Symantec adds threat data to Managed Security Services

SAN FRANCISCO - In a bid to expand its services business, Symantec Corp. next week plans to start selling security intelligence data as an add-on to its Managed Security Services.

Users who hired Symantec to manage their security infrastructures will now also be able to get extensive information on threats particular to their IT systems as well as global cyberthreats, said Dee Liebenstein, group product manager at Symantec.

All of the data will be displayed on the Secure Internet Interface, the same Web site that Symantec's Managed Security Services customers currently use to check the status of their security infrastructures, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems. The data comes from Symantec's DeepSight Early Warning Services, a separate product offering.

"We have integrated the DeepSight Early Warning Services into the Secure Internet Interface. Our Managed Security Services customers now have a one-stop shop to get information both about their local network and the global threat landscape," Liebenstein said.

The Early Warning Service adds a proactive component to the Managed Security Services, allowing customers to proactively secure their information assets before attacks hit their networks, Liebenstein said.

Additionally, the combined service allows customers to generate reports that compare their own security events with global threat information. "They can quickly see am I seeing the same attacks as other folks in my industry or other folks in my country, or am I being targeted with something," Liebenstein said.

Symantec has several hundred customers worldwide for its Managed Security Services as well as its Early Warning Services. There is less than 10 percent overlap between the customer bases, according to Liebenstein.

While Symantec is obviously trying to sell more of its products, the integration of the two services also makes practical sense, said Paul Proctor, vice president of security and risk strategies at Meta Group Inc.

"These are important things that belong together, so I am glad that they are offering them that way," he said. "Organizations need long-range research. You have to look out into the future so you can plan and prioritize."

Adding the intelligence information to the Managed Security Services will cost extra, with prices starting at $350 a month, Liebenstein said.