Security vendor Kaspersky Lab has announced its hosted security services products will now feature web and instant messaging (IM) security.

The vendor claims the hosted security services market is becoming more profitable and said it wants to help resellers cash in by adding the web and IM security functions. Kaspersky's hosted security offerings aim to tackle malware and spam by filtering them out in the cloud and blocking such content from reaching the network.
The products have previously only been available as an anti-spam module or a combination anti-virus and anti-spam offering. Kaspersky's hosted web security offering aims protect against IT threats entering the network through HTTP or FTP

The IM security package guards against IM worms, IM spam and the unauthorised exchange of confidential information.

Kaspersky's director of service Guenter Fuhrmann said: “Organisations of all sizes are understanding the benefits of hosted security services as the growth in the market continues to rise.

The internet has become an indispensable part of today’s working world and, with an ever-increasing level of threats that are spread through incoming Internet traffic and IM, it is a natural progression for Kaspersky Lab to offer this functionality as part of its hosted services in the UK to address these areas.”

Colm Coyle, managing director of Kaspersky partner ITServiceLink, added: “Kaspersky Hosted Security Services provide a reliable service and profitable revenue stream for us. In fact, we also use the service for our own business.”