F-Secure Security Suite Tackles Spyware, Rootkits

Finnish anti-virus specialist F-Secure has dived headfirst into the crowded anti-spyware market, rolling out a new consumer-facing security suite that promises to detect unwanted programs before a PC becomes injected.

F-Secure Corp.s new F-Secure Internet Security 2006 offers technology to tackle the problem of inadvertently installed spyware and adware programs that sneak onto computers via file-sharing networks.

F-Secure, known mostly for its anti-virus, network encryption, desktop firewall, intrusion prevention and anti-spam product line, said the new suit has also been fitted with a new "new child time lock feature" to allow parents to filter Internet sites with questionable content and define sensible time limits for kids to surf the Internet.

Click here to read more about F-Secures plans to add rootkit-detection features to its product suite.

F-Secure is also the first vendor to ship rootkit detection technology into a consumer product offering, giving the company an early entry into a potentially lucrative market.

A rootkit is described as a malicious program that uses system hooks to conceal its presence on the system.

For instance, it monitors if the user opens the Windows Task Manager in order to keep itself out of the list of processes.

Security researchers have discovered evidence of malware writers using stealth rootkit features to hide spyware and other malicious programs on Windows machines.

Read more insight here about rootkits from columnist Larry Seltzer.

F-Secure has been testing its BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology for several months and had earlier announced plans to integrate the rootkit-detection capabilities into its anti-virus and anti-spyware products.

The company also shipped its streamlined sister product, F-Secure Anti-Virus 2006, a product that also integrates the BlackLight anti-rootkit technology.

Both new products also include a software user interface to F-Secures Virus World Map, a tool that gives users geographically grouped descriptions of known virus infections around the world.

F-Secure Internet Security 2006 also supports RBL (Real-time Blackhole List) functionality to address the spam scourge.

RBL uses a database of verified spammer IP addresses to improve spam detection technology. It also helps to thwart common phishing techniques.

To address the problem of rogue dialers used by porn peddlers, F-Secure has included an anti-dialer functionality to ensure against unexpected phone bills resulting from hacker exploits.

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