In the past we have looked at pcAnywhere, which has been a consistent runner in past telecommuting group tests. This time around Symantec has supplied its Client Security.
This solution, which is new to SC Magazine, concerns itself with protecting the end user against blended threats. As anti-virus is no longer enough, teleworkers have to ensure that they not only protect their machines, but that they also protect the data coming in and being sent out from their location.
The Symantec Client Security sits on the client machine, whether that be a laptop or a dedicated home office computer for the teleworker. It integrates with the Symantec Client Security Server and ensures that anti-virus, firewall and intrusion detection is available. It is not left up to the end-user to perform updates or configure, and therefore presents an approach using security policy and expertise already in place at enterprise level. This type of solution is obviously a better option for the larger or more sensitive business model and can be administered centrally.
With more and more people utilizing an always-on internet connection, Symantec Client Security will provide a more seamless and secure protection level. All updates, whether policy, firewall, intrusion detection or anti-virus, are sent to the remote user's location and integrated into their security without them having to reconfigure or check any settings. This relieves them both of the possibility of introducing mistakes and simply forgetting to update.
Installation is available by several different methods including push, login script, direct from a server, web-based, third-party tools or via reconfigured installation packages, and also directly onto the machines that you want to protect. For this review we chose the later option as we are looking at isolated telecommuters.
It consists of copying the configuration file from the parent server to the client. Running the installation from the CD is extremely easy and, as you would expect, it handholds you through the entire exercise. You then continue with the anti-virus set-up, which you have the option of installing as managed or unmanaged. You then continue with the firewall installation - it is really that easy.
