Data Security | News

Panda Adds Firewall to Cloud-Based Antivirus App

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 09/13/11

Panda Security has updated its cloud-based antivirus program Panda Cloud Antivirus, which now includes a firewall that relies on "collective intelligence" for risk rating. The antivirus service works for PCs, laptops, and servers. It's installed and managed through a Web-based console.

This latest release, beta version 1.9.1, features:

• Automatic assignment of privileges for inbound and outbound communications depending on the risk assessment for the given process;
• Risks based on safe lists, digital signatures, analysis of processes, and other factors, including user community input;
• Manual management of firewall rules that allows the user to add, edit, delete, import, and prioritize rules; and
• Local notifications of connection attempts and the ability to create rules and set permissions from warning messages as well as reporting of notifications.

The beta release also includes bug fixes and performance optimization of automatic and manual scans.

"The firewall, like the program, aims for zero intrusiveness," said Pedro Bustamante, the senior research advisor at Panda. "It takes appropriate decisions for users as it manages rules and permissions automatically based on the knowledge gathered ... from our user community. Also, it lets advanced users create, edit and prioritize rules manually."

The cloud-based edition of the software comes in two versions: a free edition that provides basic antivirus protection and a Pro Edition that provides analysis of running processes, protection from autorun malware, and enhanced product support.

Existing Panda Cloud Antivirus users are being upgraded to version 1.9.1 automatically. New users can download the beta version of the software from Panda's site.