BT and CA seal AV deal

BT has joined forced with Computer Associates to offer an improved antivirus element to its Internet Security Pack.

CA's eTrust EZ solution will provide a single point of online security management for BT's business broadband customers.

Glenn Jones, head of applications at BT Business Broadband, said the deal represents the level of priority which businesses now place upon security.

"Online security is vital for everyone, but is paramount for our business customers," he said in a statement. "Viruses can have devastating impacts on companies - not just because they cause downtime, but also because they can lead to loss of essential or private data."

The eTrust system includes automated intrusion detection, blocking and activity logs - effectively managing the 'fire-fighting' headache for companies and allowing them to get back to work.

BT's Jones believes the service will appeal in particular to smaller businesses who otherwise may fail to properly resource their security and network protection efforts.

However, Tony Martin, UK country manager at CA, believes the principals for businesses are universal - whether large or small. The simple truth is that no company can afford a security breach which may hammer their business.

"Small business is no different to big business when it comes to being able to manage their IT environments securely. It's vital to get it right if you value your data, and your systems," he said