Symantec, a leading provider of security, backup and availability solutions, and Wincor Nixdorf, a leading provider of IT solutions for bank branches and retail stores, have announced a new partnership, with the aim of making self-service banking solutions from different vendors all over the globe even more secure.
Within the framework of its comprehensive security portfolio (ProTect), Wincor Nixdorf now offers version 2.0 of its PC/E Terminal Security - Intrusion Protection - and will be presenting the solution for the first time at the Wincor World 2012 fair (October 16 to 18, A2 Forum in Rheda Wiedenbrück). The security program includes key core components of Symantec Critical System Protection software, a proven and comprehensive security solution. The solution protects systems from digital sabotage and unauthorized attacks from outside.
Wincor Nixdorf's Intrusion Protection 2.0 protects self-service systems and networks from attacks by worms and viruses, thereby guaranteeing protection from unauthorized changes such as manipulation of the configuration. The software operates according to the whitelisting principle that anything which is not explicitly known does not receive access. This makes it possible to ward off hitherto unknown attacks.
Intrusion Protection from Wincor Nixdorf was designed specifically for requirements in self-service environments. In contrast to conventional security software, the solution detects anomalies in running applications and takes immediate action. In comparison with competitor solutions, Intrusion Protection features a low total cost of ownership, since there is no need for regular updates which normally incur extra costs. The solution is easy to configure and is coming to market leveraging Symantec Critical System Protection for Windows 7. The new version of the Intrusion Protection solution is available to financial institutions now. POS terminals in the retail sector can also be protected with Intrusion Protection.
"With Critical System Protection, Symantec supplies the best basis for Intrusion Protection on the market today. The collaboration with a strong partner like Symantec enables Wincor Nixdorf to further strengthen its successful security solution portfolio in the long term," says Bernd Redecker, Head of Security Solutions Banking at Wincor Nixdorf.
"Cyber attacks today are carried out with ever greater precision and are easier than ever to launch, as Symantec's Internet Security Threat Report Volume 17 shows this year. Financial institutions are popular, highly profitable targets, so it is vital that they make considerable efforts to protect the information and assets of their customers from theft," explains Doug Bowers, Vice President of Engineering at Symantec: "By cooperating with a leading IT solution provider for retail banking and adapting the solution for the self-service delivery channel, we offer banks major value add."
Cash and financial transactions are highly attractive targets for criminals. Access data for bank accounts and credit card data are traded like merchandise at high profit on the black market, as Symantec's Internet Security Threat Report shows. These threats are increasing, sometimes in the form of targeted hacker attacks, targeted malicious code or man-in-the-middle attacks. According to the report, in the year 2011 alone, Symantec recorded 5.5 billion new malware variants, a figure that is 81 percent up on the previous year.