BROOMFIELD, Colo., March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Webroot, the first Internet security service company, today announced that its subsidiary Prevx has partnered with Tennessee-based FirstBank to offer all its customers free protection from online fraud with the Prevx SafeOnline Internet security solution.

Following a review of lab tests of several products, FirstBank selected Prevx SafeOnline due to its comprehensive approach to addressing the rapidly increasing trend of online bank account take overs by highly sophisticated malware. As part of the Prevx SafeOnline Partner Program, FirstBank will offer the software to its customers, giving them increased confidence when using its online banking services by protecting against online fraud attacks such as phishing, DNS poisoning, screen grabbing, man-in-the-browser and keystroke logging.

Over the past three years, FirstBank, as well as the entire industry, has had an increased number of account compromise incidents with its online banking customers. There appears to be an increased level of sophistication in the malware itself, e.g. attacks such as the notorious Zeus Trojan were evading detection from a customer's existing antivirus solution and harvesting information such as the user's surfing history and passwords.

"Online services are becoming increasingly popular with our customers," said Clark Cummings, FirstBank senior vice president and director of risk management. "Therefore maintaining their trust and confidence is vital. In order to combat the ever more intelligent threats deployed by cybercriminals, we needed to put in place an added layer of protection; but the challenge was knowing how to differentiate one solution from another. We'd spoken to a number of vendors but what confirmed it for us was the breadth and depth of protection SafeOnline offered compared to other solutions."

FirstBank customers can now download Prevx SafeOnline technology at no cost, and the software can run alongside any existing security solution the user is running. This multilayer approach to security ensures all personal information, including passwords and payment card details, is protected at all times while using the Internet.

In addition, the new technology will provide reporting that will allow FirstBank to take proactive measures to reduce the level of risk posed to its customer base.

Landy Dutton, FirstBank vice president and operational risk manager, said, "This is the first time we've had evidence of the threats facing our customers and the bank. The Prevx malware intelligence is crucial in helping us to understand the level of risk to the Internet banking customer so preventive measures can be taken."

With Prevx SafeOnline, no configuration is required by customers, and the solution is designed to be easy to understand and very quick to install. Unlike other products, the solution has an integrated anti-malware component and has the ability to secure the user's browser from any malware resident on the user's computer – something key to FirstBank's online banking offering.   Since the product has a very small footprint, it does not affect PC performance in any way – even during scanning. This ensures that FirstBank customers can continue to have a great experience when banking online.

Mel Morris, vice president and general manager of Prevx operations at Webroot, explained, "As people browse the Internet, they will visit sites with varying levels of security. So while they might be safe on their bank's website, chances are they'll also visit a site which isn't so well-protected. Therefore, protecting the browser itself is critical – it's the only way to ensure the PC is protected against information-stealing malware as the user moves between sites. We're extremely proud to be working with FirstBank to help protect its customers against cybercrime in all its forms – ensuring they can enjoy all the benefits of online banking without the fear of becoming yet another victim of online fraud."

Prevx is a subsidiary of Webroot. For additional product information, please visit www.prevx.com  

About Webroot

Webroot is a leading provider of Internet security services for consumers and businesses worldwide. Founded in 1997, privately held Webroot is headquartered in Colorado and employs approximately 450 people globally in operations across North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Consistently rated among the best security offerings available, Webroot's products include email, Web and archiving security services for businesses, and anti-malware, privacy and identity protection for consumers. The company has expanded its cloud security portfolio with the recent acquisitions of BrightCloud and Prevx, pioneers in behavior-based malware detection. For more information, visit http://www.webroot.com or call 800.772.9383.

©2011 Webroot Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Webroot is a registered trademark or trademark of Webroot Software, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

About FirstBank

FirstBank is Tennessee's largest independently owned and operated bank, with locations across the state. The bank, headquartered in Lexington, Tenn., services every major metropolitan market in the state and, with more than $2 billion in total assets, has the resources to provide a comprehensive variety of financial services and products. FirstBank has been recognized as one of Tennessee's best employers by Business Tennessee magazine, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Tennessee Society for Human Resource Management.

FirstBank follows a community-banking model adopted by its charter, Farmers State Bank, more than 100 years ago in Scotts Hill, Tenn. As Tennessee's premier community bank, FirstBank is committed to its role as a leader in the communities it serves. That commitment is reflected by the Ayers Foundation Scholars program, a scholarship fund established by FirstBank Chairman Jim Ayers to advance higher education for young people in Tennessee.

To learn more about FirstBank, a wholly owned subsidiary of First South Bancorp, Inc., visit www.firstbankonline.com.  

SOURCE Webroot