Symantec today announced the release of Norton AntiBot, a real-time bot detection and removal solution for consumers. AntiBot monitors PC applications and processes around-the-clock (but what will be the toll on your system's performance?), offering an additional layer of protection that complements existing security solutions to protect PCs from unauthorised access and tampering.

”Consumers need to know that they may be directly implicated in the criminal activities being perpetrated by botnets - if not by having their own identity or personal information stolen, then by being part of a network of zombie PCs carrying out large scale criminal activities like massive spam distribution and phishing email schemes,„ said Rowan Trollope, senior vice president, Consumer Products Division, Symantec. ”We estimate there are millions upon millions of bot-infected PCs in existence today, with the vast majority of users having no idea of what’s going on behind the scenes of their own computer. Norton AntiBot is an important new tool for strengthening consumer security and stopping these insidious threats.„
Unlike yesterday’s viruses and worms, today’s bots are stealthy and dynamic, secretly installing code on systems and turning them into ”zombies.„ Once installed, bots can execute new commands sent by a bot master on an ongoing basis. If they are not properly removed, they can reinstall themselves, making them particularly difficult to destroy. Norton AntiBot is designed to completely eradicate all traces of any bot or other malware from a system, once it’s identified.
Norton AntiBot will be available early August from the Symantec online store at www.symantecstore.com/au for an estimated retail price of NZD$39.95, which includes a one-year subscription to Symantec’s protection updates.