Tag Archives: Press Releases

Panda Security

Panda Security launches Small Business Protection, the cybersecurity solution for microbusinesses and freelancers

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small business antivirus

Online threats don’t just affect private users and large corporations. Freelancers and microbusinesses, which in the USA account for nearly 80% of the business sector, are an easy target for cybercriminals.

To help them stay protected against the 230,000 malware samples that are created daily, Panda Security has launched Small Business Protection, the new antivirus for freelancers and microbusinesses that protects them against large threats. Now, these companies can rely on a solution that eliminates, in real-time, all types of viruses and threats on IT devices.

Amongst the main characteristics of Small Business Protection is its ability to protect against both known and unknown threats, thanks to a security model based on the supervision of processes and the control of applications that run on the company’s computers.

This allows Panda to offer these types of businesses a complete protection that also protects against online fraud, identity theft, phishing attacks, and other threats. What’s more, in no way will it affect the performance of the devices as it is a lightweight and responsive product.

Wi-Fi protection against hackers and intruders

One of the daily battles that microbusinesses face is keeping their corporate data free from threats via Wi-Fi connections. To combat this, Small Business Protection includes a security model that detects weaknesses on the Wi-Fi network and protects against intruders. Thanks to a bidirectional firewall, corporate users can browse on the network in peace, without interruptions, and protected against unwanted connections.

Furthermore, Panda Security has incorporated a series of periodic tips and recommendations in Small Business Protection so that its users can increase the security of their network without needing to be IT experts.

“With Small Business Protection we wanted to help freelancers and microbusinesses to protect their business. They need the same protection as a large organization and by using free antiviruses, or inappropriate solutions, they are putting their company’s security at risk,” claims Alejandro García, Panda Security’s Head of Global Strategy. “This solution is particularly relevant for the USA, where approximately 80% of businesses consist of 9 employees or less.”

Small Business Protection is a product designed so as to allow freelancers and SMEs to focus their attention on the correct development of their business, removing any barrier that gets in the way of this, including cybersecurity. An intuitive and simplexity version of Panda Security’s best protection just for them.

To get more information on Small Business Protection, enter here.

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Panda Security

Panda Security reveals cyberattacks aimed at public organizations around the world

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PandaLabs, the laboratory of Panda Security, warns in this, its latest quarterly report, that there has been a wave of cyberattacks where the security and information of various governments has been compromised.

A so-called cyberwar between countries has been present in the last few years, however, PandaLabs has detected a growing interest between countries in compromising the security and information of different governments. With that in mind, one of the most important attacks during this period was against the Hacking Team, which controls a multitude of cyberespionage and cyberattack tools for various governments around the world.

“This case is particularly worrying, as they have managed to decrypt the passwords of the most protected of systems”, explains Luis Corrons, technical director of PandaLabs. “The criminals not only wanted to know which clients used the cyberespionage services, which includes intelligence agencies and governments, but also which products they were using”.

This wave of attacks which took place in the third quarter of the year has also seen the Pentagon’s unclassified email system compromised. This was done via a very sophisticated attack which has the hallmarks of having a government behind it. What’s more, the FBI has confirmed that it has detected a growth in interest among terrorists in strategies for launching cyberterrorist attacks against the United States, which appear to be in their planning stages.

More than 21 million new specimens of malware

The PandaLabs quarterly report has also collected information on the number of new malware samples created in this period. Although this time of the year usually sees a drop in new samples, this year there has been 21 million new threats, which is an average of 230,000 per day.

To carry out their attacks, hackers are using Trojans which, with a slight difference, are the most common malware (69.15%) and also cause the most infections (77.64%). They are trailed by traditional viruses (11.34%), and special attention should be given to Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs), which are included in the Others category (7.96%).

malware

“Infecting a device that is connected to the Internet with a Trojan is as easy as hiding it in a file that the victim downloads”, states Luis Corrons. “From then on, all of the information on the device, the organizations information, or user passwords are at risk”.

Controlling devices, the most common method

This quarter has confirmed that the Internet of Things now forms part of our digital lives. This also brings new risks and raises the chances of us being victims of an attack. As this Quarterly Report highlights, there are new methods that are being used to put our security at risk.

Attacks continue to be produce don social media and mobile devices, and now we are also seeing the emergence of techniques to compromise the routers of businesses and homes, leaving them under the criminal’s control without the victim even realizing it.

Businesses such as Jeep Cherokee and Land Rover have also seen their vehicles targeted. The latter had to inform its customers of a fault in the software of 65,000 cars which had been on sale since 2013. The fault allows criminals to unlock the doors via the Internet.

China remains the country with the highest infection rate

PandaLabs’ report also shows the infection rates across the world, with a global average of 32.12%. Once again, it is China which is placed at the top of the list, with an infection rate of 45.35%. It is followed by Peru (42.89) and Turkey (40.99).

Other countries that have registered a rate of infection that is higher than the global average include Poland (34.54%), Brazil (34.32%), Slovenia (33.98%), Colombia (33.11%), Spain (32.50%), and Costa Rica (32.22%).

The countries with the lowest infection rates were Norway (20.12%), Sweden (21.33%), and Japan (22.75%).

The complete report is available here. 

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Panda Security

Santiago Mayoralas, Panda Security’s new Chief Financial Officer

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Panda Security is proud to announce the appointment of Santiago Mayoralas as Chief Financial Officer for the company. In his new post, Santiago will be responsible for managing financial matters for Panda Security, which currently has a presence in more than 80 countries.

Santiago Mayoralas has a degree in Business Administration and Management from the Autonomous University of Madrid and a Master in Financial Management from the IE Business School. He also has extensive experience in technology companies, both engineering and consulting, where he has performed various functions within their finance departments.

Santiago Mayoralas

Before joining Panda Security, Santiago Mayoralas headed the finance department of Prosegur in Colombia. He has also held various financial roles in companies like Altran, Alten and KPN Spain.

“The incorporation of Santiago certainly makes us stronger and better. The talent and the value that he has demonstrated throughout his career assures us of his ability to lead and manage us in tackling the present and future challenges that face our project, “says Diego Navarrete, CEO of Panda Security.

“Being part of a company with over 25 years of renowned excellence like Panda, which is technologically cutting-edge and that has a clear commitment to the Cloud, Big Data, mobility and the Internet of Things is certainly very exciting. Contributing to their future success is a professional challenge that I face with enthusiasm,” said Santiago Mayoralas.

You can download the photo here.

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Panda Security

Panda Security launches Adaptive Defense 360, the first advanced security service with blocking and disinfection capabilities

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Today, with more than 230,000 new malware samples daily and ever more sophisticated infection techniques, businesses are facing increased threats that put their confidential information at risk and leave them in compromising situations. For this reason, Panda Security presents Adaptive Defense 360, which covers all that a traditional antivirus can’t.

Adaptive Defense 360 combines two of Panda Security’s star solutions in one console:

  • Panda Endpoint Protection Plus is our EPP (Endpoint Protection Platform) solution and comes with all of the features of a traditional protection: antivirus, antimalware, personal firewall, web and mail filtering, and device management.
  • Panda Adaptive Defense, our EDR (Endpoint Protection & Response) solution, adds detection and automated response, continuous monitoring, and real-time forensic analysis, which results in the complete strengthening and securing of the endpoint.

So, the new solution combines all the advantages of a traditional antivirus – prevention and blocking of attacks, and remediation of infections – with advanced protection and full traceability, meaning we get to analyze 100 % of the running applications.

The new solution provides an endpoint detection service that is able to accurately classify each of the organization’s applications so that it only runs what is legal. This is precisely what differentiates Adaptive Defense 360 from conventional antiviruses.

Another advantage of being on the endpoint is that Adaptive Defense 360 detects threats in a real environment regardless of source, including USB. This is something which does not happen with most ATD (Advanced Threat Detection) solutions, as they only locate threats that enter the network and virtualized environments.

The functions in the Endpoint of Panda Adaptive Defense 360 are based on three principles:

  1. Continuous monitoring of applications and servers of the company.
  2. Automatic classification using Machine Learning techniques in Panda’s Big Data platform.
  3. Analysis and manual classification, by PandaLabs’ technicians, of applications that are automatically unclassified to know the behavior of what is running.

With this kind of protection and response in the Endpoint, you achieve a complete solution to fight against malware as well as prevent it.

“Adaptive Defense 360 is well above other solutions on the market that tackle traditional threats, vulnerable applications or advanced threats. The key is continuously analyzing all computer activity to classify each process as goodware and malware and, to complete the detection cycle, Adaptive Defense 360 includes integrated remediation”, explains Juan Santesmases, VP Product Management & Business Development at Panda Security.

Protection for outdated systems

The lack of updates on systems is a gateway for malware in companies. Adaptive Defense 360 includes a section against vulnerabilities that uses contextual and behavioral rules so that companies can work in a safe environment even if they don’t have the systems up to date.

Real-time information

Adaptive Defense 360 allows visual monitoring of what is triggering malware within the company. It not only locates where it is housed in the company network, but also reports the actions being carried out such as the creation of files and the destination of communications.

In a similar way, it provides continuous information of the network’s status. It sends immediate alerts when a malware enters the network and of the actions being undertaken to address it.

100% Managed

Adaptive Defense 360 allows companies to avoid having to invest resources in technical staff to manage quarantines, suspicious files, and reinstallation or disinfection of infected computers.

360 Adaptive Defense automatically classifies all applications using Machine Learning techniques in Big Data environments, all under constant supervision of PandaLabs’ specialized technicians who manage the entire process.

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Panda Security

Panda Security detects record levels of malware created to infect users

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PandaLabs, Panda Security’s dedicated detection laboratory, draws attention to the record increase in the creation of new malware samples in its latest Quarterly Report for the second quarter of 2015. The malware detected has been created to infect both businesses and users alike.

In the second quarter of 2015 alone there were an average of 230,000 new malware samples created, which means a total of 21 million new types in these three months. Compared to the same period last year, where there were 160,000 registered samples, there has been an increase of 43%.

This large number of samples is, for the most part, mutations of already known malware. This way, cybercriminals try to stop the antivirus laboratories from detecting the infection.

As regards the types of malware, Trojans continue to be, by a large margin, the most common (71.16%) and are the main source of infection, with 76.25% of users infected by this malware. This quarter also saw the proliferation of PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) which accounted for 14.39% of infections and placed just behind Trojans.

infections type

Cryptolocker, the big threat to businesses and users

Among the main threats that this study collected, the use of Cryptolocker to infect businesses and users was highlighted.

In the case of users, cybercriminals have begun to reuse an old technique to infect users, one which was first seen 20 years ago. It involved infecting users via a macros in Office documents, especially Word. To complete this attack, the criminals included a blurred image which could only been seen if the user activated the macros. Once the user does this, they are infected with Cryptolocker.

Businesses are also at risk from infection by Cryptolocker, such as the example of Ryanair, which lost 5 million dollars via a transfer to a Chinese bank. Other companies that have been victims of information thefts include CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and the online dating site AdultFriendFinder.

“Cyber hackers are looking at businesses more and more as it is relatively easy for them to steal information”, affirms Luis Corrons, Technical Director of PandaLabs. “Sometimes it’s as simple as introducing a variant of Cryptolocker in a file that is sent to an employee and, once it’s opened, the security of the entire company is at risk”.

This quarter also saw attacks on mobile devices. One of the ways in which hackers have duped their victims is by WhatsApp. Called WhatsApp Trendy Blue. It passes itself off as a “new version” of the application with extra features when, in reality, the only thing it does is sign the user up to an expensive billing service.

In June, PandaLabs detected a phishing campaign directed at Android developers that published their creations on the Google Play store. The trick consisted of stealing password information in order to propagate malware via Google Play.

Asia and Latin America register the highest rates of infection

PandaLabs’ Quarterly Report also collected information on the rate of infection worldwide, according to computer’s protected by Panda’s software. The areas with the highest rate of infection were Asia and Latin America, which placed above the average of rate of infection (33.21%). China was the country with the highest rate of infection (47.53%), followed by Turkey (43.11%) and Peru (41.97%).

On the other end of the scale, Europe and Japan were the areas with the lowest rate of infection. Sweden (21.57%), Norway (22.22%), and Japan (23.57%) are the countries with the lowest infection rates worldwide.

However, some European countries recorded infection rates above the global average such as Spain (36.37%), Poland (38.48%), and Slovenia (38.05%), while in Latin America there were rates of 38.21% and 37.86% in Brazil and Colombia, respectively.

The complete report is available here.

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Panda Security

Panda Security makes your digital life easier and safer thanks to its new multi-device solutions

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The new range of 2016 Consumer Solutions from Panda Security is now available. Panda Gold Security 2016, Panda Global Protection 2016, Panda Internet Security 2016, Panda Antivirus Pro 2016, Panda Mobile Security 2016, Panda Antivirus for Mac 2016, and Panda Free Antivirus 2016 make up the portfolio of Panda solutions for user protection on all devices.

 

 

In an increasingly global and multi-device environment, the 2016 Consumer Solutions range is designed to make the digital world easier and more secure. It allows you to shop and browse online safely; protects families against inappropriate content; keeps identities and confidential information safe. The monitoring and optimizing of different devices is now easier than ever with the new Panda products.

 

“We want the user to be able to perform any activity on the Internet without worrying about cybercriminals, malware or inappropriate content,” explains Hervé Lambert, Retail Product Marketing Manager at Panda Security. “Not all users are experts or have the same needs. Therefore, we offer various solutions that protect the devices and sensitive information of the user and his family.”

 

 

 

Multiplatform and multi-device solutions

All of the products in the new 2016 Consumer Solutions range, from the most basic to the most advanced, offer multiplatform protection, providing service on Windows (including Windows 10 compatibility), Android, Mac and even antitheft for iPhone and iPad.

antivirus 2016

 

“We continue to offer our customers a lightweight and effective protection. At anytime, anywhere and through any device, we go a step further to strengthen the trust our clients have placed in us after 25 years at the forefront of innovation”, states Hervé Lambert.

 

 

Panda Antivirus for Mac

Mac systems and iOS devices are also becoming victims of attacks and threats. Therefore, the new 2016 Consumer Solutions range includes Panda Antivirus 2016 for Mac, a complete protection against viruses and other Internet threats for Mac users. It offers updates, quarantine and the possibility to analyze your iOS devices from your Mac.

The entire range includes an app for iOS that allows for the remote location of the device in case of loss or theft.

Protection and performance

The new 2016 Consumer Solutions range is based on a new development of the Panda Collective Intelligence system, which offers greater protection capabilities with less response time.

“The most important industry tests validate the efficiency of our products. During the last 4 months, Panda Security has achieved the best protection rate in the Real World Protection Test by Av-Comparatives, detecting and blocking 99.9 % of threats”, claims Hervé Lambert.

 

Features of the 2016 Consumer Solutions range

  • Data Shield to prevent the stealing of information relating to the devices. In addition Panda Global Protection 2016 and Panda Gold Protection 2016 allow for the safeguarding of files so no one can access them.
  • Protection of Wi-Fi networks to display the computers on the network and detect intruders. It also allows for network audits to check its safety and potential vulnerabilities, and to block access from unknown computers.
  • USB protection, providing immunization and a protective shield to analyze the USB when inserted into the device.
  • Improved features such as Parental Control; application control, a highly effective protection against zero-day malware; PC recovery system, safe browsing, and password management and an easier, more intuitive interface (Panda Simplexity).

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Panda Security

Miguel Bullón, the new Global Retail Director for Panda Security

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Panda Security has recently appointed Miguel Bullón as its new Global Retail Director. In his new role, Miguel will be responsible for international business development with an emphasis on the area of consumer products. From now on he will lead the Panda Security retail teams and will report directly to Rado Svicin, Panda Security’s Global Online Sales Director.

Miguel Bullón has a degree in Marketing and Sales from ESIC and has extensive experience in business development with several companies in the ICT sector.

Before joining Panda Security, Miguel held many high-profile posts with Cisco where he oversaw sales in the Mediterranean area. Previous to that, he worked at NetGear, where he was in charge of business development for Spain and Portugal. Before taking on the role of Global Retail Director, Miguel served as International Business Development Executive.

Miguel Bullon

“We are confident that Miguel has both in sales and business development in various multinationals will give the company an added edge. His work in other ICT companies has been outstanding so we are convinced that he will have great success in his new role,” says Diego Navarrete, CEO of Panda Security.

“For me it is a great professional challenge to be part of a great company like Panda Security. It is an honor to lead the area of international consumer sales, not to mention that with such a talented team, I’m sure we will achieve great success,” stated Miguel Bullón.

You can download the photo here.

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Panda Security achieves the highest protection ratio for the fourth consecutive month

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Panda Security achieved the highest protection ratios in the Real World-Protection Tests conducted by AV- Comparatives in March, April, May and June 2015. This test evaluates the real-life protection capabilities of antivirus software.

panda, protection, virus

Panda Security took part in the review with Panda Free Antivirus, the company’s free solution, which detected and blocked 99.9% of all threats. In simple terms, the test framework replicates the scenario of an everyday user in an everyday online environment, testing antivirus software products against malicious Internet downloads or exploits designed to infect computers automatically by taking advantage of system vulnerabilities. The study, which analyzed more than 20 antivirus solutions, reinforce the great protection capabilities of Panda Security’s free product.

According to Luis Corrons, Technical Director of PandaLabs, Panda Security’s anti-malware laboratory, “We are especially proud of the excellent results obtained in the Real-World Protection Test, not only for taking first place in malware blocking and infection prevention, but because this is one of the most demanding tests when it comes to evaluating the real-life protection capabilities of antivirus software. Unlike other tests that use huge amounts of inactive malware, AV-Comparatives pits antivirus solutions against actual threats commonly found on the Web or on users’ computers. This way, the organization manages to reflect the real protection capabilities provided by the different security solutions”.

The efficiency of a smart engine

Panda Security has been 25 years at the vanguard of technological innovation, developing new technologies such as the XMT Smart Engineering engine, the basis of all of the company’s consumer solutions. With XMT, different technologies interact with each other to achieve new levels of efficiency and greater detection and disinfection power to eradicate all threats.

Year after year, and tests after test, the multinational security vendor keeps demonstrating the outstanding performance of its solutions, recognized by the industry for their superior protection and detection power. This efficiency level is at the heart of the company’s innovating, people-centric and unique service offering.

Click here to download an infographic.

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Panda Security

Panda Security and BQ join forces against cyberattacks on mobile devices

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Panda Security announces a collaboration agreement with BQ, Spain’s leading manufacturer of  smartphones and tablets, through which the two companies will join forces to protect mobile device users from the cyber threats they face every day. As a result, Panda Security and BQ’s customers will be able to enjoy the most innovative technology and protection on the market, securing their digital lives through unique and very competitive products.

Through this agreement, BQ will include the security company’s solutions on its devices so that users can activate them quickly and easily. In addition, those interested in purchasing Panda’s services can do so via BQ’s website.

alliance bq and panda

International Agreement

The partnership between BQ and Panda Security, two leading Spanish companies and pioneers in their fields, also extends to countries like Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom and Sweden. Users in these countries who purchase BQ products can enjoy the guarantee of Panda Security’s protection solutions, for both the consumer and enterprise market: Panda Mobile Security, Panda Global Protection, and Panda Fusion.

“Our goal is to make technology accessible to the world, helping to improve it and providing the best possible user experience. This involves offering excellent features and technical specifications, outstanding customer service and, increasingly, security to devices. And who could be a better partner than Panda Security, the cutting-edge company in digital protection solutions”, says Rodrigo del Prado, Deputy General Manager at BQ.

“This agreement brings together the most competitive mobile technology and the most innovative security solutions, and also reflects the good work of two leading Spanish technology companies. This global partnership with BQ is a step further towards our goal of protecting people’s digital lives in a context characterized by globalization and mobility in multi-device format”, claims Diego Navarrete, CEO at Panda Security.

Minimum Impact, Maximum Security

Designed to provide complete protection with minimum device resource usage, Panda Security’s solutions leverage all of the benefits of cloud-based security to combat all types of digital threats: viruses, hackers, online fraud, identity theft, as well as other known and unknown threats.

 

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Panda Security

Panda Mobile Security alerts you if someone picks up your device

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Panda Security announced today the launch of a new version of Panda Mobile Security, the company’s solution to combat cyber threats on mobile devices.

The new Panda Mobile Security allows users to enjoy their devices with complete peace of mind, locate lost or stolen smartphones and tablets, and protect their private information thanks to the solution’s privacy auditor and anti-theft features. Additionally, the new version provides improved usability with a  streamlined user interface.

control, protection, android

 

Anti-theft alerts

Panda Mobile Security 2.3.2 includes a new feature designed to prevent loss and theft of mobile devices. The solution’s Motion Alert system sounds an alarm if someone picks up the user’s smartphone or tablet without authorization. Once enabled, the feature displays a countdown if someone moves the device. When the countdown finishes, a loud alarm is triggered even if the device is muted. To stop the alarm it is necessary to enter the device’s PIN or unlock pattern. Users can configure the Motion Alert feature by setting the countdown duration or adjusting the sensor’s sensitivity.

Geolocation and Privacy Auditor

Another key feature included in the new release is the use of geolocation to protect users and ensure the security of their devices. Panda Security’s Anti-Theft protection takes a picture of anybody trying to unlock the user’s device with the wrong code and emails it together with the device’s location. Additionally, it allows the user to lock or wipe the device in the event of loss or theft.

This is complemented with a Privacy Auditor, a new feature that indicates which apps can access personal data, contact lists and files, and allows users to uninstall them.

“Today, mobile devices have become the repositories of our digital lives, and Panda Security is fully committed to improving our customers’ security and user experience. The new version of Panda Mobile Security includes new features to protect users against external threats so that they can enjoy their devices with complete peace of mind,” explained Herve Lambert, Retail Product Marketing Manager at Panda Security.

The new solution is available in 16 languages and sports a new look and feel to mark the company’s 25th Anniversary and new corporate identity.

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