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 In today's high-tech environment, keeping computer systems secure is high up on every corporate priority list. As well as protecting data from the traditional threats of fire, theft and sabotage, organizations need systems in place to protect themselves from the growing threat of attack by computer viruses and malicious code. The huge increase in the use of the internet and email messaging has enabled new and virulent strains of viruses and malicious code to profligate to a stage where they represent the single most common form of security breach. Protection against these threats is now critical to the health of information infrastructures and organizations worldwide are addressing these issues at the boardroom level.
Siemens Business Services (SBS), a part of the Information and Communications branch of the organization, provides leading-edge, cost-effective IT services to the Siemens group as well as to the external market. Within SBS is the Center for Information Security (CISS) which handles security requirements for the entire organization including virus protection. A key member of the Virus Competence Center (VCC) at the Center for Information Security (CISS) at Siemens Business Services talks about how they use Trend Micro's ScanMail for MS Exchange to protect the Siemens group worldwide from viruses and other malicious code.
Martin Gebele, systems engineer at VCC said:
The Virus Competence Center was established in 1997 to create and implement a virus policy for the entire Siemens group. The aim was to provide a centralized, flexible cost-effective antivirus service to safeguard Siemens from the growing threat of attack by virus and other malicious code. Therefore, VCC builds up an antivirus strategy depending on mail server, file server and client protection.
With 100,000 mail clients across every conceivable platform it was important to choose the best antivirus system on the market, so in 1998 we evaluated several products to find the best possible solution. After full evaluation and careful analysis we chose ScanMail for MS Exchange, as it fulfilled all our criteria in terms of features and benefits and also offered very flexible license conditions on a global basis, which would offer us a better return on investment. ScanMail is a powerful product which gives us centralized control across our enterprise. Updating and checking all systems one by one in the old-fashioned way could not provide the high level of virus protection expected of VCC and Siemens.
Unlike some other products, ScanMail is very simple to install and update without even having to re-boot the system. Centralized virus pattern deployment is fast and easy, making it a straightforward exercise to provide enterprise-wide virus protection. We are very happy with the virus detection rate and we are confident that ScanMail will find and remove viruses in email attachments and eliminate the possibility of expensive virus outbreaks.
According to a recent ICSA report (ICSA Computer Prevalence Survey, 2000), the average virus outbreak costs an organization approximately $2,500 per incident. However, this figure does not take into account the related costs of loss of productivity and business and other downtime costs. The survey also reports that virtually all large and midsize organizations have experienced computer virus infections with an average of 86.5 virus encounters per 1,000 machines per year.
Martin Gebele added:
Quantifying the amount of money saved by having an antivirus solution in place is always difficult, but it is safe to say that good virus protection always saves money and is a 'must have' in today's business environment. An organization's data is extremely valuable and its loss is not only expensive, but can also have a calamitous effect on a company's ability to do business. Having to shut down a mail server due to a virus infection is a disaster and something to be avoided. We are pleased to say that the Melissa and WormExplorer.Zip viruses did not cause problems at the ScanMail protected servers at Siemens. Spreading computer viruses is bad for a company's credibility and our organization would not want to take any chances at all. We received the pattern update from Trend Micro, which we are able to deploy very quickly throughout the organization. ScanMail did its job well and cleaned the infected files. We know that when we get a virus alert Trend Micro acts very quickly to ensure that we are well protected.
While VCC recognizes the seriousness of virus outbreaks like Melissa, the company feels strongly that irresponsible false alarm "panic" messages that are sent out from antivirus vendors and the subsequent media "hype" cause unnecessary disruption and expense. For example, a huge increase in the number of employees contacting the help desk because they are worried about catching a highly publicized, but benign and easily removed virus result in unnecessary costs within an organization.
Martin Gebele concluded:
Our expectation included a good and balanced cooperation between Trend Micro and Siemens which meets our requirements in product functionality and product support. Its successful implementation makes us very pleased with the level of product support that we receive from Trend Micro, locally and around the world. In fact, one of the key areas we considered during the evaluation period was the level of support we could expect to receive, not only in terms of ScanMail but also in respect to antivirus support. Something that definitely inclined us toward ScanMail from the start are Trend's virus centers, which are located in California, Paris and the Philippines, and which guarantee total virus support. VCC believes in a defined antivirus support structure that does not rely on named individuals who may, for whatever reason, become unavailable. With 24-hour, round-the-clock virus support guaranteed by Trend Micro, we are confident that we are fully protected at all times, regardless of holidays, weekends and unforeseen events.
We are looking at other Trend Micro products that will help us install, administer and distribute our security packages even more efficiently. In most cases, we are pleased with the level of communication between Trend Micro and ourselves and we would say to any organization looking for an antivirus solution to look beyond the product itself. Not only is technical excellence important, but other issues such as support, licensing flexibility and the synergy between vendor and customer also play a crucial role in the success of good antivirus implementation. We have now been using ScanMail for a year and I am pleased to say that we have just renewed our license and we are looking forward to a continuing working relationship between Trend Micro and Siemens.
Trend Micro's corporate headquarters is located in Tokyo, Japan, with business units in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information please visit: www.antivirus.com.
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