Security giant Symantec today launched a new version of its Brightmail enterprise messaging security platform, along with a new online resource to help firms stay ahead of spam threats.

Symantec Brightmail Gateway 8.0 features new FastPass functionality which allows known legitimate emails to bypass spam filters altogether, improving scalability and performance, according to the firm.

The product also features integration with Symantec Data Loss Prevention, as well as automated installation and management features to simplify administration, and extended support for virtual appliances.

"This is a massive release for us. It has been in R&D for over two years now, targeting the effectiveness of anti-spam capabilities and improved performance," said Ian McShane, Brightmail product manager.

"Our strategy has been to block the senders sending no legitimate email, and limit those sending a mixture of legitimate and non-legitimate."

To achieve this, Brightmail 8.0 includes an Adaptive Reputation Management system, which combines global reputation with self-learning local reputation functionality, McShane added.

Symantec has also released Brightmail IQ Services, a free publicly available web-based resource which uses information from the Symantec Global Intelligence Network, Symantec Security Response and the Brightmail operations team to provide greater insight into spam trends.

The service features sender IP address lookup, blog posts from the Brightmail operations team, and links to discussion forums and research reports.