Consumer Demand for Safe Online Shopping Experience Illustrated by Rise in Symantec VeriSign Trust Seal Views to 800 Million a Day

 

Consumer Demand for Safe Online Shopping Experience Illustrated

by Rise in Symantec VeriSign Trust Seal Views to 800 Million a Day

TORONTO, ON. – November 29, 2011 – Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced that as many as 800 million people a day in 2011 viewed its VeriSign trust seals, up 60 percent from 2010 and marking the fifth straight year in which daily seal views have sharply increased. The rise in all VeriSign seals (VeriSign Secured Seals, VeriSign Trust Seals and Norton Secured Seals) helps build site visitor confidence by proving that Symantec has authenticated the identity of the site’s operators and performed daily scans for malware. That confidence is essential for online commerce, particularly during the holiday shopping season.

Click to Tweet: Symantec VeriSign Trust Seal views hit 800 million a day, up 60 percent from 2010: http://bit.ly/sQFgtr

Consumers continue to demand a cost-effective, efficient and above all, safe online shopping experience. As online commerce becomes the preferred form of shopping for many consumers, these shoppers must be aware of the online scams that are becoming more frequent, sophisticated and damaging. When conducting business online, consumers should always look for a recognized third-party trust mark indicating that the website has undergone rigorous malware scanning and is therefore safe and secure. 

Trust seals confer a distinct competitive advantage for organizations, especially during the busiest online shopping period of the year. In February 2011, just after the winter 2010/2011 shopping season, a U.S. Online Consumer Study found that 94 percent of respondents were likely to continue an online purchase when they viewed the Norton Secured Seal during checkout, more than any other seal displayed. 

Symantec VeriSign trust seals provide clickable, dynamic, real-time proof that a web site provides a secure connection and protects online transactions involving confidential data. A March 2011 Consumer Research study found that 90 percent of respondents would not continue a transaction if they saw a browser warning page indicating the absence of a secure connection. Moreover, a VeriSign study found that 11 percent of respondents decided not to conduct business with a site because they did not see a VeriSign seal. 

VeriSign seal customers also benefit from VeriSign Seal-in-Search, through which participating search engines, partners and security tools display the seal next to a website’s link within search results. VeriSign Seal-in-Search gives VeriSign customers an instant competitive advantage over sites whose search results lack a trust indicator—in 2011, increasing search engine click-through rates on average by 7.7 percent.

As web site owners prepare for the holiday rush, it is essential they take the necessary steps to ensure their customers are visiting a safe and secure site by implementing SSL from a trusted resource. According to the November 2011 Alexa Netcraft Report, more than 50 percent of  the 100,000 most widely visited web sites that utilize SSL encrypted connections, use Symantec SSL to secure their online transactions. Symantec also remains the top issuer of EV SSL Certificates, signing more than 67 percent of all EV SSL certificates worldwide (Netcraft SSL Survey, November 2011). EV SSL certificates provide the highest assurance for all sites requesting sensitive personal or financial information. 

Availability

 

Symantec VeriSign Secured Seals, VeriSign Trust Seals, Norton Secured Seal and Symantec VeriSign Seal-in-Search are available now.

 

Quotes
“Displaying a VeriSign Trust Seal helps ensure my customers know they’re actually buying from me and that I am serious about keeping their data safe. Those factors improve customers’ confidence and encourage them to spend more with a vendor they trust—me.”

-- Reva Colover, CEO, Van’s Gifts

 

“Malware and cyberattacks can affect any business, including small ones like mine. Displaying a VeriSign Trust Seal reassures customers they don’t have to worry about identity theft or other cybercrime when they visit my website. That translates into more positive word of mouth and better sales, which is especially important during the holiday sales rush.” 

-- Josh Neblett, CEO, GreenCupboards.com

 

“The growth of phishing, spear phishing and other social engineering attacks has made it virtually impossible for anyone – even experts or website owners themselves – to tell a real website from a fake one run by cybercriminals. Symantec VeriSign Trust Seals mitigate that worry by providing real-time, visible proof that a website is genuine and malware free. Trust seals are yet another example of how Symantec helps protect online interactions, information and identities of consumers and website owners of all sizes, during browsing or transactions alike.”

-- Fran Rosch, Vice President, Trust Services and Identity Protection, Symantec

 

Additional Resources

·         GreenCupboards.com

 

Connect with Symantec

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·         View Symantec’s SlideShare Channel

·         Visit Symantec Connect Business Community


About Symantec

Symantec’s Canadian operations are headquartered in Toronto with offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver.  For more information on Symantec products or current promotions, access Symantec’s Canadian Web site at www.symantec.ca. Symantec is an active member of the Business Software Alliance (BSA).


Symantec is a global leader in providing security, storage and systems management solutions to help consumers and organizations secure and manage their information-driven world.  Our software and services protect against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently, enabling confidence wherever information is used or stored. More information is available at www.symantec.com.

 

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NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please visit the Symantec News Room at http://www.symantec.com/news. All prices noted are in U.S. dollars and are valid only in the United States.

 

Symantec and the Symantec Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Forward-looking Statements: Any forward-looking indication of plans for products or programs is preliminary and all future release or delivery dates are tentative and are subject to change. Any future program plans, or release of the product or planned modifications to product capability, functionality, or feature are subject to ongoing evaluation by Symantec, and may or may not be implemented and should not be considered firm commitments by Symantec and should not be relied upon in making program participation or product purchasing decisions.

 

Symantec and the Symantec Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

 

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Vancouver's Make Technologies to Announce Beta Applications for Upcoming Appshot SaaS offering

 

Make Technologies to Announce Beta Applications for Upcoming Appshot SaaS offering

VANCOUVER, Nov. 29, 2011 /CNW/ - Make Technologies, a leader in legacy modernization software and services, is thrilled to announce the upcoming beta program for Appshot - a revolutionary Software as a Service offering that provides organizations with the ability to assess and understand application portfolios in a secure cloud environment.

"IT can finally explain and rationalize expenditures and align quickly with business priorities without undergoing a long, arduous and expensive process. Self serve management and dashboards ensure that everyone from executives to developers have a cohesive view of the application portfolio, ensuring transparency and providing up to date information on application asset performance." Says Bill Bergen, President and CEO of Make Technologies. "Appshot provides a zero infrastructure environment to assess, manage and understand application portfolios, enabling IT to plan more effectively and react faster to shifts in business strategy."

Companies that are interested in participating in the beta can apply at http://www.appshot.com/beta beginning Nov. 29th, 2011. The functional testing is currently planned to begin in January 2012, with general availability planned for later in 2012.

Make Technologies has helped customers in a broad range of industries including finance, healthcare, insurance, natural resources, distribution, communications, and government. The company's complete suite of products focuses on a holistic approach to enterprise modernization, taking into account business models as well as data and code within the legacy system.

About Make Technologies

Make Technologies is a leading global provider of transformational legacy modernization software and services. Founded in 1999, Vancouver, B.C. Make Technologies has guided organizations with proven methodology and tools to help their customers innovate and create agile solutions to support their customers' demand for results, and ultimately reduce costs and increase productivity. Make Technologies is a trusted brand in enterprise legacy modernization with global service provders. Clients include State of Minnesota, SaskTel©, P2Energy© and several Fortune 100 companies.

For further information:

Pen Clark
pclark@maketechnologies.com

Mixed reviews on how companies are dealing with white-collar crime in Canada


 

Mixed reviews on how companies are dealing with white-collar crime in Canada

While the reported incidences of fraud have decreased since 2009, organizations are taking a backseat when it comes to dealing with new and emerging threats like cybercrime

TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2011 /CNW/ - The perceived risk of cybercrime to Canadian organizations is on the rise according to a new report on economic crime from PwC. The 2011 Global Economic Crime Survey ranks cybercrime as one of the top four economic crimes (23%), slightly behind accounting fraud and bribery and corruption (24%). Asset misappropriation (or theft) is the top crime, reported by 72% of organizations around the world who were victims of economic crime in the past year.

Overall 32% of the Canadian respondents from business and government said they were victims of some form of economic crime during the past 12 months, a decrease of 24% from PwC's 2009 survey. "Canada has historically reported higher instances of white-collar crime than our global counterparts but the 2011 results show that we are now reporting fewer instances," says Steven Henderson, National Forensic Services Leader at PwC.

He continues, "This could be for a few reasons: better diligence in implementing anti-fraud regimes within companies, the effects of the Canadian economy being stronger over the past two years than other countries resulting in an environment with less visibility of fraud which normally arises during a downturn, or the fact that crimes like cybercrime or collusion between parties are still being committed but are inherently more difficult to detect."

When it comes to cybercrime, 38% of Canadian respondents believe their perception of its risks has increased and the majority (57%) believe the greatest threats are coming from outside of their organizations - from external sources residing within Canada and abroad. Globally, the following alphabetically ordered countries are reported as the top 5 most likely places that cybercrime originates from:

  • Hong Kong and China
  • India
  • Nigeria
  • Russia
  • USA

"Cybercrime is global in nature and traditional geographic borders do not provide protection," says Henderson. "Organizations should have a clear understanding of current and emerging cybercrime threats, and management needs to understand the risks and opportunities that are inherent in a cyber world."

However, while companies may recognize the significance of protecting and investigating cybercrime incidents, only 36% of the Canadian respondents said they have in-house capabilities to investigate cybercrime and less than half have access to forensic technology investigators who can create effective response mechanisms and policies. In addition, nearly half of the Canadian organizations reported that they had not received cyber security related awareness training in the past year. Only 21% said that senior executives review the risks that cybercrime presents on an annual basis, further supporting the more "reactive culture" to crime prevention found in the survey results.

Who's committing white collar crimes?

More traditional types of fraud such as theft are most often being committed within the company, by employees (56%), while external fraudsters were the main perpetrator 40% of the time, according to global respondents.

The typical internal fraudster was profiled to be male (77%), between the ages of 31 and 40 years old (43%), a first degree graduate (37%) and had been employed with the organization between three and five years (30%). In addition, 39% of the perpetrators were classified as junior staff, 41% as middle management and 18% as senior management. "Crimes by senior management tend to be more sophisticated, larger in dollar value and more difficult to detect," says Henderson. "This could be a factor in why frauds committed by senior management were not identified nearly as often as those committed by more junior staff."

When employees have been identified as committing economic crimes, they are most often dismissed from their jobs (77%). Forty-four percent of the time law enforcement is involved and in 40% of the incidents, civil action is taken.

Henderson concludes, "When senior management takes an active interest in fraud within their organization and takes strong disciplinary action towards the perpetrators, the right 'tone at the top' is established. A corporate culture that clearly stresses the importance of integrity, where executives are seen as "walking the talk" and that has a well communicated and comprehensive anti-fraud regime, is less likely to be victimized by economic crime."

Methodology PwC's Global Economic Crime Survey 2011 continues to provide insight into the state of economic crime worldwide. The 2011 survey was completed by 3,877 respondents from 78 countries. Of the total number of respondents, 52% were senior executives, 36% represented listed companies and 38% represented organizations with more than 1,000 employees.

This year's Canadian report is divided into two sections (1) Cybercrime - awareness of the crime, how it impacts organizations, and what actions are taken to address risks; and (2) Fraud, the fraudster and the defrauded - the types of fraud committed, who is committing them, how they are detected and actions taken by organizations in response. For more information, please visit: www.pwc.com/ca/crimesurvey. The full report including graphs and charts is available from the media contacts.

Follow PwC on Twitter at @PwC_Canada_LLP and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pwccanada.

About PwC

The firms of the PwC network provide industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to enhance value for clients. More than 161,000 people in 154 countries in PwC firms across the PwC network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice. In Canada, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership, and its related entities have more than 5,700 partners and staff in offices across the country. See www.pwc.com/ca for more information.

"PwC" is the brand under which member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwCIL) operate and provide services. Together, these firms form the PwC network. Each firm in the network is a separate legal entity and does not act as agent of PwCIL or any other member firm. PwCIL does not provide any services to clients. PwCIL is not responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any of its member firms nor can it control the exercise of their professional judgment or bind them in any way.

Note to Editors: PwC changed its name from PricewaterhouseCoopers to PwC in the fall of 2010. "PwC" is written in text with a capital "P" and capital "C." Only when you use the PwC logo is the name represented in lower case.

"PwC" refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership, which is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member firm of which is a separate legal entity.

 

For further information:

Kiran Chauhan
Tel.: 416 947 8983
Email: kiran.chauhan@ca.pwc.com 


OR:
David Rowney
Tel.: 416 365 8858
Email: david.rowney@ca.pwc.com


NewNet plans to acquire Nokia Siemens Networks WiMAX business


 
 
Press Release
Espoo, Finland / Shelton, Connecticut – November 29, 2011
 
 
NewNet plans to acquire Nokia Siemens Networks WiMAX business
 
NewNet Communication Technologies, LLC, a Skyview Capital, LLC portfolio company, announced today that the company plans to acquire the former Motorola Solutions’ WiMAX business from Nokia Siemens Networks. Under the terms of the agreement, NewNet would acquire the complete WiMAX product portfolio, the related employees and assets, as well as active customer and supplier contracts. Approximately 300 Nokia Siemens Networks employees would transfer to NewNet. The companies expect to close before December 31, 2011.
 
“The addition of the WiMAX business would enhance the breadth of NewNet’s product portfolio, R&D capabilities, customer relationships and our overall market position in providing wireless infrastructure solutions to carriers on a global basis. We are thrilled at the prospect of welcoming a world-class group of WiMAX pioneers and thought leaders to the NewNet team,” said Ron Pyles, president and CEO of NewNet. “NewNet recognizes there is enormous potential in providing outstanding products, support and services to operators who have already invested heavily in WiMAX technologies as well as those who will do so in the future. We are committed to serving the market with an industry leading roadmap and innovative product migration options.”
 
“We believe that our current WiMAX customers would receive the highest quality products, services and sales support from NewNet,” said Marc Rouanne, head of Network Systems, Nokia Siemens Networks. “This transaction would also provide an excellent opportunity for our WiMAX employees. We have great confidence in NewNet’s plans to become a major WiMAX infrastructure provider. The company has a solid track record in acquiring telecommunication businesses and driving revenue growth.”
 
“This transaction represents a significant milestone in our strategy of building a strong global presence in the telecommunications marketplace through NewNet Communication Technologies”, said Alex Soltani, chairman and CEO of Skyview Capital. “We are very excited about the WiMAX market opportunity and are fully committed to supporting Ron and his team as they evolve the business into a global leadership position.”
 
As a part of the transaction the companies expect to transition approximately 300 globally deployed Nokia Siemens Networks employees to NewNet. Many of these employees are based in suburban Chicago, USA and Hangzhou, China. Nokia Siemens Networks and NewNet believe this acquisition would provide transferring employees with attractive professional growth opportunities in a solid, technologically advanced company that has an on-going focus within their core areas of expertise.
 
Specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
 
 
About Nokia Siemens Networks
Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of telecommunications services. With its focus on innovation and sustainability, the company provides a complete portfolio of mobile, fixed and converged network technology, as well as professional services including consultancy and systems integration, deployment, maintenance and managed services. It is one of the largest telecommunications hardware, software and professional services companies in the world. Operating in 150 countries, its headquarters are in Espoo, Finland. For more information please visit www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com.
 
Talk about Nokia Siemens Networks’ news at http://blogs.nokiasiemensnetworks.com and find out if your country is exploiting the full potential of connectivity at www.connectivityscorecard.org
 
About NewNet Communication Technologies, LLC
NewNet Communication Technologies, LLC is a leading provider of innovative solutions for next generation mobile and fixed line networks. NewNet enables global telecom operators and equipment manufacturers to rapidly develop and deploy cutting edge, revenue-generating applications that deliver feature-rich, value added services. Recognized as a trusted leader in the carrier applications market for over 20 years, NewNet has been synonymous with telecom product excellence and development expertise. The company is committed to providing unparalleled service to its customers. With installations in major carrier networks in over 70 countries, NewNet’s product offerings include: Mercury, the industry’s most complete purpose-built, mobile multimedia content delivery platform; TraxcomSecure® electronic transaction processing solutions, which deliver services such as mobile payments, e-banking, and e-commerce; and the Total Control PDSN platform, which provides economic delivery of premium mobile data services in CDMA networks. Other products include SS7, the world’s first standards-based signalling platform, and a short message service center (SMSC), which has been deployed in more than 200 wireless networks worldwide. The company is headquartered in the USA, with sales and support teams located around the world. For more information, visit www.newnet.com.
 
About Skyview Capital, LLC
Skyview Capital, LLC, is a private investment firm headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, which specializes in the acquisition and management of "systems critical" businesses in the areas of technology, telecommunications, business services, and niche manufacturing. By leveraging its operational capabilities and financial strength, Skyview systematically enhances the long-term value of the companies it acquires. For more information, visit www.skyviewcapital.com.
 
 
Safe Harbor Statement
Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this release are forward-looking and may involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are based on information available to management at the time, and such forward-looking statements involve judgments. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected timing of the completion of the transaction; the ability to complete the transaction considering the various closing conditions; the benefits of such transaction; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements of expectation or belief; any statements regarding general industry conditions and competition.
 
Forward-looking statements include expressions such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “will,” and similar terms and expressions. These forward-looking statements are made based on expectations and beliefs concerning future events affecting the company and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to its operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond management control, and that could cause actual results to differ materially from estimated results expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks to both companies that the acquisition of the WiMAX business will not be consummated within the stated time frame because of the inability to satisfy closing conditions including obtaining needed regulatory approvals in various jurisdictions; the requirement that NewNet establish local entities to receive the acquired assets of the WiMAX business; and compliance with local employee related laws as well as, in respect of Nokia Corporation including Nokia Siemens Networks, the risk factors specified on pages 12-39 of Nokia's annual report Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2010 under Item 3D. "Risk Factors". Forward-looking statements made in this release, or elsewhere, speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for management to predict these events or how they may affect the company or anticipated results. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. In light of these risks and uncertainties, readers should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made in this release may not occur. The companies have no duty or obligation to, and do not intend to, update or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or other factors, except as may be required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
 
 
Media Contacts
 
Nokia Siemens Networks
Kathy Wiesner
Media & Industry Analyst Relations
 
Press Office
 
NewNet Communication Technologies
Prasad Kallur
EVP PLM & Marketing
 
 

 

Nokia Siemens Networks
Media Relations
PO Box 1
FI-02022 Nokia Siemens Networks

 

If you would rather not receive future communications from Nokia Siemens Networks, let us know by clicking here.
Nokia Siemens Networks, Karaportti 3, Espoo, FI 02610 Finland

Microsoft Cloud Services Get Major Service Updates, New Customers

News Press Release
Microsoft Cloud Services Get Major Service Updates, New Customers
New features in Microsoft Office 365 and updates to sharing in Microsoft SkyDrive make it easier for people to work together.

REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 29, 2011 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the first major service update for Microsoft Office 365, the company’s next-generation cloud productivity service for businesses of all sizes. The service will also be available to try in 22 additional markets today, including Argentina, Iceland, Indonesia, South Africa and Taiwan.

Look who is using the cloud.
Look who is using the cloud.
Click for larger version

“We are seeing really positive momentum for Office 365. Customers are adopting Office 365 eight times faster than our previous service, and the solution is on track to become one of our fastest-growing offers in Microsoft history,” said Kurt DelBene, president of the Office Division at Microsoft. “We are also seeing great traction with small businesses, with more than 90 percent of our early Office 365 customers coming from small businesses.”

Small Businesses and Big Brands Bet on Office 365

More and more large global companies are choosing Office 365 to enable their employees and customers to work together in the cloud. In fact, more than 40 percent of the global Interbrand list of the 100 top brands use Office 365 or related cloud productivity services from Microsoft. Among the new customers are Campbell Soup Company and Groupe Marie-Claire, which have recently chosen Office 365 to reap the benefits of cloud productivity.

“Office 365 is key to our plans to propel our employees to next-generation innovation in productivity technologies, at a very rapid pace,” said Joe Spagnoletti, senior vice president and chief information officer at Campbell Soup Company. “We’re betting on the cloud — and Office 365 — as we prepare to build a highly collaborative workplace where employees across our global offices can all work together and communicate in a seamless fashion.”

Groupe Marie-Claire, a leading fashion magazine published in more than 30 countries, will use Office 365 to modernize the company’s email and collaboration capabilities, while moving away from a costly and inefficient legacy technology. Employees at Groupe Marie-Claire will be able to access email and share documents on a PC, Mac or various mobile devices with Office 365.

“We thoroughly evaluated other cloud productivity offerings in the market before choosing Microsoft. Office 365 is the right choice to help our company support the way people work today and encourage a more mobile work environment,” said Philippe Chapier, IT manager for Groupe Marie-Claire. “With the service, we have the added benefit of working together with familiar tools on almost any device and can make quicker decisions when needed.”

Rapid Cloud Evolution

Microsoft is also making more than 30 new updates to Office 365 to enhance collaboration and communication, and for SkyDrive, adding simple app-centric sharing for Office, powerful file management and easier uploads with HTML5 based largely on customer feedback. Key new features and enhancements include the following:

Support for Lync for Mac. Mac users can now use instant messaging, presence and videoconferencing through Office 365.

New SharePoint Business Connectivity Services, which allow people to connect to information in their company’s critical line-of-business applications, such as customer relationship management or SAP software.

Support for Windows Phone 7.5. Starting today, people can access and update documents in SharePoint Online from anywhere using their Windows Phone.

SkyDrive gets simpler app-centric sharing for Office, powerful file management and easier uploads with HTML5. Share any Office document in one click. Work together more easily with any contact — across email services and connected networks such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Powerful tools to manage and organize files quickly. Drag and drop multiple files to upload across browsers on PC and Mac.

“Today’s news illustrates how we’re executing like never before in the cloud with more customers, capabilities and commitment than anyone in the industry. All this while others search for their focus,” said Takeshi Numoto, corporate vice president, Microsoft Office Division.

About Office 365 and SkyDrive

Office 365 brings together Microsoft Office, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online and Lync Online in an always-up-to-date service, at a predictable monthly cost. Businesses can try it for free for 30 days by signing up at http://www.office365.com or from their local Microsoft partner. Follow Office 365 on Twitter (@Office365), Facebook (Office 365), LinkedIn (Office 365) and the Office 365 blog at http://community.office365.com for the latest information and updates on the service.

SkyDrive is Microsoft’s personal cloud storage service. With your personal content in the sky, you can always access it from all the devices you use. SkyDrive works seamlessly with Microsoft Office and Office Web Apps so you can access or share documents anywhere. Sign up for free at http://www.SkyDrive.com. Follow SkyDrive on Twitter (@SkyDrive), Facebook (SkyDrive) and the Inside Windows Live blog at http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_live.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors:For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

Minister Clement Announces Progress on Key Open Government Initiatives

Minister Clement Announces Progress on Key Open Government Initiatives

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Nov 16, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- The Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for FedNor, today announced the delivery of key elements under the Open Government initiative.

One key element is the improvement to the licensing agreement in the Open Data portal pilot project that is expected to encourage widespread use of this data. Under the new license agreement, users can now access data provided at data.gc.ca in a more simple way, and with fewer restrictions.

The Open Data portal project is part of the Open Data stream of Open Government, which aims to improve the ability of the public to find, download and use Government of Canada data.

"This improved license agreement will encourage even more use of government data in finding innovative ways to provide services to Canadians," said Minister Clement.

The Open Data portal website features more than 260,000 data sets, including a number of new general data sets added since the launch. That number will continue to grow as the project expands and more federal departments and agencies come onboard. During this pilot project, the Government will also continue to monitor and consider national and international best practices, as well as user feedback, in the licensing of federal open data.

Regarding the Open Information stream, the March 18, 2011, announcement on Open Government stated that all departments and agencies subject to the Access to Information Act will be expected to move toward posting summaries of completed access to information requests on their websites. To ensure all institutions subject to the Act meet this goal, the Government will be making it a mandatory requirement effective January 1, 2012. Summaries would be posted within 30 calendar days after the end of each month during which the responses to requests were issued.

"The Government of Canada is a leader in making information available to its citizens," said Minister Clement. "By posting summaries of completed access to information requests online, our Government is fulfilling its commitment to making more information readily available to Canadians."

Thirty-four institutions are already making summaries of completed access to information requests available on their websites, up from seven at the launch of Open Government.

Links to summaries and other recent Open Government initiatives such as the publication of quarterly financial reports by departments and agencies are available at www.open.gc.ca .

Technisource Survey Shows Want for More Women in Technology Profession; Closing Gap in Gender Differences

Technisource Survey Shows Want for More Women in Technology Profession; Closing Gap in Gender Differences

New survey discovers nearly all women in IT want to see more female colleagues and while many gender disparities are ending, compensation remains a tension point

BOSTON, Nov. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Years of hard work by dozens of notable groups seem to be having a positive effect on the longtime gender disparities that have existed in the IT profession. According to the 2011 Technisource Women in Information Technology Report, gender differences in overall career satisfaction and career progression have equalized over the previous year.  However, significant variances still exist in how men and women view compensation equality and the belief that one gender has an advantage and/or faces differing challenges in their careers.

The new study continues the previous year's trend of men valuing compensation more and female IT pros valuing flexibility more than their male counterparts.  However, the 2011 survey now shows that both sexes value being challenged more than any other factor.

Among the key findings:

Career Satisfaction

  • Only 15 percent of women believe that compensation is equal between men and women; only 38 percent of the male respondents do perceive equality (down from 46 percent the previous year).
  • When asked about the most important factors to men and women for career satisfaction, 28 percent of men chose compensation compared to 20 percent of women; whereas, 21 percent of women chose flexibility versus 14 percent of men. The biggest change over 2010 was that both sexes chose being challenged as the top factor at 34 percent and 33 percent, respectively.

Career Progression

  • A mere 13 percent of women working in IT believe there is not a "glass ceiling" that restricts their employment growth—down seven percentage points from 2010. Thirty-four percent of men believe there is no glass ceiling restricting women's career growth in IT.
  • When asked what the most important factors for career success were over the next five years, tech skills, relationship building and industry knowledge have been more important than tech experience for both 2010 and 2011.

Mentorship/Role Models

  • The percentage of women who said they have or have had a mentor dropped six percentage points from 33 percent in 2010 to 27 percent in 2011.
  • Seventy-seven percent of women do not believe there are enough role models for women (versus 60 percent of men).

Future of Women in IT

  • Nearly all (84 percent) of women believe the IT field could use more women, compared to 67 percent of men.
  • Both men (60 percent) and women (68 percent) believe that public campaigns highlighting IT as a good choice for women is the best way to convince young girls to choose technology as a career path.
  • Twenty-eight percent of men believe that women have an advantage over men working in the IT field. At the same time, 16 percent of women would also agree with this statement.
  • Only 20 percent of men and 18 percent of women believe that society encourages young women to study math and science. This is down by six percentage points for both demographics.
  • According to respondents, 75 percent of women believe female workers face a different set of career challenges than their male counterparts (compared to 55 percent of men).

"It is very encouraging to see so many of the differing factors of how men and women view employment within the technology field starting to stabilize and reach equal levels," said Alisia Genzler, vice president of the Northeast Region of Technisource. "Yet, there is still a battle for perception of equality around compensation and the greater societal issue of promoting IT as a career path for young women. In the end, employers need to recognize that both men and women are not only looking to be fairly compensated, but also desire to be mentored and challenged in their career. Those that don't constantly strive to provide that challenge will end up losing top talent to the competition."

Click here to view the Full Report

About Technisource

Technisource, one of the largest technology talent and services providers in North America, provides comprehensive suite of technology services, including recruiting and staffing, assessments, project services and managed services to Fortune corporations, mid-sized companies and small organizations. With nearly 40 years of experience, Technisource maintains a group of 8,000 experienced consultants to provide services through its network of more than 56 offices across the U.S. and Canada. Technisource is now a part of Randstad. For more information, please visit www.technisource.com.

About Randstad

Randstad is an $18.8 billion global provider of HR services and the second largest staffing organization in the world. From temporary staffing to permanent placement to inhouse, professionals, search & selection, and HR Solutions, Randstad holds top positions around the world and puts approximately 27,500 corporate employees to work from its nearly 4,200 branches and inhouse locations in 43 countries. Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Diemen, the Netherlands, Randstad Holding nv is listed on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam.

For more information see www.randstad.com.

Equitable Life Introduces BlackBerry Mobile App for Submitting Health and Dental Claims

Equitable Life Introduces BlackBerry Mobile App for Submitting Health and Dental Claims

WATERLOO, ON, Nov. 28, 2011 /CNW/ - Equitable Life of Canada® just made submitting Health and Dental claims a lot easier and faster by developing the downloadable and free Equitable EZClaim™ Mobile App for BlackBerry® wireless devices. EZClaim for Apple wireless devices will follow shortly.

"We want to provide our Plan Members choice in how they submit their Health and Dental claims to us," says Karen Mason, Senior Vice President, Group - Equitable Life of Canada. "More and more of our Plan Members are using smartphones and the introduction of EZClaim was in direct response to this trend."

In fact, according to a March 2011 survey conducted by Quorus Consulting for the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, one out of three Canadian mobile phone users have a smartphone. Statistics Canada also estimates that 78 per cent of Canadian households have a mobile phone, up four per cent from two years earlier.

"Canadians are using their smartphones for everything from email to banking," explains Greg Moore, Director - Group Business Technology. "That is why we are now providing our Plan Members with the opportunity to submit their Health and Dental claims in a way that is easy and familiar to them and their families."

"Equitable Life believes in providing choice and a positive customer service experience," adds Norma Crouse, Assistant Vice President - Group Claims. "As our Plan Members and client expectations change, we have the technology and commitment to change with and for them."

Electronically submitted claims reduce potential mail delays and the chances of having to decipher hand writing or smudged faxes. These claims are paid faster, meaning Plan Members get their payments more quickly.

"Plan Members can submit Health and Dental claims electronically and 98 percent of them are processed within one day" says Crouse. "With EZClaim, submitting claims and receipts is even easier and continues to ensure accurate and efficient claims adjudication."

About Equitable Life of Canada
Since 1920, customers have been depending on Equitable Life of Canada for financial protection. As one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in Canada, Equitable Life® is dedicated solely to its policyholders. Everything we do is focused on providing them with personalized service, security and wellbeing.

Through partnerships with Managing General Agencies and Advisors, Equitable Life offers a wide selection of competitive Individual Life and Health, Savings and Retirement and Group Benefits products to meet a range of financial planning and health needs.
www.equitable.ca

BlackBerry® is owned by Research In Motion Limited

For further information:

Media Relations Contact
James Kaylor
Communications Specialist - Group Marketing
Direct Line: 519-904-8155
Email: jkaylor@equitable.ca

Second Local Access Contract Will Connect 80,000 Households and Businesses to Eastern Ontario's Broadband Network

Second Local Access Contract Will Connect 80,000 Households and Businesses to Eastern Ontario's Broadband Network

HASTINGS COUNTY, ON, Nov. 28, 2011 /CNW/ - The Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus has awarded its second Local Access Contract that will allow nearly 80,000 homes and businesses to connect wirelessly to high-speed Internet across a region that includes all of Prince Edward County, most of the southern half of Hastings and Lennox and Addington Counties and a westerly portion of Frontenac County. The service will be available by fall 2012.

As part of the contract, Xplornet Communications Inc. will expand its fixed wireless network to reach an area of some 7,000 square kilometres.  This is Xplornet's second access contract with the Project.

"We are extremely pleased to announce this second contract," said J. Murray Jones, Chair of the EOWC.  "It covers one of our largest and most populous zones. Not only will it improve service to surrounding rural areas, many residents of, Belleville, Quinte West and parts of Kingston will also see improved high speed access."

This is the second of several contracts that will be awarded to deliver high-speed Internet through wired and fixed wireless services as part of the Eastern Ontario regional broadband project. The $170 million project is funded by federal, provincial and municipal governments and private sector investment. Work to build a massive, 5,500-km fibre optic network is already underway and a contract has also been signed to deliver high-speed via satellite at improved pricing.

"With this contract, we've taken another important step towards the building of a new regional network that will allow our residents and businesses to prosper," added Dave Burton, Chair of Eastern Ontario Regional Network Inc. (EORN). "Connecting to the Internet with higher speeds will open new doors for our communities in terms of quality of life and economic growth."

"Xplornet is pleased to be able to expand access to fast, affordable broadband Internet across Eastern Ontario through this investment in wireless infrastructure" said John Maduri, CEO of Xplornet Communications Inc.

EORN is a not-for-profit organization established by the EOWC to manage all contracts awarded as part of the project.

Once up and running in fall 2012, a variety of service packages will be offered, ranging from 1.5 Mbps to up to 10 Mbps. These speeds will enable users to stream video and other innovative applications that will support various sectors, including business, health and education.

Disponible en français.

For further information:

Lisa Severson
Communications & Stakeholder Relations Officer
EORN
(613) 213-8520
seversonl@eorn.ca

Protecode Announces Major Enhancements to System 4 Product Suite

Protecode Announces Major Enhancements to its Award Winning System 4 Product Suite

New Capabilities Include Enhanced Reporting, Workflow, and Integration with Additional Development Platforms

OTTAWA, ONNovember 28, 2011Protecode Inc., an innovative provider of open source adoption and management solutions, today announced major enhancements to its open source software management suite. Protecode System 4™, which allows organizations to adopt and manage open source and third party software attributes throughout the development cycle, now includes new reporting capabilities, workflow enhancements, and integration with additional development platforms.

Protecode System 4’s enhancements to its standard reporting options now allow security vulnerabilities associated with scanned software packages to be highlighted. Once all external software content is identified, Protecode System 4 reports on any known security vulnerabilities as reported by common security vulnerability databases such as the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), CERT, and others.

Protecode System 4 can also identify and highlight encryption properties associated with the identified open source packages in a report. Reporting enhancements highlight Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCN) associated with the external content and as reported by the software suppliers, which reduces the effort required for export control compliance in various jurisdictions.

Protecode continues its seamless integration with existing tools and workflow processes. Part of Protecode System 4, the Library Auditor ™, now integrates with the Git version control system, enabling real-time analysis and management of software attributes. Git joins other platform integration capabilities of Protecode System 4 such as SVN, Perforce, and IBM Rational ClearCase. Protecode features for enterprise adoption includes seamless scalability to multi-site and multi-product organizations, LDAP support, and Code Administrator™ enhancements for Package Pre-Approval workflow.

“IDC has seen demand for open source burgeoning with a volatile economy and increased maturity on the part of available software and communities. As this occurs, the need for management of open source becomes a key aspect of the Application Lifecycle Management process,” said Melinda Ballou, program director of IDC's Application Lifecycle Management Service. “New capabilities that simplify usage and reduce manual effort in determining code composition and that help support compliance obligations make it easier for organizations to leverage open source code, which reduces development efforts, development time and helps minimize risk.”

About Protecode

Protecode provides a comprehensive solution for managing open source software licenses. Protecode System 4™ uses lightning fast code scanning that works behind the scenes in real-time with code libraries, build processes and desktops to detect and report open source licenses relative to company-defined policies. Built for ease-of-use and minimal intrusion into existing development processes, Protecode cost-effectively manages the lifecycle of open source licensing obligations. Protecode is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada with partners worldwide. For more information, visit www.protecode.com.

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PR Contact:

Angela Tuzzo

MRB Public Relations

732-758-1100, ext. 108

atuzzo@mrb-pr.com