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How do you see the security landscape changing?
Technological innovation can greatly improve productivity but also brings new risks. Today’s businesses are more connected, networked and mobile than ever before. They use multiple connected devices like laptops, PDAs and smartphones. Employees share more files, and enjoy the benefits of broadband, wireless hotspots and networked applications like instant messaging and VoIP. As a result, the online threats are also constantly evolving. They take many forms, appear faster and are developed by organised criminals who are constantly looking to exploit vulnerabilities in corporate IT systems. At worst, the cost of security breaches and downtime caused by malware problems can seriously damage a company’s finances and reputation.
The security market is cluttered with both big and small players. Being such a late entrant into the market, what is your strategy?
With the current explosion of Internet malware and online crime – including targeted attacks on businesses – online security has become an important factor in business competitiveness. Maintaining smoothly running ICT systems requires a high level of online security, which is a challenge for enterprises given the budgetary constraints. We are focusing on offering Security-as-a-Service (SaaS) to customers. This is not being offered by any other vendor in the Indian market. This is our big differentiator. It also makes good business sense for CIOs. By leaving security to the professionals, they can devote time and resources on their commercial priorities. With SaaS, businesses get cost-effective protection provided by dedicated experts and world class technology. F-Secure is a pioneer in delivering SaaS to businesses and its products are trusted in millions of homes and offices around the world.
How will your Security-as-a-Service model work?
In the SaaS model; a business outsources its IT security, purchasing a subscription for the security software rather than buying the technology on an annual license basis. SaaS offers flexible license management. It is easy to rotate the licenses from one PC to another and the PCs are always protected by the latest version of the software and security signatures. Under a SaaS agreement, F-Secure hosts the service, while our trusted local security partner takes responsibility for the day-to-day running of the company’s IT security. SaaS is like having a specialist security workforce armed with the latest technology – at a fraction of the cost of hiring IT staff and buying the technology.
What specific offerings are you bringing to the market?
Protection Service for Business (PSB Advanced) is a comprehensive SaaS solution specially designed for SMBs, which provides powerful real-time protection for laptops, desktop PCs, file servers and Microsoft Exchange servers. Its extensive features include antivirus, antispyware, firewall, root kit detection, spam control, and fast protection against new unknown threats with F-Secure’s latest cloud computing technology. All this, and much more, is delivered as a service.
F-Secure hosts the management infrastructure, and its certified local IT partner monitors and manages the network of the business customer with a web-based management portal to ensure high level security at all times. The local partner can also provide additional services like security auditing, software installation, configuration, regular reporting or management of network security features. The SaaS subscription model makes business easier. Companies no longer need to worry about security updates, software patches or upgrades, which are all taken care of. Security profiles can be set according to the specific requirements of the business, and the settings can be locked from the end-user. PSB Advanced also enables remote push installation to clients, and encrypted communication between protected devices, F-Secure servers and the portal.
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