On June 26, Symantec announced that it will introduce a beta version of its anti-phishing security software next September, aimed at helping users combat fraud in e-commerce and online banking.
This software, called Norton Confidential, is designed to detect websites or malicious programs attempting to steal users’ usernames or passwords. This marks Symantec’s latest effort as cybercrime, particularly online scams, is on the rise.
Norton Confidential will scan the websites visited by users to identify “suspicious” activities. The software will also generate alerts for phishing sites to prevent users from taking actions that could jeopardize the safety of their data.
In addition to phishing detection, Norton Confidential can also scan for Trojan programs, such as keyloggers. The software will validate the legitimacy of websites by using SSL encryption technology to prevent hackers from spoofing SSL pages (commonly used to secure connections during high-security online transactions).
Norton Confidential also has the capability to encrypt stored passwords and display alerts when references are sent to unknown or illegal sites.
Symantec plans to release a Mac version of Norton Confidential in October, featuring similar functions as the Windows version. The pricing for Norton Confidential has not yet been announced.
