GFI Software updates VIPRE Antivirus Business
GFI Software launched the latest edition of VIPRE Business, which provides SMBs with access to a single solution for antivirus, patch management and Mobile Device Management (MDM).
The newest version of VIPRE Business Premium addresses several of the most pressing security challenges facing administrators today, most notably vulnerabilities in third-party software products, which according to the GFI Malware Response Team, account for up to 75 per cent of malware and virus infections that compromise SMB networks.
SMBs are also facing the challenge of managing disparate mobile devices running multiple operating systems, creating new issues and security concerns that didn’t exist just a few years ago. Gartner, Inc. recently predicted that through 2017, 90 per cent of enterprises will have two or more mobile operating systems to support, leading 65 per cent of companies to adopt MDM to address security concerns related to the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend. Malware writers have noticed and are actively crafting threats to exploit this new attack vector.
VIPRE Business addresses these challenges by enabling administrators to centrally manage antivirus protection for PCs, Macs and Android devices as well as mobile security for iPhones, iPads and Android smartphones and tablets. VIPRE Business Premium also includes integrated patch management, a firewall, a malicious website blocker and an anti-phishing filter. VIPRE’s new patch management feature in the Premium version automatically finds and applies updates to out-of-date software. It also displays the status of Windows Updates on each computer, and can turn on Windows Updates to keep the operating system fully up to date.
“One of the most dreaded parts of my job is disturbing my users. If there’s any way I can avoid costly interruptions, I become ecstatic,” says Michael Ruf, IT manager at Interstate Cold Storage. “After testing the beta version, VIPRE Business Premium actually works the way automatic updates should. It gives us true background updating with no restarts, installation wizards, or pop-ups.”
“Our customers pleaded with us to avoid becoming a bloatware producer, like so many other vendors in this space. We really took that to heart and added these new capabilities to VIPRE while at the same time actually speeding up the underlying engine,” said Mark Patton, general manager of the Security Business Unit at GFI Software. “The feedback has been incredible, and by automating patch management and MDM in a central console, we’re enabling IT administrators to not only maximise their own efficiency, but that of their users as well.”
New features found in VIPRE Business include:
Patch management – auto-updates out-of-date software by integrating patch management (available in Premium version)
Mobile Device Management – maintains integrity of corporate data with remote wipe for smartphones and tablets. Android protection includes antivirus and remote alarm and locate features, and iPad and iPhone protection includes remote lock and password enforcement
Mac desktop and laptop security – keeps Macs secure and includes a dedicated policy that lets admins configure and centrally manage antivirus on these devices from the VIPRE console
Unprotected and infected network PC identification – finds unprotected machines and alerts administrator to take action
Auto-removal of existing antivirus software – eliminates conflicts on the network during installation by automatically removing existing AV solutions
Removable device scanning – auto-scans USB flash drives and other removable media when plugged or inserted into PCs to prevent infections