ViewQwest Releases SEA’s First Broadband Plan With Built-In Security

ViewQwest’s newest built-in security feature is a major value-add for consumers and small to medium enterprises (SMEs).

Credit: ViewQwest

The Singapore-based telecommunications company has announced SecureNet, an add-on that can be bundled together with a new ViewQwest broadband plan or added to existing ones and is designed to act as the first line of defence against cybersecurity threats such as malware, adware and system vulnerabilities. The feature is expected to provide a more secure browsing experience with everything going digital due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ViewQwest has partnered with Palo Alto Networks to power SecureNet’s built-in security. Traffic is routed through Palo Alto Network’s machine learning-powered next-generation firewall, which will automatically scan for known and unknown file and web-based threats.

Having a broadband plan with its own security system is a huge advantage considering that most connected devices like home security cameras don’t come with their own built-in security. This advantage is also beneficial for those who are not tech-savvy enough to utilise third-party security for their devices such as PCs and laptops.

Vignesa Moorthy, ViewQwest’s CEO, mentioned that there is a growing global trend of ISPS taking ownership in “tackling cyber threats” by creating and offering broadband with built-in security systems. By releasing SecureNet, Moorthy said that “ViewQwest puts Singapore on the global map of advanced nations that can enjoy the latest cutting-edge technology in cybersecurity.”

SecureNet’s built-in security has three main threat prevention measures on-board: an antivirus which will detect viruses and malware in executable programmes and files, anti-spyware to detect spyware on infected devices and vulnerability protection to detect a device’s system flaws that a cybercriminal might exploit or abuse.

Credit: ViewQwest

People who purchase the SecureNet add-on will be able to toggle between three levels of protection: Essential, Enhanced and Max. The Essential level only provides the previously mentioned threat prevention measures. This means that while those who choose this level will have more freedom on the internet, they will need to understand the risks of installing software and such on their devices.

The Enhanced level will have everything the Essential level has, with the addition of SecureNet blocking suspicious domains and sites that feature adult content, gambling, drugs, extremism and more. This threat protection level is ideal for those who want more security protection but still want to have the freedom to install certain software and visit websites.

Families with children will greatly benefit from the Max level, the highest threat protection SecureNet offers. This level has the capability of blocking anonymous sites that present a high risk to the subscriber’s protection such as sites with proxy avoidance and unknown websites. This threat protection level also has all the previous levels’ features. There is also, of course, the option to turn SecureNet off.

Credit: ViewQwest

ViewQwest will also provide subscribers with weekly threat reports to inform them of the threats the company identified and executed preventative measures on.

ViewQwest’s broadband plans for homes and SMEs start at S$29.90 and S$96 per month respectively, with an additional S$5.99 or S$16 per month for SecureNet. New and current subscribers to ViewQwest at home will receive SecureNet free of charge for the first three months.

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Written by John Paul Joaquin