History & Development of Norton AntiVirus
Distributed by Symantec, Norton Anti-Virus is an antivirus software that provides the removal and prevention of viruses, spyware, adware and other possible risks to computers during a subscription period. The software functions by identifying viruses using signatures and heuristics . Other features such as e-mail spam filtering and phishing protection are also included.
The NAV was first released in 1990, developed by Peter Tippett. Originally, it was called “Vaccine” but was renamed Norton Anti-Virus when sold to Symantec. Norton certainly had come a long way since that time period.
Symantec created a product activation key beginning with its Norton Anti-Virus 2004 product. This compels users to enter an alphanumeric code to activate the product, rendering the 3.6 million Norton counterfeit products useless.
Norton products began searching for spyware and malware beginning with its 2005 version, labeled “Antispyware Edition.” However, this name was dropped in future editions.
A great feature that was introduced by Norton over the past few years is for users to upgrade their existing antivirus products without having to buy a new subscription. Norton Anti-Virus 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 users can upgrade to the 2010 version for the remainder of their subscription, saving some money in the process, which is always good!
Version 2006 received 2 main criticisms: Norton Protection Center attempted to advertise other products, and it used up a lot of resources. Symantec tried to fix that problem with Version 2007; however, it still wasn't perfect. Some users were affected by the fact that compatibility with Windows 2000 dropped.
Version 2008 introduced real-time exploit protection, resulting in less chance for hackers to take advantage of common browser and application vulnerabilities. Three hundred changes were made for Version 2009 in attempt to further reduce system utilization. Symantec funded a benchmark test to show that this version installs in just forty-seven seconds and has a thirty-two second scan time. Although updates for this version are not tested by Symantec and may have errors. Additionally, Symantec removed the exploit protection from this version.
As mentioned above, Symantec decided to release a “Classic” edition of Version 2009, one that does not scan for malware. They also released a “Gaming” version as well, to allow users greater control of when Symantec downloads product updates.
In Version 2010, SONAR 2 was introduced and allows it to use more information to determine if an application is truly harmful to the computer. Windows 7 support was also released with this version. Version 2011 Beta came out on April 21, 2010. It had a new user interface and improved scanning for malware on Internet sites.
From the rapid growth of Norton, it is certain that the function and efficiency of the software will improve greatly.
By: Yuchen Zhu
References
1. “History of Norton AntiVirus.” (2011): n. pag. Web. 4 Jan 2011.