Security: From wristwatches to handhelds

Watch for this: PC security on your wrist

Ensure Technologies Inc., which makes a wireless access system, aims

to make PC security even handier through a new partnership with wristwatch

maker Golden State International.

About a year ago, Ensure Technologies introduced XyLoc. The system includes

a belt- or badge-mounted miniature transceiver that automatically identifies

you when you approach your PC and unlocks it for you. The partnership will

incorporate XyLoc into Golden State's Ologi brand of wristwatches.

The existing XyLoc system — which consists of a radio transceiver that

plugs into the serial, keyboard, or USB slot of a PC and a key card or key

fob transponder — sells for $179 per PC. The price of the XyLoc-equipped watches

will be announced when they're released next spring.

Software suite beefs up online security

Computer Associates International Inc. on Monday released eTrust Internet

Defense, a software package designed to protect organizations from attacks

and security breaches when they do business online.

CA's eTrust package includes six programs — including a firewall, intrusion

detection, a virtual private network and anti-virus software — that can

be licensed separately or as an integrated suite. The applications can detect,

analyze, warn, prevent and cure attacks, including malicious mobile code,

worms, viruses or intruders and hackers who are attempting to attack an

e-commerce Web site, according to CA.

Software protects handhelds from spreading viruses

Network Associates Inc.'s McAfee division Monday released new software

aimed at workers who use handheld computers to transfer files between work

and home. After the McAfee VirusScan Handheld is installed on a user's workplace

PC and handheld, it scans all files for viruses as the files are transferred

to and from the PC.

The VirusScan Handheld product can be downloaded to a PC from the Web

and installs itself the next time the handheld and the PC are synchronized.

The software updates itself automatically over the Internet, and is available

for each of the four main device platforms. Pricing starts at $12 per device

for 5,000 devices.