (desktop and unified threat management) protection, all centrally managed on-premises, using McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator.

According to a recent McAfee security study, SMBs worldwide are at the highest risk of any size organization for a security breach, having experienced a 322 percent surge in attacks in 2009 alone. As the economy continues to pressure security and IT department budgets among small businesses, many are at a greater risk than ever before. Darrell Rodenbaugh, senior vice president of global midmarket for McAfee, said being proactive when it comes to security costs far less than what companies spend cleaning up after a breach. “With solutions tailored specifically to mid-size organizations, these companies can significantly reduce the complexity and control the cost of maintaining a strong security defense," he said.

"Medium-sized businesses have a serious and unique security handicap: They face the same number of security threats as enterprises, yet lack the resources of larger companies," said Carrie Gray, Verizon Business executive director of SMB solutions marketing. "With our new integrated security services suite, Verizon customers can tap into one complete solution -- rather than juggling multiple security products -- to more easily and efficiently safeguard their business."