Windows7How

Norton AntiVirus 2009

November 30, 2009

When using a Microsoft operating system (OS) of any version, it is always a good idea to have an antivirus installed and continually updated against new threats. Even Apple is starting to see computer viruses targeted at them and Windows 7 will be on their list since it is now released to the public. No matter what Service Packs, Security Updates or other fixes and patches Microsoft releases, none will catch every potential weakness in the OS. There are simply too many smart people out there working very hard to turn that weakness into a point of exploitation for a virus. Just like the good people working for the antivirus companies, the people working to infect your computer are always hard at work. So, in light of this knowledge, you can already tell how important an antivirus application is to your computing life.

One of the best – if not the ultimate – antivirus applications available is Symantec’s Norton Antivirus 2009. It is a full-featured antivirus and antispyware Windows-compatible product. It has just about every feature that you will need to protect your computer. However, it does have some shortcomings; it can cause some resource usage issues, which can cause your system to run slow or even have it freeze up on occasion. First, though, let’s look at what is good about Norton Antivirus.

It does have perhaps the industry’s best virus and file scanning engines, which means that it can search every bit of data on your system’s hard drive. That is useful considering where viruses and spyware likes to reside – in the most unsuspecting files. One of the better parts of installing Norton on your system is how easy it is to use. The layout is very intuitive and its functionality is what just about any user would expect. Even the default settings when installed are sufficient to protect your system from damage, so there is no need to customize its operation. The icon integrates itself on the Taskbar very well making a quick look at it all that you need to assess your status.

Norton Antivirus 2009 is VB100%, W.C.L. 1 & 2 certified, and ICSA certified. This is important to you, the user, since it means that the antivirus has been tested at 3 independent labs. The labs tested it against all known viruses and Norton found every single one and removed it. When it comes to viruses, Norton Antivirus 2009 has everything you need to keep your computer running and free from infection.

One area it does need improvement, though, is with spyware. Spyware, as you probably know, is a type of computer virus which stays on your system and records certain data (credit card numbers, passwords, etc.) and sends it back to its creator (usually). Norton Antivirus 2009 does not have the ability to find and remove it – at least, Norton is very limited in what it can do.

Here is also where the other shortcomings come to light. Norton Antivirus 2009 eats computer resources; it will slow down your PC and use your spare memory to do its work. This is an area where Symantec has improved, though, as it is less likely to lock-up the system and force a reboot like some other versions.

Now, let’s look to the other features of the Norton product. It has a great updating feature which can update your virus protection every 5 to 15 minutes. That way, even the latest viruses are covered by the application. Norton will also protect you through your IM applications; AIM, MSN, Trillian and Yahoo are all covered. It even allows you to lock down changes to the Norton settings so that no one else can change them. Even the install is a painless affair now, which takes much less time to install than previous versions.

An important aspect of any antivirus application is the support. When your computer is having serious issues and you want to get help, support could become a life-line. Symantec’s Norton Antivirus 2009 has the same support that it has always had – very slow. They do have free e-mail, live online chat and phone support, but you will wait at least 30 minutes for the phone support to help you there. And, you must have Internet Explorer installed to use the Live Chat. Even with IE installed, you may have to wait 20 or more minutes for a representative to work with you in Live Chat. This is one area which all antivirus companies need to improve – support is an underserved feature of the antivirus world.

In summary, Norton Antivirus 2009 is a great product for protecting your computer from the evil world of viruses. In fact, it has some very high ratings in that area from many different sources. However, you will need another application to stop spyware from setting up shop on your PC – but, many are freely available and work very well. And, it will also cost you some system resources, meaning that it will slow down your computer a little while in use. There is an easy workaround for that, though. Simply schedule the antivirus to run when you are not using your system. Norton Antivirus 2009 is not perfect, by any means, but it does protect your valuable system from intrusive viruses which may turn your computer hard drive into a paperweight. Look around and you will find many good prices on this antivirus from Symantec.

Filed under: software

Tags: adware, antivirus, antivirus software, malware, msn, norton, norton antivirus, spyware, symantec, trojan, virus, windows 7