*NEW!*
Norton AnviVirus 2010
Norton AntiVirus 2010 is somewhat of an improvement over last year's version, but there's still some room to grow.
We're glad to see a few solid improvements in real-time protection, faster definition updates, and good Instant Messaging protection.
IMPROVED FEATURES
Good real-time protection
Fast definition updates
Better IM protection
The user interface is usable, but might be too complicated for the average user.
Their resource usage is better, but still an issue this year. And the spyware/adware protection was far less than impressive.
Norton's email antivirus protection was average and not as directly active as it should be. But overall, Norton AntiVirus 2010 holds a solid place in the "average" range.
There's enough to love for loyal users, and better antivirus software than in 2009 for new users.
Norton AnviVirus 2010 Features
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- Real-time Protection
Scans and monitors your system in real-time against viruses, spyware, adware, and other malware threats. Rest easy knowing your PC is protected 24/7.
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- Spyware Removal
Protects against spyware and adware threats. Locates, cleans, and deletes spyware and adware already on your PC.
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- Email Protection
Keeps viruses and malicious files out of your inbox. Scans incoming and outgoing emails for suspicious links and software.
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- Instant Messaging Protection
Protects against suspicious file transfers that attempt to come through your Instant Messaging conversations. Helps block unwanted IM intruders
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- Network Security Map
Helps to identify hidden threats by monitoring all network activity.
Norton AntiVirus 2010 Assessment
Here we've listed a breakdown of each category we've tested for Norton AntiVirus Software 2010. Each category was given a percentage rating based on those tests.
Antivirus Installation: 100%
With an instant download, installation was very fast and easy. It only took about 3 min to download.
A typical install wizard will take you through each step of the process. Then just enter your license key and that's it.
The most current definitions will be automatically downloaded to get your software up to speed fast.
Total download and installation time was around 6 min, which is one of the fastest total antivirus software installation times we tested.
Un-installation: 90%
If you ever need to uninstall Norton AntiVirus, they make it easy with a clean and relatively fast un-installation.
If you ever need to re-install the antivirus software, Norton will save your settings just in case. If not, you can still uninstall the software through their self uninstall, or through Windows' ADD/REMOVE Programs section.
The Parental Controls feature will need to be separately uninstalled. And, you'll need to do a final reboot to complete un-installation.
A few harmless registry keys are left behind, but they shouldn't interfere with any processes. We'd prefer a much cleaner and simpler un-installation, but it gets the job done.
Total uninstall time was about 4 min.
User Interface: 85%
The UI (user interface) is simple enough for novice users, but in-depth enough for more advanced users. While there's a lot of ground to cover in the UI, most users can simply rely on Norton's default settings and still feel fully covered.
However, some users may find the number of settings and options to be daunting.
Help links and information links are thoroughly available, but it requires some patience to navigate. For some, the depth of setting options will be a welcome addition.
For others, this kind of depth will be too complicated and frustrating.
Either way, it's still highly usable at either the default stage, or the more advanced stage.
Real-time Protection: 93%
Norton's real-time protection did very well in our tests. It was fast, responsive, and blocked the majority of malicious threats that we tested.
85% of the viruses and other malware samples we tested were successfully blocked in real-time.
Only an average of about 16MB of memory was used during real-time idle running. A performance meter is also included on the main control panel that allows you to track current and lifetime CPU and Memory usage.
A handy feature that shows Norton is taking overall system performance seriously in 2010.
Manual Scan: 85%
Norton's full-system scan detected and removed about 85% of all malware we tested. Even malicious files that were already on the PC, but had not yet infected the system, were detected and removed.
A new feature called "Insight Technology" uses web-based virus definitions instead of database definitions to keep your PC current.
Theoretically, this should fight viruses and malware more efficient; however, this feature only works during a quick scan.
Email scanning and full-system scans do not utilize this technology yet. We'll be watching Norton closely to see if they can expand this feature next year.
A full-system, manual scan took only about 50 min.
Resource Usage: 85%
CPU usage was relatively low, coming in under 5% and only rose to 25% when removing threatening virus files during real-time protection. Overall memory usage was about 16MB.
During a full system scan, the CPU nearly maxed out at 90%. Memory usage during a full scan was around 130MB.
We're glad to see that real-time protection resource usage was low and acceptable. However, full system scanning was far too high at 90%.
This imbalance is concerning, especially if you're trying to use your computer while the system is being scanned.
Spyware/Adware Protection: 79%
Norton's antispyware and adware protection was not as good as it could be.
Only 60% of the spyware we tested was removed, though it should be noted that the more dangerous spyware programs were all successfully deleted.
The remaining files that were not removed were programs that had a legitimate value, but could be interpreted as spyware (in other words, Norton couldn't make a clear-cut distinction with some programs).
It should also be noted that only 25% of all antivirus programs we tested removed these undefined items.
Only about 60% of pre-existing spyware/adware was detected and either quarantined or removed. The remaining spyware that Norton couldn't completely remove replicated itself each time.
Norton needs to improve their anti-spyware component.
Pre-infected Machine: 75%
We infected our testing PC with viruses, spyware and malware, then installed Norton AntiVirus 2010 to see how it would handle the pre-existing threats.
Strangely all dormant malicious files were successfully removed, but any virus or spyware that was currently running was not removed. These files could only be permanently deleted during a manual scan.
Approximately 85% of all spyware, viruses, and malware were deleted from our pre-infected computer. Not a bad result, but Norton should be able to detect pre-existing threats much better than that.
Email Protection: 80%
Email antivirus and malware protection was average. POP and SMTP clients are supported along with Outlook Express and Outlook.
Norton's antivirus engine scans any file that attempts to access your computer whether it comes through your email or a web page. So, the end results is that all files are actively scanned by the time they reach your PC.
Incoming and outgoing emails are both scanned and either can be disabled if needed.
Webmail is not supported directly, but since all files are scanned as part of the whole antivirus protection, webmail is essentially protected indirectly.
For malware that slipped through the email filters, it was eventually blocked or correctly identified by Norton.
IM Protection: 94%
Instant Messaging (IM) protection tested very well. All malicious files attempting to transfer via Instant Message were successfully blocked.
MSN, Yahoo, AIM, and Trillian are all supported.
Your IM clients will automatically be detected by Norton AntiVirus for immediate protection.
Antivirus Definition Updates: 97%
Definition updates are typically available every 3-15 minutes. Norton uses a technology they call "Pulse updates" every few minutes, with larger updates available several times a day.
The Pulse updates are meant to be faster and warn of up-to-the-minute threats that "might" be dangerous but haven't been officially analyzed yet.
Norton says the Pulse updates are tested, but have not been fully confirmed. The full updates are fully tested and confirmed and will include the Pulse updates.
The bottom line is that these Pulse updates are a step in the right direction.
Customer Support: 87%
Norton AntiVirus 2010
Premium Support Pricing1,2 |
| Service |
Price |
| Virus & Spyware Removal |
$99.99 |
| PC Power Boost Service |
$69.99 |
| Expert Installation Service |
$39.99 |
1 Pricing current as of the writing of this review and subject to change by the antivirus manufacturer without notice.
2 Premium support is available 24 x 7. |
The Control Panel offers help pages and tutorials directly. However, the tutorials don't offer much more than basic information.
If you need further assistance, you can click the "Get support" link which runs a self-diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is complete, you can then contact Norton through chat, email, or phone 24/7.
Direct technical support options are fairly easy to find, but you'll need to take a few steps to find them. Chat, email, and phone support are all free.
If you need a representative from Norton to remove a remove a virus or perform an installation, premium charges will apply. Even if this is a paid support option, it's a nice thing to have and not one all antivirus software vendors offer.
Overall, Norton's customer and technical support is sufficient, but we'd like to see easier access to phone and email support.
Norton AntiVirus 2010
Review Conclusions
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Norton AntiVirus 2010 Scores
|
|
Antivirus
|
$39.99
|
| Overall Internet Security Protection |
90 |
| Real-time Security Protection |
93 |
| Manual Antivirus Scanning |
85 |
| Resource Utlization |
85 |
| Virus Removal (Pre-infected Machine) |
75 |
| Antivirus Definition Updates |
97 |
|
Additional Internet Security Features
|
| Spyware/Adware Protection |
79 |
| Email Protection |
80 |
| Anti-Spam Protection |
* |
| Firewall Software |
* |
| Parental Controls Software |
* |
| IM/Instant Message Protection |
94 |
| Anti-Phishing Protection |
* |
|
Other Software Ratings
|
| Installation |
100 |
| Un-installation |
90 |
| User Interface |
85 |
| Customer Technical Support |
87 |
|
* These features are available only in
Norton Internet Security 2010.
Overall, Norton AntiVirus 2010 is a considerably better product than Norton AntiVirus 2009 was.
Norton's been able to reduce their resource footprint over past years' efforts quite a bit, making for a less bloated antivirus software. However, there were some peaks where resource usage was a little too high.
For core antivirus protection, Norton does an adequate job at protecting your PC from viruses and more dangerous malware, but spyware and adware protection didn't stand up well to our tests.
- Better resource usage
- Average antivirus protection
- Poor spyware and adware protection
- Thorough user interface
We like the detail and advanced level of control the user interface offers, but it may be too overwhelming for most users who just want to set-it and forget-it.
With average email protection, adequate antivirus protection, and poor spyware/adware protection, Norton AntiVirus 2010 can only be considered average this year.
We hope they focus more on these core features next year to improve their standing in today's competitive market.
Norton AntiVirus 2010
XP System Requirements
|
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or higher.
Mozilla Firefox 3 or higher
CD-ROM drive (NOT required for installation via the Internet)
|
| Software
|
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
(Service Pack 2 - 32-bit only)
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
(Service Pack 2 - 32-bit only)
|
| Processor/CPU
|
Intel Pentium processor 300 MHz or faster (or compatible)
|
| System Memory/RAM
|
256 MB
|
| Free Disk Space
|
200 MB
|
| Email
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- All POP3 and SMTP supported clients
- Microsoft Outlook 2002 or later
- Microsoft Outlook Express 6 or later
- Windows Mail
- (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, and other webmail not supported)
|
| Instant Messaging
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- Yahoo! Messenger
- MSN Messenger
- Trillian
- AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)
|
Norton AntiVirus 2010
Windows 7 / Vista System Requirements
|
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or higher.
Mozilla Firefox 3 or higher
CD-ROM drive (NOT required for installation via the Internet)
|
Software
(32/64 bit)
|
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
Microsoft Windows Vista Business
Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise
Windows 7
|
| Processor/CPU
|
Intel Pentium processor 300 MHz or faster
32 bit (x86)/64 bit (x64)[or compatible]
|
| System Memory/RAM
|
256 MB
|
| Free Disk Space
|
200 MB
|
| Email
|
- All POP3 and SMTP supported clients
- Microsoft Outlook 2002 or later
- Microsoft Outlook Express 6 or later
- Windows Mail
- (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, and other webmail not supported)
|
| Instant Messaging
|
- Yahoo! Messenger
- MSN Messenger
- Trillian
- AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)
|
