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In the second half of the year, we can report that the trend towards mass assaults using network worms has dropped significantly with two major outbreaks, one in September causing larger disruptions internationally and the second, a worm flooding email systems in late November. Nevertheless, the virus count continued to rise with alarming force increasing from 110,000 to approximately 150, 000 by the end of the year.
In the Internet Service Provider business segment, F-Secure is making solid gains, not least because the products and services it delivers are a good fit but also because they are ahead of themselves in terms of the competition, innovation and the requirements of the industry. In its forthcoming product release for ISPs, F-Secure Service Platform for Businesses, F-Secure opens another arena for data security provision for the ISP market.
In the last edition of Protected, the concept of Security as a Service which is a guiding philosophy in F-Secure's strategy was touched upon. The movement towards the development of services is a logical one where data security expertise and its provision becomes as valuable a commodity as the company's products themselves. When a company like F-Secure combines both excellent products and services together, the result, the newly launched F-Secure® Service Platform for Enterprises becomes a clear expression of good strategy at work.
The data security world was rocked in November by the discovery of a rootkit detected in a large number of Sony BMG music CDs placed there by the company itself to enforce its copy control policies.
While the rise of phishing is not a new development, it has become a ubiquitous phenomenon and a serious on-line security problem only in the last year or so. In this fast-moving threat landscape, F-Secure had to come up with some quick solutions to keep our customers protected.
Jarno Niemelä is one of a select group of researchers who pit their wits against a small but growing number of malware authors creating one of the latest technological plagues - mobile phone viruses. Since June 2004 when the first Symbian-based malware came into being, he has witnessed the recorded number of mobile malware speed past the 100 mark.
 Earlier this year, F-Secure made a significant step forward in its company strategy by the addition of a new member to its product range - a piece of hardware called the F-Secure Messaging Security Gateway appliance. So, after 17 years as a software vendor, the case has now been made to incorporate F-Secure's award-winning software into a piece of branded hardware that spells doom for the majority of spam messages.
A Merry Christmas and
A Happy New Year!
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With the number of identified mobile viruses now exceeding 100, the rising threat of infection has also alerted enterprises to scrutinise key security issues in their mobile phone fleets. As essential working tools, smartphones, communicators and palmtops that become infected with malware can disrupt business as well as generate significant costs to a company.
Earlier this year, F-Secure sponsored industry analysts, IDC to write a white paper on endpoint security. Endpoint security software centrally manages, surrounds, protects, and defends desktop and mobile computing environments (clients). By enforcing security at the endpoint, high-speed broadband users and distributed enterprises are better protected against an ever-increasing number of personal, financial, and technical security threats.
Since October this year, F-Secure has expanded its support services to include new and more in-depth features for its customers. From its original offering which included the usual F-Secure Anti-Virus and intrusion prevention products, product support, database delivery service and product upgrades, service packs and hotfixes, customers will now have access to more.
F-Secure has been renewing its web presence since March this year. Visitors to the Finnish and UK sites will be able to experience a new look and feel by the end of 2005.
Continuing its drive East to build a strengthened global presence, F-Secure announced the expansion of its Asian business with the establishment of an office in Singapore this autumn. This move, which extends F-Secure's presence in Asia from its established country office in Japan is significant for the future of the company.
F-Secure has developed its business operations faster than other listed competitors over eight consecutive quarters.Indeed, in the third quarter, F-Secure's antivirus and intrusion prevention revenues increased by 44% to 15.2m euro. Fastest growth was witnessed by sales aimed at service providers and by consumer business operations. The company's net profit rose to three million euro, which was 19% of the revenue.
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