Symantec’s Genesis Christened Norton 360

Symantec is inviting users to sign up for a public beta of its upcoming project, Genesis security and PC tuning software, which the company has now named Norton 360.

The news comes as security vendors ramped up marketing efforts this week to counter Microsoft’s shipping of its Windows Live OneCare security and PC tuning software. McAfee said on Tuesday it plans to begin a beta of its next product, code-named “Falcon,” within weeks.

Microsoft’s entry into the crowded security field is widely viewed as a threat to the market share of traditional security vendors.

Symantec, based Cupertino, Calif., said a public beta test will run through the summer. It hopes to launch Norton 360 by the end of its fiscal year in March 2007.

The product will include antivirus and antispyware capabilities, in addition to antiphishing technology for online transactions and file backup tools.

Norton 360 automatically downloads online updates, a “service” approach most vendors are incorporating in their products.

-Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service

For related news coverage, read Microsoft’s Windows Live OneCare Now Shipping.

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