Symantec receives EU research funds

As part of a new long term internet security research project, the European Commission wants to award funding to Symantec. The "Worldwide Observatory of Malicious Behaviours and Attack Threats" (WOMBAT) project will examine the existing and emerging threats to the internet economy and its users over the next three years. Symantec has already set up a new research lab in Sophia Antipolis in France for this purpose.

Using new sensor technologies, the WOMBAT project will access Symantec's Global Intelligence Network. Symantec already operates the DeepSight Threat Management System, which monitors attack activities in more than 180 countries using several tens of thousands of sensors, for its Managed Security Services. The research project's findings will be used to develop new models for taking measures against these threats.

The co-operation with WOMBAT is Symantec's third long term project awarded EU funding since 2004. Together with research institutes, leading technology firms and European telecommunications providers, the vendor currently contributes to the European Commission's AntiPhish project. Another recent European Commission initiative, the LOBSTER research project, which examined the security of European broadband networks, was successfully completed on the 30th of June 2007, although the sensor network remains operational and the software is still maintained.

(trk)