Symantec Corp. has announced Norton Confidential, an online transaction security solution that will allow consumers to transact on the Internet with confidence that their personal information will remain safe.

Designed to restore consumers' trust in the online world, Norton Confidential protects consumers at the moment they are transacting and provides zero-hour protection against fraudulent Web sites and crimeware.

Separate versions of Norton Confidential are scheduled to be available for users of the Windows operating system in September and the Macintosh operating system in October.

"As the Internet landscape has become more crowded with phishing sites and threats designed to steal information for financial gain, consumer confidence in conducting business online has eroded," said Enrique Salem, Group President, Consumer Products and Solutions, for Symantec. "To help restore confidence in doing business over the Internet, Symantec is introducing Norton Confidential, the first solution that offers consumers both fraud site and crimeware protection for their personal information at the point of greatest risk, during a transaction, login or other submission of confidential data to a Web site."

Symantec also launched the TransactSafely Web site to help consumers protect themselves from online fraud. The Web site helps consumers understand today's sophisticated online threats in simple terms and offers practical tips on security measures users can take to protect themselves while browsing, shopping or banking online. When Norton Confidential's beta program launches later this summer, consumers will be able to visit the TransactSafely Web site to download an early version of the product and provide feedback on the new solution.

( www.itnewsonline.com)