Cupertino: Taking another step forward in its vision for Security 2.0, global leader in infrastructure software, Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced its intention to acquire Vontu and its plans to integrate Vontu''s data loss prevention solutions into Symantec''s broader portfolio.

Symantec will pay $350 million in cash and assumed options and expects this transaction to be $0.02 dilutive to FY08 non-GAAP earnings per share and expects FY08 GAAP earnings per share to be more diluted due to purchase accounting, stock based compensation and acquisition related charges associated with the transaction. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth calendar quarter of 2007, subject to receiving regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

Symantec said in a statement, "Combining Symantec''s market-leading security and storage capabilities with Vontu''s market-leading DLP technologies will create the most comprehensive Information Risk Management solution on the market."

"As part of our Security 2.0 vision, we have long been pushing a view that security should be driven by policy, focused on information and supported by a managed infrastructure," said Tom Kendra, group president, Security and Data Management Group, Symantec. "Through internal innovation and acquisition we have solutions to help companies define and implement policies, manage and protect information, and secure and manage their systems and devices. Vontu''s offerings provide insight into the information itself, the context in which it''s being used and the controls needed to prevent its loss."

With data breaches becoming more frequent, costly and regulated, it''s no surprise that data loss prevention is top of mind for IT and business leaders. A September Goldman Sachs Security Spending Survey indicates more than 50 percent of CISOs believe data leakage to be a top driver of their organization''s security spending. IDC estimates the Information Protection and Control market to reach $3.2 billion by 2011, representing a 33 percent compound annual growth rate[1].

Information Risk Management combines threat protection and information control into an integrated set of products, enabling organizations to keep the bad things out (information security), to keep the important things in (data loss prevention), and to manage, retain and find that information when needed (e-discovery).
The ability to manage these different challenges requires a level of expertise in security and storage that Symantec is uniquely positioned to provide. Symantec already provides a set of products and services that enable companies to:

• Identify their areas of information risk and define the policies to mitigate those risks.
• Implement, automate and monitor controls around those policies.
• Reduce the risk of malware and spam from entering an organization.
• Protect the systems and devices where information lives, including servers, databases, storage systems, laptops and smartphones.
• Securely control access to networks and enforce endpoint security policies.
• Protect and manage information in message archives and data centers.
• Provide a real-time mechanism to aggregate, correlate and analyze behaviors.
• Conduct post-breach forensics to determine what information was lost.

Vontu''s products will complement Symantec''s existing portfolio with a comprehensive platform to prevent the loss of confidential data wherever it is stored or used - across endpoint, network and storage systems.

• Endpoint: Vontu Endpoint solutions allow companies to prevent confidential data from being copied to USB drives, burned to CD/DVDs, and downloaded to local drives, as well as discover and protect confidential data stored on laptops and desktops.
• Network: Vontu Network Monitoring and Prevention solutions stop confidential data from being sent outside the organization via email, webmail, FTP, IM and other Internet protocols to help organizations ensure compliance with data security and privacy policies.
• Storage: Vontu Data Discovery and Protection solutions help organizations understand where confidential information is stored and quickly find and fix exposed data on file servers, databases, document management systems, laptops and desktops. Vontu''s proven solutions also help companies address PCI compliance, e-Discovery, data classification and data governance objectives.
• Policy Management: Vontu offers a centralized platform for policy management, detection, workflow and remediation that enables organizations define policies once and enforce them everywhere.

Following the close of the acquisition, Symantec plans to layer Vontu''s DLP technologies across Symantec''s existing endpoint security, network security, storage and compliance solutions creating the most comprehensive solution for Information Risk Management. Unlike point products that only cover the endpoint or the network, this multi-layered solution will provide customers with a comprehensive way to dramatically reduce the risk of data loss.

Following the close of the acquisition, the Vontu team will operate as dedicated team within Symantec''s Security and Data Management Group, continuing to build on the Vontu DLP 8 product suite. Vontu DLP 8 is the industry''s first integrated solution that combines endpoint and network-based technology to discover and protect data wherever it is stored, as well as monitor and prevent inappropriate data usage.

"The combination of Symantec''s existing portfolio and Vontu''s leading products and dedicated team enables us to deliver a central component of our Security 2.0 vision to customers - information-centric security that protects both the device and the information itself," said Tom Kendra, group president, security and data management group, Symantec. "In a business environment that is increasingly competitive, transparent and regulated, companies need confidence that their most valuable asset - information - is safe. Only then will security become more of a business enabler rather than a business inhibitor."

Companies today are struggling to determine where their most sensitive information is stored, how it is being used, who has access to it and how to prevent it from being lost or compromised. To address the risk of data loss, organisations across industry are adopting DLP solutions that enable them to find and protect sensitive data stored throughout the enterprise, monitor and prevent confidential data from being copied or sent outside the company and automatically enforce data protection policies.

"The next wave of security is based on one simple idea - it''s about the information," said Joseph Ansanelli, CEO, Vontu, Inc. "By joining forces with Symantec and building upon their strength in enterprise security and storage solutions, we will be uniquely positioned to help customers answer the important questions as to where their confidential information is stored, how it is being used, and how best to prevent its loss."

The acquisition enables Symantec to add a best-in-class DLP platform to its formidable security and storage portfolio. Vontu''s Network and Endpoint Data Discovery and Protection solutions help organisations understand where confidential information is stored and quickly "find and fix" exposed data on servers, systems and endpoints.

Vontu Data Monitoring and Prevention solutions stop confidential data from being sent outside the organization through email, web or IM. They also monitor and prevent confidential data on endpoints from being copied to removable media or downloaded to local drives. Vontu also offers a centralized platform with all of its products for policy management, detection, workflow and remediation.