Symantec to offer tablet protection

Symantec has announced it is planning to offer Symantec Data Loss Prevention for Tablet, the first comprehensive data loss prevention (DLP) solution for the monitoring and protection of information on tablet computers.

Symantec has announced it is planning to offer Symantec Data Loss Prevention for Tablet, the first comprehensive data loss prevention (DLP) solution for the monitoring and protection of sensitive information on tablet computers. Available first for the Apple iPad, Symantec Data Loss Prevention for Tablet will help solve one of the most urgent problems facing security organisations today by providing content-aware protection for this remarkably popular new corporate endpoint. The solution is designed to maintain user productivity and protect an organisation’s confidential data at the same time.

According to Symantec¬ís recent State of Security Survey, organisations are grappling with new security challenges stemming from the proliferation of tablets in the enterprise. Of those surveyed, 47 percent said mobile computing was making it more difficult to provide online security, and 45 percent said the ‚consumerisation of IT‚ was a concern. The latter category includes new technologies that cross over from consumer to business markets, with tablets replacing laptops as the top concern. As users bring tablets into the enterprise and access the corporate network, IT is faced with the challenge of protecting sensitive business data on those endpoints.

Symantec Data Loss Prevention for Tablet will enable users to utilise the tablets they are demanding while monitoring and controlling the transmission of confidential data from these devices with content awareness. The product is designed to enable organisations to support work and personal use concurrently across corporate and personal email, web communications, and common applications available for the iPad. The protection will extend to the device and information on it irrespective of whether the user is connected via 3G or Wi-Fi. Support for the Android tablet operating system is also scheduled to be available next year.

Symantec Data Loss Prevention for Tablet will be the latest addition to Symantec DLP and Mobile Management solutions. The product is designed to let current Symantec DLP customers leverage their existing investment by utilising the same policies and management infrastructure. The company also offers a complete set of encryption solutions ranging from full disk encryption and removable storage to email and server solutions. These include the recently announced Symantec PGP Viewer for iOS. The viewer enables employees of organisations with Symantec PGP Universal Server in place to read encrypted messages on their preferred Apple iOS devices including the iPad and iPhone. For example, executive team members can receive and view encrypted copies of a sales report with assurance that both its privacy and security are intact.

“With the massive growth in tablet adoptions, customers have struggled how to extend information protection to this new consumer tool as it makes its way onto the enterprise networks.‚ said Art Gilliland, senior vice president, Information Security Group, Symantec. ‚Symantec Data Loss Prevention for Tablet will enable IT to better support their businesses in adopting this new technology, while also maintaining strong protections for their sensitive information””.

“”While CISOs and security organisations want to be seen as business enablers who embrace the newest productivity device, they first need to be able to ensure the confidential data on these devices will be protected,‚ said Jon Oltsik, principal analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. ‚The extension of DLP benefits to the newest corporate endpoint, the iPad, will help them to satisfy both sides of the equation.‚

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