Symantec and Parallels Remove the Complexity of Securing Websites and E-Commerce Transactions for Small and Medium Businesses

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. & RENTON, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC) and Parallels (www.parallels.com), a hosting and cloud services enablement leader, today announced they have joined forces to help service providers and website designers grow their revenue with a vastly simplified process for customers to acquire Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates and other website security solutions. Service Providers and Web designers who use Parallels Plesk^® Panel can now offer Symantec Easy SSL, a comprehensive Website Security portfolio including GeoTrust, Thawte, and other Symantec brands as part of a secure e-commerce solution. This integration will appeal to Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) wanting to provide a safer Web experience to secure online connections, transactions and for protecting customers against malware threats. Parallels Plesk Panel now automates the process of ordering, acquiring and installing Symantec-issued SSL certificates, allowing hosters and other service providers to easily resell, provision and track revenue from SSL orders. This solution will be demonstrated during the Parallels APAC Summit in Singapore from September 21-22, 2012.

“Parallels remains laser focused on creating revenue-driving opportunities for our partners, while addressing the issues that keep their SMB customers from adopting cloud and other hosted services”

Parallels, as the world’s market share leader¹ in Web server automation and control panels, partnered with security technology leader Symantec to develop an easy to resell and deploy SSL certificate and website security solution, which is now integrated within Parallels Plesk Panel. Parallels teamed with Symantec based on the company’s experience as the global leader in providing SSL certificates, with more than 800,000 active SSL certificates issued worldwide and 65% of Extended Validation (Green Bar) certificates according to the July 2012 Netcraft report. Symantec’s Norton Secured Seal is the most recognized trust seal on the Internet, and provides rigorous SSL security and Certificate Authority policies along with 24/7 global support.

“Symantec and Parallels are keenly aware of the vast and growing potential to sell hosted and cloud services to the SMB market through the service provider and hosting channel,” said Fran Rosch, Vice President of Identity and Authentication Services, Symantec. “This alliance enables us to provide a greatly simplified SSL certificate solution for this channel that will make it easier for their SMB customers to communicate and transact securely.”

“Parallels remains laser focused on creating revenue-driving opportunities for our partners, while addressing the issues that keep their SMB customers from adopting cloud and other hosted services,” said John Zanni, Vice President of Marketing and Alliances, Parallels. “Symantec’s leading security technology will further strengthen the ability of our partners to create, market and sell bundles of in-demand applications and services, such as a complete and secure e-commerce solution.”

Parallels Turn-Key Solutions Deliver Secure Online Transactions

SSL certificates offer a substantial market opportunity for hosters and web design firms seeking to offer their customers the full suite of necessary services for enabling and securing e-commerce websites. In a recent U.S. online consumer study conducted by Symantec, 90 percent of respondents stated they abandon online transactions upon receiving browser warnings indicating the absence of a secure connection. In addition to SSL certificates, website owners also require online storefront and shopping cart platform capabilities, plus a secure merchant/payment processing account – especially important to verify card-not-present transactions.

The new integrated Symantec SSL certificate capability in Parallels Plesk Panel addresses a crucial component that ensures the security and integrity of these other requirements. The Symantec SSL certificate integration will also be offered under Parallels Payment Network, a robust suite of services for service providers and website designers who want to offer turn-key solutions for SMB customers seeking to launch or enable e-commerce websites. In addition to Symantec’s automated SSL certificate processing, Parallels Payment Network also includes industry-leading PCI-compliant e-commerce solutions from Chase Paymentech (merchant accounts for North America) and Pinnacle Cart (online storefront/shopping cart services).

“Security is essential for providing a true complete e-commerce site solution,” says Mike Auger, CEO of Pinnacle Cart. “We have been collaborating with Symantec for years and we are extremely excited that they have been added to the Parallels Payment Network. This combination of e-commerce services – all without any start-up costs – makes the Parallels Payment Network the smart choice for service providers and website designers seeking to grow their revenues by reselling a turn-key, complete e-commerce site solution.”

With the addition of Symantec’s Website Security Solutions for Parallels Plesk Panel, Symantec now offers the broadest portfolio of integrated protection solutions across Parallels' portfolio of hosting and cloud enablement software. Parallels now makes it easier and more cost effective for service providers to offer their SMB customers applications such as Symantec.cloud Email and Endpoint Protection, EV.Cloud Archiving, Symantec Website Security and Norton consumer solutions.

1-Netcraft Hosting Server Report, April 2012

About Parallels

Parallels is a worldwide leader in hosting and cloud service enablement and desktop virtualization. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with more than 900 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.

For more information, please visit www.parallels.com/spp, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ParallelsCloud and Like Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ParallelsCloud.

About Symantec

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.

Parallels and the Parallels logo are registered trademarks of and Profit from the cloud is a trademark of Parallels IP Holdings GmbH. Other product and company names are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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