No break for viruses at CES

Viruses aren’t going away any time soon. In fact, they’re going to worsen as hackers become savvier and devices proliferate. Each new device on the market provides hackers with new opportunities.

Panda Software and McAfee were among the antivirus vendors presenting new product lineups for 2006 at the Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas.

McAfee’s product family includes VirusScan Mobile for devices such as personal digital assistants and smart phones, which combine PDA and mobile phone technology into one device.

VirusScan Mobile offers constant protection without interrupting wireless connections as it identifies and removes viruses, Trojans, worms and other malicious applications.

It also offers malware detection at multiple entry and exit points including e-mail, instant message attachments, Internet downloads, Short Message Service, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Other products in the McAfee 2006 product line include the Internet Security Suite, SpamKiller, AntiSpyware, VirusScan and Personal Firewall Plus.

Meanwhile, Panda Software’s new product line includes Panda Platinum 2006 Internet Security, which offers protection against spyware and phishing and a personal firewall capable of detecting intrusions in wireless networks.

It also includes new anti-spam technology to block junk mail, systems for safeguarding privacy and controlling access to Web pages, and an optimized signature-detection engine that boasts improved efficiency.

The product also offers protection against unknown malware with technology that can proactively block new threats by analyzing their behavior.