Symantec Makes Enterprise Security Services Play
The new Threat and Vulnerability Management Program takes data from Symantec's DeepSight Alert Services and filters it through the vendor's consultants, who then make targeted recommendations that enable organizations to develop and enforce security policies, said Ted Donat, group product manager for Security Consulting Services at Symantec, Cupertino, Calif.
The value of the program lies in combining DeepSight intelligence with Symantec's vast experience in security consulting, said Donat. "We're putting those two things together so that when intelligence comes in, companies can process it, track all activities, and hit compliance goals," said Donat.
DeepSight Alert Services tracks threats and vulnerabilities from a database of more than 2,200 vendors, allows users to customize alerts based on their specific needs, and includes research and recommendations to help companies mitigate and remediate threats.
In the new program, Symantec is pushing the concept of a "Threat and Vulnerability Manager" who reports to the corporate chief security officer and is responsible for ensuring that security policy guidelines are being met, said Donat. Symantec can either train an individual within the client organization to handle this role, or fill the role itself with a Symantec consultant who works on-site at the client's location, he added.
"We feel it's important to have one resource who is responsible for ensuring that [the company] has coherent policies for protecting against threats and vulnerabilities," said Donat.
Symantec plans to increase its services business from 4 percent of revenues to 10 percent as part of its push to generate $1 billion in services revenue by 2010, and the program appears to be a step in that direction. All consulting is currently handled by Symantec, because of the complexity of the issues and the small subset of people with the necessary expertise, Donat said. However, as demand for the service grows, Symantec could open up the program to have the channel deliver the services, he added.
Gary Cannon, president of Advanced Internet Security, a Colorado Springs, Colo.-based solution provider, said he'd be interested in participating in the program. "This would allow us to provide our customers with a greater capability to proactively monitor and manage their security infrastructure, as well as provide increased revenue opportunities," said Cannon.
"While our target market is primarily midmarket commercial customers across all verticals, this program potentially could open up opportunities with larger customers," Cannon added.
The Threat and Vulnerability Management Program has two different pricing structures: In the first, Symantec provides the threat intelligence, staff training, and ongoing consulting, starting at $200,000 for the first year and $100,000 for each additional year of the contract. The second, in which Symantec handles everything through an on-site consultant, starts at $400,000 per year, and $300,000 for subsequent years.