Tuesday, 16 November 2004 20:45 EST

Leading Remote Control Solution to Provide Faster Problem Resolution, Added Security for Windows, Linux and Pocket PC Users

CUPERTINO, Calif. – Nov. 15, 2004 - Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC), the global leader in information security, today announced the newest version of pcAnywhere, the world's leading remote control solution. pcAnywhere 11.5 will extend the benefits of pcAnywhere to a wider audience by expanding the range of supported platforms and devices, and by providing additional security features required by government and financial organizations. Scheduled to be widely available in early December 2004, pcAnywhere 11.5 will be targeted at mobile professionals, small businesses, value-added resellers (VARs) and IT departments in medium-sized to large organizations.

pcAnywhere 11.5 combines a secure and feature-rich remote control product with remote management and advanced file transfer capabilities to quickly resolve help desk and server support problems across multiple platforms. Using pcAnywhere 11.5, Windows, Linux, Windows Pocket PC and Pocket PC Phone Edition users can remotely manage a broad range of devices from a single management interface.

"As organizations are looking to implement remote control and remote management technologies as a means to minimize help desk support costs and as the number of mobile professionals is on the increase, security concerns are without doubt the number one deciding factor in choosing the right solution," said Thom Bailey, director of product management, enterprise administration, Symantec Corporation. "pcAnywhere 11.5 not only meets the security requirements that have become mandatory for a growing number of organizations, it also offers superior support for a broad range of platforms and devices to meet the needs of today's mobile professionals."

pcAnywhere 11.5 features a number of additional security options, extending its benefits to a larger audience. These include AES encryption (up to 256-bit cipher strength) through a cryptographic module that has been submitted to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 (Level 1) validation. FIPS 140-2 validation is a purchasing requirement mandated by federal agencies and many financial organizations to protect sensitive information. The new version also offers host address blocking as well as default encryption of login information. Other security options include 13 different methods of authentication (including RSA SecurID authentication), serialization, mandatory passwords, integrity checking, the ability to specify TCP/IP addresses and subnets that are allowed to connect, and the option to hide pcAnywhere hosts from TCP/IP browse lists.

In addition, pcAnywhere 11.5 adds cross-platform support and the ability to remotely manage a broader range of devices. Accessibility options new in this version include:

* pcAnywhere Mobile - Allows users to access their remote systems from their Windows Pocket PC and Pocket PC Phone Edition devices through any TCP/IP connection, including wireless connections, such as WiFi, cellular or Bluetooth connections.
* pcAnywhere Linux Host - Allows pcAnywhere users to remotely manage Linux systems without specialized Linux tools, dual-boot or multiple devices or consoles.
* pcAnywhere Web Remote - Enables users to securely manage their remote Windows and Linux systems through a Java-based Web interface on Windows or Linux without the need for dual-boot or multiple devices.
* Windows Pre-Installation Environment (Windows PE) Support - Provides IT administrators with the remote control capabilities needed to remotely recover devices without a full Windows reboot.

pcAnywhere 11.5 also features a number of performance enhancements designed to provide users with advanced functionality and an improved user experience. In addition to a higher level of core video performance, pcAnywhere 11.5 offers an optional Bandwidth Auto-Detect function that will detect the speed of each connection and automatically adjust settings that affect performance. A new connection wizard assists novice users or rotating IT staff in establishing and launching a connection quickly and easily. To give users the option to suppress error messages encountered during the File Transfer or Command Queue processes when a file is in use or missing, pcAnywhere 11.5 includes a File Auto-Skip feature.

To provide more ease-of-use, pcAnywhere 11.5 offers a number of enhancements to the user interface. These include customizable toolbars, the display of file transfer status information, direct mouse-button access to revert to standard mode while in full screen mode, and the option to hide the left-side menu bar. In addition to the standalone version, pcAnywhere technology is also available in conjunction with the following Symantec products:

* A version of pcAnywhere is available as an add-on solution for Symantec ON iCommand, Symantec's infrastructure management solution for heterogeneous enterprise environments. Symantec pcAnywhere for ON iCommand combines secure remote control with advanced file transfer capabilities to help IT administrators quickly resolve help desk and server support problems within the Symantec ON iCommand environment.
* A thin host of pcAnywhere is embedded in the Symantec LiveState Recovery family of products, Symantec's disk-based system and data recovery solutions, to allow IT administrators to remotely restore servers and desktops using the Symantec Recovery Disk.

Availability & Pricing
pcAnywhere 11.5 is scheduled to be available in early December 2004 through Symantec's worldwide network of distributors and resellers, various retail locations and select online retailers. Consumers and small businesses can currently pre-order the product through Symantec's online store at http://www.symantecstore.com. For additional product information call or visit http://www.symantec.com. To obtain licensing information or to locate a reseller, visit http://enterprisesecurity.symantec.com/license on the World Wide Web. Estimated single-seat retail pricing for pcAnywhere 11.5 is US$199.95. Current users of pcAnywhere and select competitive products will be able to upgrade to pcAnywhere 11.5 for an estimated retail price of US$99.95 after a $100 mail-in rebate. For small business users, the product will be available in 5-user, 10-user and 25-user packs for estimated retail prices of US$799.95, US$1,599.95 and US$3,998.95 respectively.

About Symantec
Symantec is the global leader in information security providing a broad range of software, appliances and services designed to help individuals, small and mid-sized businesses, and large enterprises secure and manage their IT infrastructure. Symantec's Norton brand of products is the worldwide leader in consumer security and problem-solving solutions. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in more than 35 countries. More information is available at www.symantec.com.