Verizon Online Beefs Up Its
Security Services With New Cyber Locks
Safekeeping Steps Include Separate Online
Storage, New Spam-Fighting Block and Security Software From MSN Premium
March 23, 2004
Media contact:
Briana Gowing, 972-718-6202
NEW YORK - Computers crash. Hard
drives melt down. And one virus can erase hundreds of files, photos and music in
a nanosecond.
So Verizon Online is making it easier for residential customers to back up
important data in a separate storage server to help protect it from hackers,
viruses and hard-drive crashes. Additionally, Verizon Online has closed its
network to illegal e-mails and offers firewall and virus protection through MSN
Premium, at no additional charge.
"Today's digital family needs help staying organized and protecting important
data," said Frank Nelson, director - product management for Verizon Online. "To
preserve keepsakes like home movies of baby's first steps, last year's tax
returns, and yesterday's masterfully mixed MP3, Verizon Online is offering
secure backup services and storage. We're also introducing security protection
to help protect customers from spam, viruses and worms."
Verizon Online also offers a complete suite of securities services for
businesses. There's more information on those services at http://business.verizon.net/security/.
Backup Storage Facility
Analysts estimate that 31 percent of U.S. households have digital cameras, 30
million households bank online and 25 million buy songs online from providers
like Rhapsody's Listen.com. Music, movies and photos all require large amounts
of file space. In 2003, there were 140,000 widespread viruses that ranged from
annoying to highly toxic and destructive.
Verizon Online's new service, My Storage Place, is similar to a safe deposit
box for digital keepsakes, wills, MP3s and word files. Storage comes in four
different locker sizes:
- 50 MB (megabytes) of storage -- $4.95 per month
- 100 MB of storage -- $6.95 per month
- 500 MB of storage -- $9.95 per month
- 1 GB (gigabytes) of storage -- $19.95 per month
Once the data is stored, customers and pre-approved guests -- with a user
name and password -- can access their data lockbox from any Internet-connected
computer. My Storage Place customers can also schedule regular backups to keep
their files up-to-date.
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Fighting Spam with Sender Verification Requirement
Verizon Online now blocks incoming e-mails from fake or forged e-mail
addresses. By rejecting these e-mails, which are often spam, Verizon Online
locked out more than 1.3 billion e-mails in three months from customers'
mailboxes. Junk e-mail coming from valid e-mail addresses are swept into a
separate spam mailbox by Verizon Online's SpamDetector.
Firewall and Virus Protection
In January, Verizon Online added MSN Premium Internet software that includes
Virus Scan® and Personal Firewall Plus desktop protection from
McAfee® Security to help customers protect their computers from
viruses, online criminals, junk e-mail and pop-up ads. Current DSL customers can
download MSN Premium at www.verizon.net/betterway. Once the
software is downloaded, customers can activate the MSN security features on the
Verizon Online with MSN co-branded page, by clicking on the security link.
In addition, a free 90-day trial of ZoneAlarm®'s firewall is
available for customers. Other firewall services can be downloaded for free
online or purchased in electronics or super stores.
Finally, Verizon Online provides customers with the latest information on
current computer viruses and worms along with tips to avoid them in its security
center -- http://www2.verizon.net/resource_center/internet_security_center.asp.
A Fortune 20 company, Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's
leading providers of communications services, with approximately $68 billion in
annual revenues. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and
wireless communications in the United States. Verizon is also the largest
directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles and
circulation. Verizon's international presence includes wireline and wireless
communications operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe.
For more information, visit www.verizon.com.
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