Antivirus Software for 2017
Norton Review – Full Report
I don’t use Norton products on my personal home systems. Although Norton has a long history in internet security I have had poor user experiences with their installation and uninstall user interfaces. They have shown they can develop their defenses to meet the new threats but their user experience has been slow to improve in my personal view.
Protection against ransomware, which is an increasing security threat, comes with their malware and antivirus protection. They have moved their offering in 2017 to a security suite approach that adds extra complementary features to their previous antivirus focus.
Norton Features
Multi-Device options and User Support
Norton Security has three levels of subscription for non-business use, a single device subscription, a three device subscription and a five device subscription. Although not reviewed here, there are small business license packs for up to 20 devices with a pro rata charge beyond this.
Operating system Support is for the Windows operating system from XP onwards. However, on Windows 10 The Edge browser is not supported
For Mac OSX the current and two previous versions are supported. However, password management features and family and family Premier features are not supported on Macs.
On smartphones, the Android operating system 4.0.3 or later is supported but a Google play app must be installed.
iOS 8 or later are supported but note that Norton Family and Family Premier features are not supported on iOS systems.
Norton comes with 100% virus removal guarantee. Full support live 24/7 and help online or by telephone is included for all subscriptions.
Security Features
Norton antivirus has been replaced by Norton Security, an all-in-one security solution. This is a single solution that covers your computers, smart phones, and tablets with Norton’s comprehensive patented technology.
As well as the expected antivirus functions the Suite also
- recognizes risks such as such as phishing sites and unsafe social media content.
- has a password storage function
- features to keep personal information private.
- Online storage is included, with the amount of storage depending on the number of devices covered. This can be useful for online storage and backup of photos, music, and documents.
- checking to ensure applications are up to date with the latest version which is important for making sure you have security patches that protect against the most recently recognized threats.
- Performance evaluation and speed up is also offered.
- Assistance with recovery of stolen devices is also a included.
PROS +++++
- Norton Suite being in the middle price range makes it good value for the features it offers.
- Covers the full range of operating systems however some functions such as password management are limited on OSX.
- 100% virus removal guarantee however other companies are starting to adopt this approach so may be a short term advantage.
- Backup and restore features are offered which may be useful.
- Money back guarantee period is 60 days the which is the longest in its class.
CONS – – – –
- Limitations on OS X functionality compared to some other software
- Doesn’t seem to offer centralized security you protected review of protective devices
- Given the large size of current computer drives the limited online storage space allows only for backup of selected important files
- My personal experience of the usability places it below other companies
Trying Norton again
Some years ago I had some issues which led me to replace Norton with McAfee, which at that time had a more generous installation policy and more robust user interface.
I decided to try Norton again with their free trial. Trying to install on a standard Windows 10 PC got me stuck waiting on downloading to complete. There was a warning that did slide onto the screen that Norton had expired so Windows Defender was being activated. However, the Norton Downloader continued running without an explanation and required me to manually cancel it.
Norton installed on my Macbook but on uninstall put my Macbook into a black screen status. This required a restart to correct but a newbie user may have had difficulty sorting the problem, especially if they were under time pressure. On Googling, I could find no Norton or other sites addressing this issue.
Recommendation
Norton Security can be used to protect multiple devices but you need to consider the limitations of the implementations on the various systems.
Although technically very competent, in my view, more user-friendly solutions are available.
