Norton Antivirus has not found ANY spyware or viruses since subscr

[Guest]

My other spyware programs find lots of spyware but Norton has found 0 viruses
and spyware since I purchased it months ago. Any suggestions as to why?

 

[Brian A.]

I'd say because you don't have any. Or are you asking because there are other
seemingly similar past problems?

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Guest]

Hi,

Norton is a software to idenitfy viruses and not spyware. Norton not search
for spyware.

Greets,
Wolla

 

[Guest]

Let me restate this...my Norton Internet Security has found nothing in the
way of spyware/viruses since I bought it months ago. I have 2 other spyware
programs that HAVE found items. I understand that I may not have viruses, but
why would it not have found the spyware? Is it just not as good at spyware?
Thanks!

 

[Leythos]

Let me restate this...my Norton Internet Security has found nothing in the
way of spyware/viruses since I bought it months ago. I have 2 other spyware
programs that HAVE found items. I understand that I may not have viruses, but
why would it not have found the spyware? Is it just not as good at spyware?
Thanks!

Norton is not a spyware detection tool, and spyware is subjective. If
you mean keyloggers, well it will detect those, but if you mean cookies
or some questionable IE helpers, not all of them are 100% classified as
spyware.

My AV software, and I check with 5 different ones, has not detected a
virus/malware on any of my computers in years, but the anti-spyware
tools often detect tracking cookies (as I permit first person cookies).

If you are not doing anything that subjects you to malware you don't
have anything to be detected.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

My other spyware programs find lots of spyware but Norton has found 0 viruses
and spyware since I purchased it months ago. Any suggestions as to why?

1) Norton Anti-virus, properly installed, configured, and updated, is
specifically designed to prevent virus infections. The fact that it has
not detected any viruses means that, to date, you haven't been able to
install any viruses that NAV recognizes. In plain English, it's working
exactly as designed.

2) Norton Anti-virus is, as it's named clearly says, an *anti-virus*
application. It is not intended to, nor is it designed to, detect spyware.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Let me restate this...my Norton Internet Security has found nothing in the
way of spyware/viruses since I bought it months ago. I have 2 other spyware
programs that HAVE found items. I understand that I may not have viruses, but
why would it not have found the spyware?

Because it's *not* designed to do so. It is an *anti-virus* application.

Is it just not as good at spyware?

Since it's not intended to do anything about spyware, that's a given,
wouldn't you say?


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[MayDay]

Let me restate this...my Norton Internet Security [...]

Posters just don't listen, do they?

Norton Internet Security (from Norton's website)
* Detects and blocks *spyware*, viruses, and adware
* Automatically blocks intruders and identity thieves
* Automatically filters spam and dangerous phishing email
* Blocks Web sites you don’t want your children to visit
* Gives you control over all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic
* Automatically scans email and instant-message attachments and
removes viruses, Trojan horses, and worms
* Includes Norton AntiVirusâ„¢, Nortonâ„¢ Personal Firewall, Norton
Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam, and Norton Parental Control


Norton may not count cookies as spyware. Most other Anti-spyware
programs do. I would not worry about Norton anyway, many other Free
Anti-spyware programs are much better anyway.

 

[Leythos]

Let me restate this...my Norton Internet Security [...]

Posters just don't listen, do they?

Norton Internet Security (from Norton's website)
* Detects and blocks *spyware*, viruses, and adware
* Automatically blocks intruders and identity thieves
* Automatically filters spam and dangerous phishing email
* Blocks Web sites you don?t want your children to visit
* Gives you control over all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic
* Automatically scans email and instant-message attachments and
removes viruses, Trojan horses, and worms
* Includes Norton AntiVirus?, Norton? Personal Firewall, Norton
Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam, and Norton Parental Control

Actually, we do read/listen, but, again, if you've used the product you
would know to follow more than just the marketing hype. Spyware and
Adware are determined by the vendor, and Symantec is not overly
agressive with their definitions in those areas.

Norton may not count cookies as spyware. Most other Anti-spyware
programs do. I would not worry about Norton anyway, many other Free
Anti-spyware programs are much better anyway.

I've not seen any FREE AV-Antispyware products that are better, please
provide the list.

 

[LS \(V\)]

That ought to tell you something about Norton Products............
Dump it and get Spybot Search & Destroy, update it and do a full scan,
I would say you will find about 200 or more problems with it if you haven't
used anything but Norton Junk.

 

[MayDay]

Let me restate this...my Norton Internet Security [...]

Posters just don't listen, do they?

Norton Internet Security (from Norton's website)
* Detects and blocks *spyware*, viruses, and adware
* Automatically blocks intruders and identity thieves
* Automatically filters spam and dangerous phishing email
* Blocks Web sites you don?t want your children to visit
* Gives you control over all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic
* Automatically scans email and instant-message attachments and
removes viruses, Trojan horses, and worms
* Includes Norton AntiVirus?, Norton? Personal Firewall, Norton
Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam, and Norton Parental Control

Actually, we do read/listen, but, again, if you've used the product you
would know to follow more than just the marketing hype.

Just pointing out that you and Bruce kept focusing on the Anti-Virus
aspect of the software and that it is *not* antispyware. But guess
what, as crappy as it is, it *is* an antispyware program.

Spyware and

Adware are determined by the vendor, and Symantec is not overly
agressive with their definitions in those areas.

No, crap. I believe I said that. See directly below this sentence.

I've not seen any FREE AV-Antispyware products that are better, please
provide the list.

Actually LS(V) seems to agree with me. Norton is crap.
Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal (paid version will block)
Microsoft's Windows Defender (blocker and remover)
(based on GIANT Antispyware, #1 in most antispyware reviews.)
Spybot Search & Destroy (remover and blocker)

 

[Leythos]

That ought to tell you something about Norton Products............
Dump it and get Spybot Search & Destroy, update it and do a full scan,
I would say you will find about 200 or more problems with it if you haven't
used anything but Norton Junk.

Except cookes are not really a problem, so 200 cookies will not really
point to any fault of Norton.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Norton is not a spyware detection tool,

Norton is not any sort of tool. Norton is a brand name of the Symantec
Company, and Symantec makes several different products with the brand name
of Norton.

Norton Internet Security, the product he mentions, *does* include a
component called Norton Anti-spyware

To answer Palomino's question, in my view there is nothing Norton that is
good at anything. Also note what Eric Howes, who has done extensive testing
on Anti-Spyware products, states:

"No single anti-spyware scanner removes everything. Even the best-performing
anti-spyware scanner in these tests missed fully one quarter of the
"critical" files and Registry entries" See
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-guide.htm

 

[Leythos]

Palomino wrote:
Let me restate this...my Norton Internet Security [...]


Posters just don't listen, do they?

Norton Internet Security (from Norton's website)
* Detects and blocks *spyware*, viruses, and adware
* Automatically blocks intruders and identity thieves
* Automatically filters spam and dangerous phishing email
* Blocks Web sites you don?t want your children to visit
* Gives you control over all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic
* Automatically scans email and instant-message attachments and
removes viruses, Trojan horses, and worms
* Includes Norton AntiVirus?, Norton? Personal Firewall, Norton
Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam, and Norton Parental Control

Actually, we do read/listen, but, again, if you've used the product you
would know to follow more than just the marketing hype.

Just pointing out that you and Bruce kept focusing on the Anti-Virus
aspect of the software and that it is *not* antispyware. But guess
what, as crappy as it is, it *is* an antispyware program.

Spyware and

Adware are determined by the vendor, and Symantec is not overly
agressive with their definitions in those areas.

No, crap. I believe I said that. See directly below this sentence.

I've not seen any FREE AV-Antispyware products that are better, please
provide the list.

Actually LS(V) seems to agree with me.

I have no idea who/what LS is.

Norton is crap.

To general a statement.

Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal (paid version will block)

AA is not antivirus, you still need an AV product. I do like AA, and
have used it for years.

Microsoft's Windows Defender (blocker and remover)

Never trust a vendor to protect something they've proven they can't
protect.

(based on GIANT Antispyware, #1 in most antispyware reviews.)

I don't believe reviews unless I can prove they don't get funding/ad
revenue from vendors.

Spybot Search & Destroy (remover and blocker)

Very good product, use it also. It's still not an AV tool, so you still
need AV software.

Norton, although a resource pig, makes a good AV product, their
Corporate version is years ahead of their home product.

So, to suggest that the OP dump Norton is not a good suggestion. Keep
Norton and use additional tools, that's a good suggestion.

 

[MayDay]

Palomino wrote:
Let me restate this...my Norton Internet Security [...]

Posters just don't listen, do they?

Norton Internet Security (from Norton's website)
* Detects and blocks *spyware*, viruses, and adware
* Automatically blocks intruders and identity thieves
* Automatically filters spam and dangerous phishing email
* Blocks Web sites you don?t want your children to visit
* Gives you control over all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic
* Automatically scans email and instant-message attachments and
removes viruses, Trojan horses, and worms
* Includes Norton AntiVirus?, Norton? Personal Firewall, Norton
Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam, and Norton Parental Control
Actually, we do read/listen, but, again, if you've used the product you
would know to follow more than just the marketing hype.

Just pointing out that you and Bruce kept focusing on the Anti-Virus
aspect of the software and that it is *not* antispyware. But guess
what, as crappy as it is, it *is* an antispyware program.

Spyware and

Adware are determined by the vendor, and Symantec is not overly
agressive with their definitions in those areas.

No, crap. I believe I said that. See directly below this sentence.

Norton may not count cookies as spyware. Most other Anti-spyware
programs do. I would not worry about Norton anyway, many other Free
Anti-spyware programs are much better anyway.
I've not seen any FREE AV-Antispyware products that are better, please
provide the list.

Actually LS(V) seems to agree with me.

I have no idea who/what LS is.

LS(V) posted on this thread. You actually responded to one of their posts.

To general a statement.
Duh.


AA is not antivirus, you still need an AV product. I do like AA, and
have used it for years.


Never trust a vendor to protect something they've proven they can't
protect.


I don't believe reviews unless I can prove they don't get funding/ad
revenue from vendors.

for example, PCMag rated it well. Never saw a GIANT ad in their mag.
That last sentence sounds funny

Very good product, use it also. It's still not an AV tool, so you still
need AV software.

Norton, although a resource pig, makes a good AV product, their
Corporate version is years ahead of their home product.

So, to suggest that the OP dump Norton is not a good suggestion. Keep
Norton and use additional tools, that's a good suggestion.

This topic has *NOTHING* to do with AV. They can continue to use Norton
AV if they wish. (AVG Free Edition is a good Free alternative, which I
use). I agree with your last "paragraph". I didn't say to dump Norton.
I suggested not to worry about Norton's anti-spyware and to use another
tool(s), which they already are doing according to their first post.
Savvy?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Norton Internet Security (from Norton's website)
* Detects and blocks *spyware*, viruses, and adware
* Automatically blocks intruders and identity thieves
* Automatically filters spam and dangerous phishing email
* Blocks Web sites you don’t want your children to visit
* Gives you control over all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic
* Automatically scans email and instant-message attachments and
removes viruses, Trojan horses, and worms
* Includes Norton AntiVirusâ„¢, Nortonâ„¢ Personal Firewall, Norton
Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam, and Norton Parental Control

Caught me. I stopped using and/or recommending Norton Insternet
Security years ago and wasn't aware they'd added an anti-spyware
component.

That said, no single product will ever catch every instance of
ad-ware/spyware, as each product manufacturer has its own different
"definition" of each category. Therefore, while they's some overlap.
each different anti-spyware product will always present a different list
of perceived "threats."


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Leythos]

AVG Free Edition is a good Free alternative

AVG has a crappy detection rate for new malware. I've seen more systems
running AVG with Viruses or Trojans installed than any other commercial
AV tool on the market.

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

Hi,

Norton is a software to idenitfy viruses and not spyware. Norton not
search
for spyware.

Greets,
Wolla

Norton *DOES* scan for spyware. Time to update your databank.

Bobby

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

Once again, Norton 2006 products *DO* scan for spyware.

Bobby

 

[Leythos]

Once again, Norton 2006 products *DO* scan for spyware.

I understand that they come with spyware detection tools, but, in my
experience with them, they are not anywhere near as aggressive as
others, and that is reason enough to ignore that single function.