Whilst it’s likely that you’ll never get anything nefarious on your machine, if you do wind up with a virus, they are a pain to deal with. Everybody really needs to be running some form of anti-virus software on their computers. Security is your basic antivirus protection. Norton Security has four main modules: Security, Internet Security, Backup and Performance. Symantec have been in this game for a long time and as a result the software offers a pretty intuitive customer experience. The default options will be fine for 99% of users. Whereas in the past switching off or toning down modules resulted in an annoying red mark in your system tray, I had Norton running silently in the background doing exactly what I wanted it to do without pestering me. But, if you know what you are doing, you can configure Norton Security to be a very inconspicuous bit of protection working silently in the background without nagging you all the time. The rule of thumb I’d use is that unless you know what the setting means, you probably need to leave it enabled. The options, themselves, are rather complicated, but it’s a complicated bit of software. Rather than act like a mindless doorman blindly following order set by the developers, Norton Security has a comprehensive set of options that allows competent individuals to enjoy the benefits of the software without being treated like a child. But even a seasoned Internet adventurer like myself likes a degree of protection. But, the folks at Norton understand that there are those of use that like to walk on the wild side. Yes, you can crank the protection all the way up to eleven and have the software standing over you ready to dispense discipline the moment you step out of line, if that’s your bag. Norton Security departs from your normal hand-holding, in-your-face internet security package. Like a nagging over-protective, but well-meaning, friend your average anti-virus software is constantly trying to second guess you, positive that you’ve forgotten to hand control of your PC over to it and warning you of the dire consequences if you don’t. You see, they all assume that I’m your elderly mum and that I don’t know what I’m doing. And this is where, for me, most commercial anti-virus suites fail. Or course, the price of security is the loss of freedom. N orton Security will idiot-proof a PC against even the most technologically inept internet user. If you’ve got parents, however, who are forever signing up to whatever phishing scheme that comes their way, forgetting passwords all the time, or using “password” as their password, installing Norton Security will likely stop those annoying telephone calls that start “I think I’ve got a virus”. It’s just that the likes of Norton Security offer such a comprehensive suite of security applications, most of which I don’t want or need anywhere near my PC. ![]() I’d trust Norton for my anti-virus needs over any of those freemium security packages any day. For better or for worse, Symantec’s Norton Security is one of those packages.ĭon’t get me wrong, I consider Symantec to have one of the most robust anti-virus engines out there. Most commercial anti-virus and internet security packages offer an extensive number of extras ranging from the useful to downright disruptive. Only then does it leap into action, hopefully letting me know before it buggers up my PC in the name of security. My ideal anti-virus software is something that sits in the background, keeping itself to itself until something iffy comes along. Sometimes inconvenient, but an essential insurance against a potentially worse outcome. Antivirus software, like airport security is a necessary evil.
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