Webroot - Spyware Removal Technology




Every day it seems that there's another story about a loss or theft of customer or employee data, often through the use of malicious spyware. More than 4,000 UK MasterCard holders may be victims of identity theft following a data breach at a popular online retailer. The breach occurred after hackers gained access to credit card details stored by the retailer by laying traps using spyware techniques.

The British government became so concerned about the epidemic that they created a website for methods to protect your business against spyware. Last year Webroot co-hosted the Government Spyware Summit, where top security leaders discussed the increasingly problematic risks of spyware.

The Webroot Q2 2006 'State of Spyware' report reveals that Germany and the United Kingdom are two of the top countries where spyware exploits originate and it’s getting worse.

Online criminals use the malicious spyware for monetary gain – resulting in increasing instances of system monitors and Trojan horses. The heavy payload makes spyware activity all that more appealing to the criminal gangs that can sell information for a vast profit. Data-mining is now one of the most lucrative activities in the world. It is now true to say that 'information is king'.

THE PRICE OF A BREACH

In studies performed by the Computer Security Institute and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, approximately 90% of corporations and government agencies detected computer security breaches in 2002. More than 80% of these businesses admitted losing money because of the breach.

By performing system audits, European organizations can verify how secure or vulnerable their networks may be. Many organizations rely on anti-virus solutions to guard against spyware, but system audits reveal a high number of malicious spyware programs easily penetrate systems 'guarded' by anti-virus software.

It's common sense. spyware is not a virus and the user now needs more than just virus protection. The one time hacker teenager has morphed into a sophisticated businessman, who is determined to have his spyware programs avoid detection at all costs.

Despite the frightening statistics and horror stories of real-life data breaches, a number of European firms are failing to protect their customer data, trade secrets, and, most importantly, their corporate image, from spyware attacks.

Surviving a spyware attack or other data security breach is difficult. Data recovery can take significant time and effort, not to mention the costs associated with hiring a computer forensics team to track down the culprit.

Consider what would happen if your network was down for a day or even a week. Picture losing the data stored on PCs throughout your company. Imagine if your closest competitor got a hold of your customer database or your sales strategy. Could you afford these losses, and the public reaction?

Just as you hire night security guards and use alarm systems on your office building, CEOs need to equally cognizant of computer security. Security analysts agree that using basic security measures can have a lasting effect on your business, your customers and more importantly, the ongoing profitability of your organization. One of the first steps is to add enterprise-class anti-spyware program to your IT arsenal.

EFFECTIVE ANTI–SPYWARE TECHNOLOGY

Spy Sweeper Enterprise is a comprehensive, centrally managed enterprise solution that aggressively blocks, detects and eradicates spyware on desktops across the network. Using scalable, patent–pending Comprehensive Removal Technology, Spy Sweeper Enterprise effectively manages the enterprise spyware threat. Blocking and removing spyware from the network reduces security risks, minimizes IT help–desk requests and re–establishes computing and network performance.

Not all anti– spyware technologies are equal. In fact, many, so–called anti– spyware technology is 'old' anti–virus technology, which just can't keep pace with the rapid evolution of spyware. As the financial opportunities grow for cyber–crime so does the level of sophistication around spyware.

Recent independent studies through VeriTest show that Webroot is far and away the leader in protecting enterprises through meticulous blocking and removal of spyware on the network.

CONTINUOUS MONITORING THROUGH PROACTIVE SMART SHIELDS

Improved Smart Shields provide proactive spyware blocking. Spy Sweeper Enterprise 3.0 offers an extensive series of 14 different shields that protect against zero–day spyware attacks, including the following Windows categories that have been vulnerable to attacks:

  • Windows startup
  • Windows system
  • Internet Explorer
  • Hosts file

POWERFUL SPYWARE REMOVAL CAPABILITIES

Spy Sweeper Enterprise 3.0 incorporates the latest in Webroot's Comprehensive Removal Technology (CRT), the most advanced spyware removal technology in the industry. CRT uses adaptive recognition practices to remove processes, applications or files that may have changed during the remediation process or may not have been previously detected.

By installing itself before the operating system boot, the unique Webroot technology is able to completely disable difficult spyware, including rootkits and keyloggers. Using CRT, Spy Sweeper Enterprise assures system stability during and after the spyware removal process.