Symantec wins coveted award

Symantec Corp. announced that the Norton AntiVirus product line has earned the coveted Checkmark Level Two certification, the highest level of achievement awarded by independent testing and standards organisation West Coast Labs. Checkmark Level Two certification is reserved for anti-virus solutions that both detect and disinfect all viruses categorised as in-the-wild by the WildList Organization International.

An integral component of the Symantec Enterprise Security solution, the Norton AntiVirus products passed the rigorous certification requirements. Current certified products operate on the following platforms: Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 98, Windows 95, Windows NT Server, Windows NT Workstation, Lotus Notes, and DOS.

“Checkmark certification has been developed as an independent standard of how effective an anti-virus product is when confronted by the most complex viruses,” said Gail Hamilton, senior vice president, Enterprise Solutions Division, Symantec Corporation. “We are honoured by this recognition and are pleased to provide this technology across an unprecedented number of today’s most popular platforms, providing users everywhere with the most formidable protection against today’s malicious code.”

West Coast Labs’ testing procedure is repeated quarterly to determine a product’s continued level of detection and repair. The testing consists of a standard, a real-world industry accepted test, which can be administered by West Coast Labs or an accredited tester. If the product does not retain its perfect score, its Checkmark is suspended. If the manufacturer does not subsequently improve the product’s performance, the product is withdrawn.