Norton AntiVirus
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‎Norton AntiVirus

Norton AntiVirus 2008
Developed by	Symantec Corporation
Latest release	2009 or 16.0.0.125 (Windows Edition), 11.0.1000.1375 (Corporate), 11.0 (Mac Edition) / 08 September 2008; 71 days ago (Windows Edition)
OS	Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
Type	Antivirus
License	Proprietary
Website	www.symantec.com/norton

Norton AntiVirus (NAV), a product of Symantec Corporation, is an award-winning antivirus program available for Windows XP and Vista. It is designed to protect consumers from viruses, worms, spyware, and other types of malware.

Norton AntiVirus is sold as a standalone product or included as part of Norton Internet Security and Norton SystemWorks. The latter products add more comprehensive PC protection, including monitoring for spyware, adware, and other potential security risks. A standalone corporate version exists called Symantec Endpoint Protection (formerly known as Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition), and is used in centrally managed corporate environments.

History

Norton Antivirus was initially released in 1990. After Symantec acquired Central Point Software in 1994, NAV was integrated with its main competitor of the era, Central Point Anti-Virus (CPAV). CPAV was also licensed to Microsoft as the Microsoft Anti-Virus utility.

Version History

Version 2006 (13.0)

Norton AntiVirus 2006

New features included spyware and adware detection in full system scans. The Norton Protection Center, a central interface, aggregated security data displayed it in a single screen. Home page hijacking protection was introduced.

Version 2007 (14.0)

After years of customer complaints, Symantec revised its product with the goal of improving slow speeds and reducing high system resource utilization.¹

The Installer size was reduced by utilizing 7-Zip technology^{citation needed}.

New components include Rootkit Protection to find and remove hidden threats in the operating system. Existing components were updated to improve virus Protection without requiring specific viral signatures.

Version 2008 (15.0)

Norton AntiVirus 2008 was released on August 28, 2007.

New features include SONAR (Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response) technology, designed to detect potentially malicious code before traditional virus definitions are available. SONAR monitors program behavior rather than looking for specific viral signatures. Browser Defender is intended to protect Internet Explorer from drive by downloads and unpatched exploits. Home Network Security Status displays status of Norton AntiVirus on all PCs in a home network. Capability for multiple daily updates was added.

The company claims improved performance of 60% faster scanning time compared to the previous year version.^{citation needed}).

Version 2009 (16.0)

The 2009 version was released on September 8, 2008.

New features include updated software architecture designed to enhance software speed. Security information aggregated from millions of customers suggests which files and processes might be safe and which are potentially dangerous. Other features include Silent Mode, Smart Idle Time Scheduler, Enhanced Browser Protection.

Visual changes include curved edges, window transparency and option to modify user interface themes or colors.

Symantec claims that Norton 2009 is faster than previous versions due to new architecture that reduces boot time, scan time, memory usage, overall system footprint and install time.

An independent security software testing firm, AV-Test, released results of their malware protection analysis of the 2009 security suites. AV-Test [2]included the Norton Internet Security 2009 beta against 33 other suites and virus scanners. Norton Internet Security 2009 beta ranked as follows: Detected 98 percent of malware, detected 95 percent of spyware, and produced no false positives.

Features

Like most standard antivirus software, Norton AntiVirus provides real-time protection from viruses, spyware, worms, keyloggers, rootkits and many other forms of malware. The program also includes a real-time scanner.

With the implementation of its new Norton Insight in the 2009 version, it now aims to save time and performance for consumers by reducing the need for unnecessary scans.

Virus definitions

Symantec's Norton LiveUpdate provides virus definition updates, which enable Norton AntiVirus to detect viruses known to Symantec; a total of 73,939² viruses as of March 23, 2008. In order to receive updates, a valid subscription is required. An initial subscription good for one year (or 90 days for OEM copies) is included with the purchase. When a user's subscription expires, the user can still receive program updates (patches) for free but will not be able to download virus definitions updates without renewing a subscription or purchasing a new version.

The corporate edition has a client/server strategy to update virus definitions. Each workstation has LiveUpdate installed, but it is linked to a central server instead of connecting directly to Symantec. The server will download all necessary updates directly from Symantec's LiveUpdate service, then distribute those updates to the client/managed workstations. This reduces redundant updates over the organizational network.

Mac edition

The current edition for Mac is Norton AntiVirus 11.0 for Macintosh. It provides similar functionalities as its Windows counterpart. Criticism of Norton AntiVirus typically stems from its complex installation^{citation needed} (similar to criticisms of the Windows version in that respect) as well as its relatively slow speed and high cost^{citation needed}. Critics also claim other software runs faster, require less disk space, and is considered less intrusive in terms of installation.

Symantec Antivirus for Macintosh (SAM) was a discontinued edition of Norton AntiVirus for Mac OS. It was merged with the Norton line of products and is now part of the Norton Systemworks and Norton Internet Security suites. Although originally dealing with viruses on the Mac OS, its use was largely limited in later years due to the widespread use of the freeware antivirus program Disinfectant. Critics claimed that Symantec Antivirus only dealt with Windows viruses that may lie dormant while on a Mac.

Norton AntiVirus 11.0.1 for Mac competes with VirusBarrier X5, ClamXav, MacScan, and iAntivirus. On some user tests, Norton Antivirus detected all macro/windows viruses while VirusBarrier X5 only detected 6/20. However, VirusBarrier X5 can scan a 35 GB hardrive in only about thirty minutes on 10.4, while NAV 11.0 will find all the viruses but take about six hours.

Criticisms

Customer service

Retail customers report slow and indifferent service on bugs. Examples include a faulty error message that valid subscriptions have expired. ³ Users received an error that stated "Your virus protection cannot be updated." This error occurred after an update to the software and refused to allow daily updates via "Intelligent Updater."^{citation needed} Though the bug was reported in 2004, it was not corrected for the 2005 or 2006 versions. ⁴ Another example occurred in May 2007, when Norton Antivirus would remove the program file for the Pegasus e-mail client. Symantec customer service allegedly addressed the problem by running through a checklist of troubleshooting steps which were not always successful, perhaps indicating a need for a more thorough understanding of the product on the company's behalf.

Faulty Update to Norton AntiVirus 2006 Users

On July 25, 2006, Symantec released a faulty Norton AntiVirus update affecting Norton AntiVirus 2006. Many users of Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2006 (including users of Norton Internet Security 2006 and Norton SystemWorks 2006) experienced difficulties due to a faulty update sent via LiveUpdate. Users reported an onscreen message stating "Norton AntiVirus 2006 does not support the repair feature" and asking that users uninstall and reinstall the software package.

Symantec said the faulty update was downloaded to customers between 1PM and 7PM on that day. The security vendor recommended affected users either download a workaround tool or follow steps posted on their site. The company released a statement promising to "deliver a repair patch to affected users by the end of day, Monday, July 31, 2006."⁴ Symantec, however, never issued a repair patch for the problem.^{verification needed}

FBI/CIA cooperation

According to an article in The Register, Symantec's policy allows spy software (keyloggers/backdoors) of US law enforcement and intelligence agencies, such as the FBI-developed Magic Lantern, to bypass Norton's malware detection.⁵

Response to viruses

This article or section needs to be updated. Please update the article to reflect recent events or newly available information, and remove this template when finished.

In response to issues related to response time to viruses, Symantec introduced a new technology called "pulse updates" to Norton AntiVirus 2009. These updates are designed to deliver rapid updates every 5 to 15 minutes to ensure customers are kept up-to-date on threats without slowing down their computer with large updates.

Uninstallation

Norton AntiVirus has been criticized for refusing to uninstall cleanly. In response, Symantec has provided software to remove its registry keys and values and perform a cleaner uninstall.⁶

Effects on performance

The software is typically regarded as making considerable demands on resources⁷. Similar to other Norton products, Norton AntiVirus (2006 and earlier) relies on Internet Explorer's web interface, instead of using the standard GUI libraries. Any problems, security flaws, or changes to Internet Explorer have been reflected in Norton products, commonly resulting in "Script Error" messages when the user opens or uses a Norton program. Sometimes "Script Error" messages occur in the "first-time" wizard, resulting in blank wizard pages and blocking access to the program.

Symantec claims that Norton 2009 has been re-engineered for speed. Independent 3rd party test lab results (PassMark Software[3] were commissioned by the company to benchmark Symantec and top security software competitors' performance impact on key metrics).
Given that the company paid for the study, only positive results may have been published. These included: Fastest install in 52 seconds<, least working memory usage under 7MB, and fastest quick scan in 33 seconds.

Incompatibility with other software

Norton AntiVirus 2007 advises during installation that it is incompatible with popular programs ZoneAlarm and Spy Sweeper.⁸ During installation, the purchaser receives warnings that these programs are incompatible, and should be uninstalled from the system before continuing.

The incompatibility warnings have caused annoyance for Norton customers who purchased Norton AntiVirus 2007 with no warning or notice of the incompatibility ^{8 9}.

References

External links

• Free Beta Version of NAV 2009
• Symantec's page on Norton Antivirus 2009
• Symantec Homepage