CUPERTINO and FOSTER CITY, Calif., Jan 12, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq:SYMC), the world leader in Internet security, and instant messaging solutions pioneer FaceTime Communications today announced that FaceTime's IM Guardian security gateway has been certified as interoperable with the Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture. The certified integration of FaceTime's IM Guardian with the Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture allows organizations to protect and monitor their enterprise networks and client machines from real-time security threats transmitted via instant messaging (IM) and peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies.

IM Guardian's integration with the Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture enables customers to aggregate and analyze relevant real-time IM security data alongside events generated by other security products. The integration of reporting protocols into one security console alleviates the need to administer security products from multiple platforms.

"The Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture was created to integrate top security solutions through an open architecture capable of managing a myriad of security technologies for a holistic 360 degree view of the organization's security environment," said Steve Cullen, senior vice president, Symantec Enterprise Solutions. "The certification of IM Guardian's interoperability with the Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture provides our joint customers with the added ability and convenience to manage instant messaging and peer-to-peer security within a single security management system."

"With unsanctioned IM and P2P use becoming a universal problem, it is important that the leading IM Guardian be integrated with the leading Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture," said Jonathan Christensen, chief technology officer and vice president of products at FaceTime. "Symantec's support of IM Guardian will allow businesses to protect their enterprise networks from the latest threats posed by today's complex real-time technologies with a product that is managed and administered by existing SESA-compliant systems."

FaceTime joined the Symantec Technology Partner Program in July, 2003. Through the Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture Software Development Environment, a developers' kit provided by Symantec, FaceTime ensured comprehensive integration of its IM Guardian into the Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture. Initial deployment of the IM Guardian Collector for the Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture is scheduled for Q1 2004 on the Linux platform.

FaceTime's IM Guardian

FaceTime IM Guardian is an enterprise security gateway designed to help network security administrators manage complex, real-time communication technologies, such IM and P2P. IM Guardian protects network perimeter security through deep inspection of network traffic and protocol analysis to validate authorized application behavior and block potential threats. IM Guardian can be deployed in combination with IM Director, FaceTime's behind-the-firewall solution for IM user policy management, for complete "defense-in-depth" protection that manages and secures IM and P2P communications throughout the enterprise.

Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture

The Symantec Security Management System and other Symantec products are built in compliance with Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture, which provides a standards-based interoperability framework for Symantec and third-party solutions to work together to provide secure, manageable, and scalable enterprise security. Customer environments are heterogeneous and often contain security products from many vendors. Therefore, an interoperable architecture is a critical enabler to enterprises that need strong security and centralized management.

The Symantec Security Management System supports several third-party products through integration with the Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture. The following products have been certified to date: FaceTime IM Guardian, Sanctum AppShield, Top Layer Attack Mitigator and ForeScout ActiveScout. These collectors are available from their respective vendor. Symantec also provides Symantec Event Collectors for the following products to date: Cisco PIX, Check Point VPN-1/Firewall-1, Enterasys Network Dragon, ISS RealSecure, Network Associates ePO and VirusScan, Trend Micro Gateway and Groupware. In addition, the following Symantec products integrate with or use the Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture as a foundation: Symantec Client Security, Symantec Gateway Security, Symantec Host IDS, Symantec Vulnerability Assessment, Symantec Incident Manager, and Symantec Event Managers for AntiVirus, Firewall, Intrusion Protection and Client Security.

Symantec Technology Partner Program

The Symantec Technology Partner Program establishes standards for how diverse security and infrastructure products from multiple vendors can work together with Symantec technologies to simplify complex enterprise networks for joint customers. The Technology Partner Program offers comprehensive integration tools, development support, joint sales and marketing resources, and product certification for those partners interested in integrating with Symantec's industry-leading security solutions and the Symantec Enterprise Security Architecture. Partners whose solutions meet Symantec's established criteria for interoperability earn the use of applicable Symantec certification logos. Detailed information on the program procedures, requirements and benefits can be found at www.symantec.com/technologypartners.

About FaceTime

Founded in 1998 with an early vision to integrate instant messaging into the enterprise, FaceTime Communications is the most widely deployed provider of IM security and management solutions that address network and information security, regulatory and corporate compliance, and call center customer service. FaceTime's award-winning solutions are used by over 300 customers, with over 50 percent of the largest global 100 financial institutions, including seven of the eight largest U.S. banks. The company's leading cable, energy, entertainment, healthcare, insurance, technology and travel customers include Amica Insurance, BankOne, Dominion Energy, Hewlett-Packard, Jefferies & Co, NCR, Soundview Technologies, Standard Bank London, Thomas Weisel Partners, Toronto Dominion Bank, Wachovia Securities and Western Union. A renown pioneer, FaceTime was the first company to provide multi-network access to public IM networks AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo! while also providing interoperability with such private and enterprise IM networks as Communicator Inc., IBM Lotus, Instant Bloomberg, Jabber, Microsoft, Reuters and Yahoo!. Headquartered in Foster City, California, FaceTime can be reached at http://www.facetime.com, 888-349-FACE, or via IM screen name FaceTimeLive.

About Symantec

Symantec, the world leader in Internet security technology, provides a broad range of content and network security software and appliance solutions to individuals, enterprises and service providers. The company is a leading provider of client, gateway and server security solutions for virus protection, firewall and virtual private network, vulnerability management, intrusion detection, Internet content and e-mail filtering, remote management technologies and security services to enterprises and service providers around the world. Symantec's Norton brand of consumer security products is a leader in worldwide retail sales and industry awards. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has worldwide operations in 36 countries. For more information, please visit www.symantec.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please view the Symantec Press Center at http://www.symantec.com/PressCenter/ on Symantec's Web site. All prices noted are in US dollars and are valid only in the United States.

Symantec and the Symantec logo are trademarks or registered trademarks, in the United States and certain other countries, of Symantec Corporation. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT: This press release contains forward-looking statements, including forecasts of future revenue and earnings per share, expected activities, and other financial and business results that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from results expressed or implied by this press release. Such risk factors include, among others: the sustainability of recent growth rates, particularly in consumer products; the anticipation of the growth of certain market segments, particularly enterprise security; the positioning of Symantec's products in those segments; the competitive environment in the software industry; general market conditions, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, changes to operating systems and product strategy by vendors of operating systems; and whether Symantec can successfully develop new products and the degree to which these gain market acceptance. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in the Risk Factors sections of Symantec's previously filed Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 28, 2003. Symantec assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release except as otherwise required by law.

SOURCE: Symantec Corporation

CONTACT:          Symantec Corporation          
                  Jackie Bartoletti, 310-449-4918 
                  Jackie_bartoletti@symantec.com
                  or
                  Connect Public Relations for Symantec
                  Sherri Walkenhorst, 801-373-7888      
                  sherriw@connectpr.com           
                  or
                  MSR Communications for FaceTime   
                  Chris Blake, 415-447-6115 Ext. 13             
                  chris@msrcommunications.com

Customize your Business Wire news & multimedia to match your needs.
Get breaking news from companies and organizations worldwide.
Logon for FREE today at www.BusinessWire.com.

Copyright (C) 2004 Business Wire.  All rights reserved.

SOURCE: Symantec Corporation