Norton 360
Encyclopedia
Norton 360, developed by Symantec
, is marketed as an "all-in-one" computer security
suite. The package includes an antivirus, a personal firewall
, a phishing
protection program and a backup program
. What distinguishes this suite from Norton Internet Security
is the inclusion of file backup and PC maintenance
capabilities.
The package is distributed as a download, a box copy, or is preinstalled on computers as OEM software. Additional functions, including parental controls
and e-mail spam
filtering, are available as extensions developed also by Symantec.
Norton 360 is compatible with Windows XP
(excluding 64-bit editions), Windows Vista
and Windows 7.
tools with antivirus capabilities and a firewall. Phishing
protection and real-time heuristics were also planned. Windows Vista
compatibility was a major aspect of Genesis. Genesis was slated for release in September. In May 2005, Microsoft announced Windows Live OneCare
, a security suite with similar functionalities, slated for release in 2006.
Genesis was renamed Norton 360 on May 31, 2006. Its feature set was confirmed—it would have the same functionalities of Norton Internet Security
—with file backup, PC maintenance, phishing
protection, and real-time heuristics. A public beta test was planned for summer 2006. The final release date was set at the end of 2006. The same day, McAfee
announced Falcon, a security suite with similar functionalities as Norton 360 and OneCare. However, those dates were delayed. OneCare was launched in summer 2006 while Falcon entered public beta testing.
Some viewed Norton 360 as a response to Microsoft's antivirus software
, OneCare. However, with the release of OneCare, some saw Symantec as lagging behind its rivals. Mark Bregman, Symantec's vice president
, claimed the upcoming Norton 360 was not intended to compete with OneCare, stating "We somehow left the wrong impression in the market place that there's Windows Live OneCare from Microsoft, there's Falcon from McAfee, and there's nothing from Symantec."
The first public beta was delivered in November 2006, compatible with Windows XP. A second beta was subsequently released December 20, 2006, adding compatibility for Windows Vista build 6000. After 100,000 people tested the software, Symantec began distribution to retailers in February 2007.
Version 1.0 was released on February 26, 2007. This version was the first Symantec product to use SONAR
to detect zero-day viruses. It monitors applications for malicious behavior, taking action as needed. The backup and restore functionality allowed users to back up files online or to a hard drive, CD
, or DVD
. PC maintenance tools allowed users to clear web browser
history and temporary files. A disk defragmenter was bundled as part of the PC maintenance tools. Phishing protection integrates with Internet Explorer
, warning users of fraudulent sites.
In Windows XP, a 300 megahertz processor, 256 megabyte
s of RAM
, and 300 MB of hard disk space is required. Under Vista, an 800 MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, and 300 MB of hard disk space is required.
Reviews cited Norton 360's low resource usage, relative to Norton Internet Security 2007, and phishing protection. PC Magazine
found the phishing protection feature to be more effective at blocking access to fraudulent sites than Internet Explorer 7
and Firefox 2
. However, reviewers highlighted the lack manual control for advanced users. CNET noted the lack of phishing protection for browsers other than Internet Explorer
, such as Mozilla Firefox
. CNET also highlighted the lack of wireless network tools, such as notifying users when someone uninvited joins the network or help encrypting wireless signals. PC Magazine criticized the spam filtering extension of Version 1.0, finding it blocked only half of the spam mail, and erroneously blocked five percent of the valid mail.
and HD DVD
discs. Multiple installations of Norton 360 can also to a centralized location. When backing up files online, the user can control the amount of bandwidth Norton uses. A registry cleaner is bundled with the PC maintenance tools, allowing the user to remove invalid entries. Phishing protection for Firefox was added. Supplementing the phishing protection is the Norton Identity Safe, which stores login credentials to websites. A network map
allows users to view the status of other Norton installations on networked computers and view basic information about each computer. System requirements remain the same as version 1.0.
PC Magazine found the spam filter to be weak, misidentifying over 25 percent of valid e-mail as spam. CNET encountered problems when installing version 2.0 on legacy machines.
Version 3.0 was released on March 4, 2009. This version uses the same codebase
as Norton Internet Security 2009. For earlier versions, Symantec rewrote code specifically for Norton 360.
Version 3.0 incorporates Norton Safe Web
, offered as a standalone service earlier. Safe Web integrates with Firefox and Internet Explorer as a toolbar
, blocking access to fraudulent and malware hosting sites. This toolbar also includes a search box, routing search queries typed in the box through the Ask.com
search engine. The toolbar does not share code with the Ask.com toolbar, which was classified as spyware
by McAfee
, Trend Micro
, and other antivirus
vendors. Due to criticism of the search functionality, Symantec announced the Ask.com search box would be hidden in future releases of version 3.0.
The capability to back up files to a flash drive
was introduced in this release. Files stored on a flash drive can be copied to another computer without Norton 360 installed. Norton also creates a virtual drive
in Windows Explorer
, allowing users to browse their backup files, stored locally or online. Users can restore individual files using the drag-and-drop
technique. Version 3.0 does not retain previous versions of files and skips files which are open by another program. A startup application manager was included in this release, allowing users to control which programs start at login. To complement the application manager, Norton can measure the impact programs have on login time.
PC Magazine highlighted version 3.0's weak spam filter, misfiling half of valid mail as spam. PC Magazine also noted a support session with a Symantec technician who used the shareware
application Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
to remove malware from a computer, referring to it as an "online Norton program". Controversy was raised over the fact the technician misleadingly referred to the program as a Symantec product.
. Version 4 also features a GUI change. The prominent colors now match the gold and black sunburst of Norton Internet Security
. Also, the weak SPAM filter has been replaced with the far more effective Symantec BrightMail, which according to Symantec gives 20% better results and require no training.
It features a new and enhanced interface with more realistic icons and animations and it also includes Norton Widgets - a platform that integrates other Symantec online services directly in the UI. Also new for this version are Reputation scan, that gives the user clear insight of the loaded applications and files and the Safeweb for Facebook, which scans the links on the wall to verify their safety. Links to Norton Recovery Tools have been added in the scanner's interface and in the start menu folder to help in restoring a highly-infected system. The backup and restore functionality has also been improved. Passmark performance test 011 rated Norton 360 5.0 as the fastest and lightest all-in-one suite.
According to PassMark Security Benchmark 2012 Norton AntiVirus and Norton Internet Security are the lightest suites available. Av-comparatives.org also tested these products and give similar results.
PCMag recognises 2011 and 2012 lines as the fastest and strongest in protection.
PCWorld's tests of security software put Norton Internet Security 2009 on the 1-st place.
In 2011's test of PCWorld Norton Internet Security was the winner. Av-test.org certifies Norton, putting it on a second place after BitDefender. Many other reputable sources like Dennis Technology Labs confirm the performance and effectivness of Norton 2011 and 2012 lines.
, whitelisted Magic Lantern
, a keylogger
developed by the FBI. The purpose of Magic Lantern is to obtain passwords to encrypted e-mail as part of a criminal investigation. Magic Lantern was first reported in the media by Bob Sullivan
of MSNBC
on November 20, 2001 and by Ted Bridis of the Associated Press
. Magic Lantern is deployed as an e-mail attachment
. When the attachment is opened, a trojan horse
is installed on the suspect's computer. The trojan horse is activated when the suspect uses PGP
encryption, often used to increase the security of sent e-mail messages. When activated, the trojan horse will log the PGP password, which allows the FBI to decrypt user communications. Symantec and other major antivirus vendors have whitelisted Magic Lantern, rendering their antivirus products, including Norton Internet Security, incapable of detecting Magic Lantern. Concerns include uncertainties about Magic Lantern's full potential and whether hackers could subvert it for purposes outside the jurisdiction of the law.
Graham Cluley, a technology consultant from Sophos
, said "We have no way of knowing if it was written by the FBI, and even if we did, we wouldn’t know whether it was being used by the FBI or if it had been commandeered by a third party". Another reaction came from Marc Maiffret, chief technical officer
and cofounder of eEye Digital Security, "Our customers are paying us for a service, to protect them from all forms of malicious code. It is not up to us to do law enforcement's job for them so we do not, and will not, make any exceptions for law enforcement malware or other tools."
FBI spokesman Paul Bresson, in response if Magic Lantern needed a court order to deploy, "Like all technology projects or tools deployed by the FBI it would be used pursuant to the appropriate legal process." Proponents of Magic Lantern argue the technology would allow law enforcement to efficiently and quickly decrypt messages protected by encryption schemes. Implementing Magic Lantern does not require physical access to a suspect's computer, unlike Carnivore, a predecessor to Magic Lantern, since physical access to a computer would require a court order.
entries. Versions prior to 3.0 also installed a separate LiveUpdate
program, which updates Norton-branded software. The user must uninstall both Norton Internet Security and the LiveUpdate component manually. The LiveUpdate component is purposely left behind to update other Norton-branded products, if present. Symantec has developed the Norton Removal Tool to remove registry
keys and values along with files and folders. The uninstaller must be run twice. Once, then again after a computer restart, requiring a second restart. Uninstallation will not remove subscription data, preserved to prevent users from installing multiple trial copies.
keys being added by a tool named fixcss.exe, resulting in an empty Device Manager and missing devices such as wireless network adapters. Symantec initially blamed Microsoft for the incompatibilities but has since accepted partial responsibility.
Dave Cole, senior director of product management, acknowledged that users running Norton products were experiencing problems, but said the numbers are small. Cole also said that Symantec had done "extensive testing" of its products with Windows XP SP3, but this issue was not encountered. Cole blamed Microsoft "This is related to XP SP3." Microsoft recommended for users to contact Windows customer support. To resolve the problem, Symantec has issued a fix intended for users before upgrading. Symantec also recommends disabling the tamper protection component in the 2008 release, dubbed SymProtect. A tool to remove the added registry entries is available from Symantec.
feature. PatchGuard was designed by Microsoft to ensure the integrity of the kernel
, a part of an operating system
which interacts with the hardware. Rootkit
s may hide in a operating system's kernel, complicating removal. Mike Dalton, European president of McAfee
said, "The decision to build a wall around the kernel with the assumption it can't be breached is ridiculous", claiming Microsoft was preventing security vendors from effectively protecting the kernel while promoting its own security product, Windows Live OneCare
. Hicks said Symantec did not mind the competition from OneCare. Symantec later published a white paper detailing PatchGuard with instructions to obtain a PatchGuard exploit. After negotiations and investigations from antitrust regulators, Microsoft decided to allow security vendors access to the kernel by creating special API
instructions.
Symantec
Symantec Corporation is the largest maker of security software for computers. The company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and is a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500 stock market index.-History:...
, is marketed as an "all-in-one" computer security
Computer security
Computer security is a branch of computer technology known as information security as applied to computers and networks. The objective of computer security includes protection of information and property from theft, corruption, or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to...
suite. The package includes an antivirus, a personal firewall
Personal firewall
A personal firewall is an application which controls network traffic to and from a computer, permitting or denying communications based on a security policy. Typically it works as an application layer firewall....
, a phishing
Phishing
Phishing is a way of attempting to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, online payment processors or IT...
protection program and a backup program
Backup software
Backup software are computer programs used to perform backup; they create supplementary exact copies of files, databases or entire computers. These programs may later use the supplementary copies to restore the original contents in the event of data loss....
. What distinguishes this suite from Norton Internet Security
Norton Internet Security
Norton Internet Security, developed by Symantec Corporation, provides malware prevention and removal during subscription period and uses signatures and heuristics to identify viruses. Other features include a software firewall, e-mail spam filtering, and phishing protection.Symantec distributes...
is the inclusion of file backup and PC maintenance
Computer-aided maintenance
Computer-aided maintenance refers to systems that utilize software to organize planning, scheduling and support of maintenance and repair. A common application of such systems is the maintenance of computers, either hardware or software, themselves...
capabilities.
The package is distributed as a download, a box copy, or is preinstalled on computers as OEM software. Additional functions, including parental controls
Parental controls
Parental controls are features which may be included in digital television services, computer and video games, mobile phones and computer software...
and e-mail spam
E-mail spam
Email spam, also known as junk email or unsolicited bulk email , is a subset of spam that involves nearly identical messages sent to numerous recipients by email. Definitions of spam usually include the aspects that email is unsolicited and sent in bulk. One subset of UBE is UCE...
filtering, are available as extensions developed also by Symantec.
Norton 360 is compatible with Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
(excluding 64-bit editions), Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
and Windows 7.
Project Genesis
Symantec announced Project Genesis on February 7, 2006. Genesis would differ from Symantec's other consumer security products by incorporating file backup and PC maintenanceComputer performance
Computer performance is characterized by the amount of useful work accomplished by a computer system compared to the time and resources used.Depending on the context, good computer performance may involve one or more of the following:...
tools with antivirus capabilities and a firewall. Phishing
Phishing
Phishing is a way of attempting to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, online payment processors or IT...
protection and real-time heuristics were also planned. Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
compatibility was a major aspect of Genesis. Genesis was slated for release in September. In May 2005, Microsoft announced Windows Live OneCare
Windows Live OneCare
Windows Live OneCare was a computer security and performance enhancement service developed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows. A core technology of OneCare was the multi-platform RAV , which Microsoft purchased from GeCAD Software Srl in 2003, but subsequently discontinued...
, a security suite with similar functionalities, slated for release in 2006.
Genesis was renamed Norton 360 on May 31, 2006. Its feature set was confirmed—it would have the same functionalities of Norton Internet Security
Norton Internet Security
Norton Internet Security, developed by Symantec Corporation, provides malware prevention and removal during subscription period and uses signatures and heuristics to identify viruses. Other features include a software firewall, e-mail spam filtering, and phishing protection.Symantec distributes...
—with file backup, PC maintenance, phishing
Phishing
Phishing is a way of attempting to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, online payment processors or IT...
protection, and real-time heuristics. A public beta test was planned for summer 2006. The final release date was set at the end of 2006. The same day, McAfee
McAfee
McAfee, Inc. is a computer security company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA. It markets software and services to home users, businesses and the public sector. On August 19, 2010, electronics company Intel agreed to purchase McAfee for $7.68 billion...
announced Falcon, a security suite with similar functionalities as Norton 360 and OneCare. However, those dates were delayed. OneCare was launched in summer 2006 while Falcon entered public beta testing.
Some viewed Norton 360 as a response to Microsoft's antivirus software
Antivirus software
Antivirus or anti-virus software is used to prevent, detect, and remove malware, including but not limited to computer viruses, computer worm, trojan horses, spyware and adware...
, OneCare. However, with the release of OneCare, some saw Symantec as lagging behind its rivals. Mark Bregman, Symantec's vice president
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
, claimed the upcoming Norton 360 was not intended to compete with OneCare, stating "We somehow left the wrong impression in the market place that there's Windows Live OneCare from Microsoft, there's Falcon from McAfee, and there's nothing from Symantec."
The first public beta was delivered in November 2006, compatible with Windows XP. A second beta was subsequently released December 20, 2006, adding compatibility for Windows Vista build 6000. After 100,000 people tested the software, Symantec began distribution to retailers in February 2007.
Version 1.0
SONAR (Symantec)
SONAR is the abbreviation for Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response. Unlike virus signatures, SONAR examines the behavior of applications to decide whether they are malicious...
to detect zero-day viruses. It monitors applications for malicious behavior, taking action as needed. The backup and restore functionality allowed users to back up files online or to a hard drive, CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, or DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. PC maintenance tools allowed users to clear web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
history and temporary files. A disk defragmenter was bundled as part of the PC maintenance tools. Phishing protection integrates with Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
, warning users of fraudulent sites.
In Windows XP, a 300 megahertz processor, 256 megabyte
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
s of RAM
Random-access memory
Random access memory is a form of computer data storage. Today, it takes the form of integrated circuits that allow stored data to be accessed in any order with a worst case performance of constant time. Strictly speaking, modern types of DRAM are therefore not random access, as data is read in...
, and 300 MB of hard disk space is required. Under Vista, an 800 MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, and 300 MB of hard disk space is required.
Reviews cited Norton 360's low resource usage, relative to Norton Internet Security 2007, and phishing protection. PC Magazine
PC Magazine
PC Magazine is a computer magazine published by Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009...
found the phishing protection feature to be more effective at blocking access to fraudulent sites than Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer 7
Windows Internet Explorer 7 is a web browser released by Microsoft in October 2006. Internet Explorer 7 is part of a long line of versions of Internet Explorer and was the first major update to the browser in more than 5 years...
and Firefox 2
Mozilla Firefox 2
Mozilla Firefox 2 was a version of Firefox, a web browser released on October 24, 2006 by the Mozilla Corporation.Firefox 2 uses version 1.8 of the Gecko layout engine for displaying web pages...
. However, reviewers highlighted the lack manual control for advanced users. CNET noted the lack of phishing protection for browsers other than Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
, such as Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
. CNET also highlighted the lack of wireless network tools, such as notifying users when someone uninvited joins the network or help encrypting wireless signals. PC Magazine criticized the spam filtering extension of Version 1.0, finding it blocked only half of the spam mail, and erroneously blocked five percent of the valid mail.
Version 2.0
Version 2.0 was released March 3, 2008. The backup feature can now inscribe data to Blu-rayBlu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
and HD DVD
HD DVD
HD DVD is a discontinued high-density optical disc format for storing data and high-definition video.Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format...
discs. Multiple installations of Norton 360 can also to a centralized location. When backing up files online, the user can control the amount of bandwidth Norton uses. A registry cleaner is bundled with the PC maintenance tools, allowing the user to remove invalid entries. Phishing protection for Firefox was added. Supplementing the phishing protection is the Norton Identity Safe, which stores login credentials to websites. A network map
Network Mapping
Network mapping is the study of the physical connectivity of networks. Internet mapping is the study of the physical connectivity of the Internet. Network mapping often attempts to determine the servers and operating systems run on networks...
allows users to view the status of other Norton installations on networked computers and view basic information about each computer. System requirements remain the same as version 1.0.
PC Magazine found the spam filter to be weak, misidentifying over 25 percent of valid e-mail as spam. CNET encountered problems when installing version 2.0 on legacy machines.
Version 3.0
Codebase
The term codebase, or code base, is used in software development to mean the whole collection of source code used to build a particular application or component. Typically, the codebase includes only human-written source code files, and not, e.g., source code files generated by other tools or...
as Norton Internet Security 2009. For earlier versions, Symantec rewrote code specifically for Norton 360.
Version 3.0 incorporates Norton Safe Web
Norton Safe Web
Norton Safe Web is a service developed by Symantec Corporation that is designed to help users identify malicious websites. Safe Web delivers information about websites based on automated analysis and user feedback....
, offered as a standalone service earlier. Safe Web integrates with Firefox and Internet Explorer as a toolbar
Toolbar
In a graphical user interface, on a computer monitor, a toolbar is a GUI widget on which on-screen buttons, icons, menus, or other input or output elements are placed. Toolbars are seen in office suites, graphics editors, and web browsers...
, blocking access to fraudulent and malware hosting sites. This toolbar also includes a search box, routing search queries typed in the box through the Ask.com
Ask.com
Ask is a Q&A focused search engine founded in 1996 by Garrett Gruener and David Warthen in Berkeley, California. The original software was implemented by Gary Chevsky from his own design. Warthen, Chevsky, Justin Grant, and others built the early AskJeeves.com website around that core engine...
search engine. The toolbar does not share code with the Ask.com toolbar, which was classified as spyware
Spyware
Spyware is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user, and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly installed on the user's...
by McAfee
McAfee
McAfee, Inc. is a computer security company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA. It markets software and services to home users, businesses and the public sector. On August 19, 2010, electronics company Intel agreed to purchase McAfee for $7.68 billion...
, Trend Micro
Trend Micro
Trend Micro Inc. is a computer security company. It is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and markets Trend Micro Internet Security, Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security, OfficeScan, and other related security products and services...
, and other antivirus
Antivirus software
Antivirus or anti-virus software is used to prevent, detect, and remove malware, including but not limited to computer viruses, computer worm, trojan horses, spyware and adware...
vendors. Due to criticism of the search functionality, Symantec announced the Ask.com search box would be hidden in future releases of version 3.0.
The capability to back up files to a flash drive
USB flash drive
A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus interface. flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g...
was introduced in this release. Files stored on a flash drive can be copied to another computer without Norton 360 installed. Norton also creates a virtual drive
Virtual drive
A virtual drive in computing is a device that to the operating system appears to be an ordinary physical disk drive, with disc images substituted for disc reading hardware through the use of software called a disk emulator...
in Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer
This article is about the Windows file system browser. For the similarly named web browser, see Internet ExplorerWindows Explorer is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface...
, allowing users to browse their backup files, stored locally or online. Users can restore individual files using the drag-and-drop
Drag-and-drop
In computer graphical user interfaces, drag-and-drop is the action of selecting a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object...
technique. Version 3.0 does not retain previous versions of files and skips files which are open by another program. A startup application manager was included in this release, allowing users to control which programs start at login. To complement the application manager, Norton can measure the impact programs have on login time.
PC Magazine highlighted version 3.0's weak spam filter, misfiling half of valid mail as spam. PC Magazine also noted a support session with a Symantec technician who used the shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
application Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is a computer application that finds and removes malware. Made by Malwarebytes Corporation, it was released in January 2008...
to remove malware from a computer, referring to it as an "online Norton program". Controversy was raised over the fact the technician misleadingly referred to the program as a Symantec product.
Version 4.0
Version 4.0 was released on February 17, 2010. This version adds many new security features found in Norton Internet Security 2010Norton Internet Security
Norton Internet Security, developed by Symantec Corporation, provides malware prevention and removal during subscription period and uses signatures and heuristics to identify viruses. Other features include a software firewall, e-mail spam filtering, and phishing protection.Symantec distributes...
. Version 4 also features a GUI change. The prominent colors now match the gold and black sunburst of Norton Internet Security
Norton Internet Security
Norton Internet Security, developed by Symantec Corporation, provides malware prevention and removal during subscription period and uses signatures and heuristics to identify viruses. Other features include a software firewall, e-mail spam filtering, and phishing protection.Symantec distributes...
. Also, the weak SPAM filter has been replaced with the far more effective Symantec BrightMail, which according to Symantec gives 20% better results and require no training.
Version 5.0
The newest version of Norton 360 (V5) is now available. It was released in February 2011 and offers improved performance and virus detection. It also provides updated versions of SONAR (version 3) and System insight. Download Insight now not only supports Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers only, but also supports the following clients: QQ (Chat), MSN Messenger (Chat), Limewire (P2P), MSN Explorer (Browser, E-mail & Chat), Opera (Browser),Outlook (E-mail), Thunderbird (E-mail), Windows Mail (E-mail), Chrome (Browser), BitTorrent (P2P), AOL (Browser), Yahoo Messenger (Chat), Safari (Browser), FileZilla (File Manager), Outlook Express (E-mail).It features a new and enhanced interface with more realistic icons and animations and it also includes Norton Widgets - a platform that integrates other Symantec online services directly in the UI. Also new for this version are Reputation scan, that gives the user clear insight of the loaded applications and files and the Safeweb for Facebook, which scans the links on the wall to verify their safety. Links to Norton Recovery Tools have been added in the scanner's interface and in the start menu folder to help in restoring a highly-infected system. The backup and restore functionality has also been improved. Passmark performance test 011 rated Norton 360 5.0 as the fastest and lightest all-in-one suite.
Version 6.0
Version 6 is likely to be out in beta sometime in October or November 2011, assuming Symantec follows the last year's schedule. It is highly likely include everything from Norton Internet Security 2012 and it may also include changes in the backup and tuneup functionalities. Screenshots of the first Private Beta were leaked, Norton 360 v.6 first look, showing that the Interface is currently very similar to version 5, it may however receive a complete refresh before release. An official release of January 2012 is likely.Performance and protection capabilites
From 2009 to 2012 series, Symantec makes a huge change in product's speed and performance. Norton products now have only 2 running processes, using about 15 mb of RAM.According to PassMark Security Benchmark 2012 Norton AntiVirus and Norton Internet Security are the lightest suites available. Av-comparatives.org also tested these products and give similar results.
PCMag recognises 2011 and 2012 lines as the fastest and strongest in protection.
PCWorld's tests of security software put Norton Internet Security 2009 on the 1-st place.
In 2011's test of PCWorld Norton Internet Security was the winner. Av-test.org certifies Norton, putting it on a second place after BitDefender. Many other reputable sources like Dennis Technology Labs confirm the performance and effectivness of Norton 2011 and 2012 lines.
FBI cooperation
Symantec, in compliance with the FBIFederal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, whitelisted Magic Lantern
Magic Lantern (software)
Magic Lantern is keystroke logging software developed by the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation. Magic Lantern was first reported in a column by Bob Sullivan of MSNBC on 20 November 2001 and by Ted Bridis of the Associated Press.-How it works:...
, a keylogger
Keystroke logging
Keystroke logging is the action of tracking the keys struck on a keyboard, typically in a covert manner so that the person using the keyboard is unaware that their actions are being monitored...
developed by the FBI. The purpose of Magic Lantern is to obtain passwords to encrypted e-mail as part of a criminal investigation. Magic Lantern was first reported in the media by Bob Sullivan
Bob Sullivan (journalist)
Bob Sullivan is an award winning American online journalist, author and one of the founding members of msnbc.com...
of MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
on November 20, 2001 and by Ted Bridis of the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. Magic Lantern is deployed as an e-mail attachment
E-mail attachment
An email attachment is a computer file sent along with an email message. One or more files can be attached to any email message, and be sent along with it to the recipient. This is typically used as a simple method to share documents and images...
. When the attachment is opened, a trojan horse
Trojan horse (computing)
A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is software that appears to perform a desirable function for the user prior to run or install, but steals information or harms the system. The term is derived from the Trojan Horse story in Greek mythology.-Malware:A destructive program that masquerades as a benign...
is installed on the suspect's computer. The trojan horse is activated when the suspect uses PGP
Pretty Good Privacy
Pretty Good Privacy is a data encryption and decryption computer program that provides cryptographic privacy and authentication for data communication. PGP is often used for signing, encrypting and decrypting texts, E-mails, files, directories and whole disk partitions to increase the security...
encryption, often used to increase the security of sent e-mail messages. When activated, the trojan horse will log the PGP password, which allows the FBI to decrypt user communications. Symantec and other major antivirus vendors have whitelisted Magic Lantern, rendering their antivirus products, including Norton Internet Security, incapable of detecting Magic Lantern. Concerns include uncertainties about Magic Lantern's full potential and whether hackers could subvert it for purposes outside the jurisdiction of the law.
Graham Cluley, a technology consultant from Sophos
Sophos
Sophos is a developer and vendor of security software and hardware, including anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, network access control, encryption software and data loss prevention for desktops, servers, email systems and other network gateways....
, said "We have no way of knowing if it was written by the FBI, and even if we did, we wouldn’t know whether it was being used by the FBI or if it had been commandeered by a third party". Another reaction came from Marc Maiffret, chief technical officer
Chief technical officer
A chief technology officer is an executive-level position in a company or other entity whose occupant is focused on scientific and technological issues within an organization....
and cofounder of eEye Digital Security, "Our customers are paying us for a service, to protect them from all forms of malicious code. It is not up to us to do law enforcement's job for them so we do not, and will not, make any exceptions for law enforcement malware or other tools."
FBI spokesman Paul Bresson, in response if Magic Lantern needed a court order to deploy, "Like all technology projects or tools deployed by the FBI it would be used pursuant to the appropriate legal process." Proponents of Magic Lantern argue the technology would allow law enforcement to efficiently and quickly decrypt messages protected by encryption schemes. Implementing Magic Lantern does not require physical access to a suspect's computer, unlike Carnivore, a predecessor to Magic Lantern, since physical access to a computer would require a court order.
Uninstallation
Norton Internet Security (Windows versions) is criticized for not uninstalling completely, leaving unnecessary files and registryWindows registry
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform: the kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user...
entries. Versions prior to 3.0 also installed a separate LiveUpdate
Norton LiveUpdate
Norton LiveUpdate is an application developed by Symantec Corporation that downloads and installs security updates and software patches. LiveUpdate can only apply updates for a particular version of Norton; it cannot however upgrade a version of Norton to a later version...
program, which updates Norton-branded software. The user must uninstall both Norton Internet Security and the LiveUpdate component manually. The LiveUpdate component is purposely left behind to update other Norton-branded products, if present. Symantec has developed the Norton Removal Tool to remove registry
Windows registry
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform: the kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user...
keys and values along with files and folders. The uninstaller must be run twice. Once, then again after a computer restart, requiring a second restart. Uninstallation will not remove subscription data, preserved to prevent users from installing multiple trial copies.
Windows Service Packs
When Norton 360 version 2.0 is installed, users have encountered incompatibilities upgrading to Windows XP Service Pack 3 or Windows Vista Service Pack 1. Users report numerous invalid Windows RegistryWindows registry
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform: the kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user...
keys being added by a tool named fixcss.exe, resulting in an empty Device Manager and missing devices such as wireless network adapters. Symantec initially blamed Microsoft for the incompatibilities but has since accepted partial responsibility.
Dave Cole, senior director of product management, acknowledged that users running Norton products were experiencing problems, but said the numbers are small. Cole also said that Symantec had done "extensive testing" of its products with Windows XP SP3, but this issue was not encountered. Cole blamed Microsoft "This is related to XP SP3." Microsoft recommended for users to contact Windows customer support. To resolve the problem, Symantec has issued a fix intended for users before upgrading. Symantec also recommends disabling the tamper protection component in the 2008 release, dubbed SymProtect. A tool to remove the added registry entries is available from Symantec.
Windows Vista
Sarah Hicks, Symantec's vice president of consumer product management, voiced concern over Windows Vista 64-bit's PatchGuardKernel Patch Protection
Kernel Patch Protection , informally known as PatchGuard, is a feature of 64-bit editions of Microsoft Windows that prevents patching the kernel...
feature. PatchGuard was designed by Microsoft to ensure the integrity of the kernel
Kernel (computing)
In computing, the kernel is the main component of most computer operating systems; it is a bridge between applications and the actual data processing done at the hardware level. The kernel's responsibilities include managing the system's resources...
, a part of an operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
which interacts with the hardware. Rootkit
Rootkit
A rootkit is software that enables continued privileged access to a computer while actively hiding its presence from administrators by subverting standard operating system functionality or other applications...
s may hide in a operating system's kernel, complicating removal. Mike Dalton, European president of McAfee
McAfee
McAfee, Inc. is a computer security company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA. It markets software and services to home users, businesses and the public sector. On August 19, 2010, electronics company Intel agreed to purchase McAfee for $7.68 billion...
said, "The decision to build a wall around the kernel with the assumption it can't be breached is ridiculous", claiming Microsoft was preventing security vendors from effectively protecting the kernel while promoting its own security product, Windows Live OneCare
Windows Live OneCare
Windows Live OneCare was a computer security and performance enhancement service developed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows. A core technology of OneCare was the multi-platform RAV , which Microsoft purchased from GeCAD Software Srl in 2003, but subsequently discontinued...
. Hicks said Symantec did not mind the competition from OneCare. Symantec later published a white paper detailing PatchGuard with instructions to obtain a PatchGuard exploit. After negotiations and investigations from antitrust regulators, Microsoft decided to allow security vendors access to the kernel by creating special API
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
instructions.