Security news
Security news17 November 2004
Universities in Canada protect against increased email threats and spam
Vancouver, BC - Sophos, a global leader in policy-based network security software for viruses and spam, continued to build strong momentum in Canada in 2004. A year after acquiring Vancouver-based anti-spam company ActiveState, Sophos has expanded its customer list to include eight top Canadian universities, hired 70 new employees and established its North American headquarters in Vancouver.
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is the most recent addition to Sophos's growing list of customers. Other Canadian universities using Sophos's consolidated protection against multiple email-borne threats include McGill University, University of Quebec Chicoutimi, University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto and the University of Windsor.
"Universities in particular, have unique administrative challenges, such as a huge user base, multiple platforms and decentralized infrastructures. Like other organizations, they are also struggling to keep pace with the volume and complexity of converged threats," said Steve Munford, who was appointed president of Sophos North America after the acquisition.
"For a community as large and diverse as UBC, spam and viruses present not just a nuisance, but a significant financial strain," says Jens Haeusser, Manager of IT Security for UBC, who estimates 50-70 percent of all email received at UBC is either spam or messages containing viruses.
"UBC email users often spend more than 10 minutes a day dealing with spam alone," says Haeusser. "That, combined with computer virus infections, makes up an estimated $12 million in lost productivity each year. We are already seeing a catch rate of 99 percent with the Sophos implementation."
In 2004, organizations continued to face threats and joint attacks from virus writers and spammers. Sophos's Vancouver-based spam lab reported a 100 percent increase in spam volume over last year as well as in the first six months of 2004. Sophos's virus labs also detected 9345 new viruses in the first 10 months of 2004, an increase of 47 percent over last year.
"Threats and compliance issues are evolving and becoming more global," continued Munford. "Virus writers are no longer satisfied with simply infecting a computer, they now want financial gain from spam, phishing and cyber theft. There's an enormous need for the vendor community to adapt to new threats through proactive protection. Sophos not only addresses the unique administrative challenges of universities, but continues to deliver new technologies to protect at all points of the network."
Sophos has been ranked 19th on the Deloitte Canadian Technology Fast 50. The list ranks the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Canada based on percentage of revenue growth over the past 5 years. Get more information on the Fast 50 here.
About Sophos
Sophos enables enterprises all over the world to secure and control their IT infrastructure. Sophos's network access control, endpoint, web and email solutions simplify security to provide integrated defenses against malware, spyware, intrusions, unwanted applications, spam, policy abuse, data leakage and compliance drift. With over 20 years of experience, Sophos protects over 100 million users in nearly 150 countries with its reliably engineered security solutions and services. Recognized for its high level of customer satisfaction and powerful yet easy-to-use solutions, Sophos has received many industry awards, as well as positive reviews and certifications.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com
