Please see my previous thread entitled "Slow Right Click Response and Slow Opening of Office Docs" which explains the likely source of this problem in more detail. Also, following is an excerpt from another email that I sent regarding this issue:
We encountered a serious problem involving extremely slow response on all of our computer systems starting sometime yesterday (Wednesday, January 8, 2004). Upon further investigation via newsgroups and after a couple of calls to Symantec (publisher of Norton System Works and Norton AntiVirus), we have found that the same problem is affecting thousands and perhaps millions of other users who are using Norton AntiVirus.
The problem is triggered by allowing Norton's LiveUpdate module to download the latest virus definitions update. Apparantly this virus definitions update contains an expired Verisign security certificate, which is the root cause of the problem. Symantec representatives indicated they are working to resolve this problem, and that additional information and/or a fix will be provided through their web site as soon as possible. In the meantime, their suggested work-around is to open Internet Explorer, select Tools->Internet Options from the menu, click on the Advanced tab, then scroll down the list and uncheck the "Check for publisher's certificate revocation" option. Obviously, this is a less than desirable and only temporary workaround, since unchecking the aforementioned option will open a potential security loophole.
While attempting to research this problem, I tried to reach Symantec via their 800 number, and was unable to get through after multiple attempts over an hour. I made 2 subsequent calls via Symantec's 900 toll call support line, and also requested a refund of my phone charges since this problem obviously resulted from flawed Symantec software and not any fault of my own. The rep that I initiallly spoke with indicated that Symantec could not issue any refund for calls on the 900 line. I requested to speak with a supervisor, and they said they would call back within three days to discuss my complaint further.
In my mind, the appearance of this problem raises serious questions regarding Symantec's credibility as a vendor of computer security products. There should have been absolutely NO way that one of their virus updates could have made it out the door with an expired security certificate. That seems like an *obvious* problem which ought to have been detected before sending out the update by any competent security software provider.
