Fortinet launches free PC security application

Enterprise security vendor Fortinet has updated its security application suite and is offering the 'standard' edition for free to all users.

The FortiClient Endpoint Protection Suite 4.1 comes in three editions - premium, standard and mobile.

The free edition provides an SSL/IPSec VPN, a WAN optimisation client, antivirus and antispyware, firewall and intrusion prevention.

The premium edition includes everything in the standard version as well as endpoint management (FortiManager), support services, antispam and content filtering.

The company's mobile edition offers IPSec VPN, phone security with handset data encrypt/decrypt, personal firewall, antivirus, incoming call filter and SMS antispam for the Windows Mobile, Symbian & Pocket PC platforms. It is not available for Apple's iPhone.

Anthony James, vice president of products at Fortinet, said the company decided to offer a free version of its software because any unprotected client "should be considered an imminent threat".

"It's not enough to offer minimal protection for endpoints or for just the ones touching the networks, which is why we're making the latest FortiClient product with enterprise-level security available to everyone," he said in a statement.

Fortinet products are priced from $37 per user and are distributed in Australia by WhiteGold Solutions, Ingram Micro, and Firewall Systems. Alternatively they can be downloaded from the Fortinet website.