Gen Digital has acquired other leading antivirus providers, including Avast, Avira, and AVG. Despite the merger, these brands will continue to operate separately. Norton is an antivirus program currently known by multiple names, such as Norton 360 and Norton Security Suite. It’s available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS and can therefore protect all your devices. We thoroughly tested the Norton Security Suite and compared it with its competitors, such as McAfee and Kaspersky, to see if it’s worth buying. Keep reading below for our full Norton AntiVirus review, which covers Norton’s features, pricing, ease of use, and more.
Norton 360 AntiVirus Short Review
We routinely test new and existing antivirus solutions, so we can confidently say that the Norton 360 Security Suite is the best antivirus software currently available on the market. It has a track record of consistent and constant protection against various security threats, as reflected in near-perfect scores across different test metrics. Not stopping there, in the past three decades, Norton has delivered a host of fine-tuned security apps. These include a VPN (Virtual Private Network), a password manager, and a cloud backup service. Each app adds further value to the Norton 360 AntiVirus Suite. Both beginners and advanced users will be able to navigate the well-designed user interface. Whether you’re on desktop or mobile, Norton makes it easy to use the full suite of security features, as well as any additional apps you choose. Any problems that arise can be resolved swiftly by contacting Norton’s customer service, which is available 24/7 via live chat. For our Norton 360 review, we tried out Norton 360 with LifeLock Select, which is priced at $99.99 for the first year. Though a little on the expensive side, we felt the price was fair when considering the litany of features that Norton 360 offers. You can discover the latest offers on Norton AntiVirus using the button below. Otherwise, check out our full Norton AntiVirus review for a detailed breakdown.
Norton AntiVirus Specifications and Subscriptions
Norton offers a fairly wide selection of packages at different price points. Norton AntiVirus Plus is the most basic of the bunch and offers the minimum security features we’d typically see in an antivirus. On the other hand, Norton 360 Deluxe packs some useful additional apps that create a fairly comprehensive security suite. At $49.99 for the first year, it can be a little pricey for first-time users. The Norton 360 Standard plan should suit most users. It has the benefit of including a VPN in case you don’t already have one. You’ll also get some “free” cloud storage and access to the password manager. While Norton Secure VPN isn’t the best VPN, it’s a better option than being unprotected. Norton 360 with LifeLock Ultimate Plus is a good option for those who require additional privacy, data protection, and investment-related features. While it’s very expensive, it offers some incredible features, such as bank and credit card alerts as well as fictitious identity monitoring. If you’re on the fence, the table below might help you decide which subscription plan to choose. To make the comparison simple, we’ve laid out each package side by side and indicated which features they include.
Security: Can Norton 360 Be Trusted?
Norton 360 comes with a ton of security features. The sheer variety of protection on offer means that you can pick and choose the ones that you need for your specific lifestyle. We should also note that Norton AntiVirus backs up its security claims with impressive results:
Norton secured 100% virus detection in tests from SeaLabs and tests from AV-TEST. It won the prestigious Advanced+ Malware Protection Award from AV-Comparatives in March 2022 and the Advanced+ Performance Award in April 2022. Norton lost a star in the AV-Comparatives test in the July-October 2022 Real-World Protection test owing to significant false positives. The provider offers an industry-leading array of security options, ranging from real-time threat protection to identity theft monitoring, many of which are absent in competitor products.
Security testing: How does Norton 360 measure up?
At the core of antivirus software is its ability to guard your devices against malicious software threats. Norton has a long history of offering robust protection against viruses, malware, phishing, and other cyber threats. Norton achieved a perfect score on the Jan-Feb 2022 AV Tests, emerging as the top antivirus software for Windows. This is an achievement that was repeated in the Nov-Dec 2022 tests. Impressively, it was the only antivirus to achieve 100% virus detection across tests, such as AV-TEST and SeaLabs as well. This compares favorably even to market leaders such as Kaspersky Labs. We also noted the following:
With a single exception, AV Tests has awarded Norton perfect marks for protection, performance, and usability since October 2018. At the end of 2022, AV Tests awarded Norton LifeLock a top-rated Gold award for the Malware Protection category.
Our tests revealed that the Norton 360 AntiVirus works equally well on macOS, which puts it a notch above its competitor, McAfee. Let’s have a closer look at some of Norton 360’s key security features.
Real-time threat protection
Real-time protection is perhaps the most vital aspect of any antivirus — and Norton 360 delivers well. We found this app to be lightweight and easy to understand. Along with a massive malware directory, it uses heuristics and machine learning to monitor online threats and keep your devices safe from all kinds of malware, viruses, and ransomware. Heuristics analyzes new files and compares them against the code of known malware. This way, the software can flag potentially unsafe files containing similar code that might try to disguise themselves as safe applications. Machine learning inspects the behavior of files, identifying actions and source code similar to known malware files. Using this, the Norton 360 antivirus can block or flag a malware file that tries to:
Embed itself in your root files, where it can be hard to get rid of Encrypt your system files, allowing, for example, ransomware attacks Connect to your Wi-Fi network, potentially infecting other connected devices
As such, it can even bust zero-day threats that have not yet been added to malware directories.
Norton 360 virus scans
Like most antivirus solutions, Norton 360 gave us three options to scan for malware on our devices: The app also allowed us to set up scheduled scans to ensure that Norton 360 would check the system at regular intervals. It’s easy to forget to scan your system regularly, so this feature will ensure you’re not left exposed. Here’s a quick guide on how to schedule a scan with Norton 360: We actually completed the above process twice because when you hit “Save,” nothing happens. The window closes, and there’s no confirmation. Norton AntiVirus could improve this area by at least adding some kind of dialog box to confirm your scan has been saved.
Norton Safe Web extension
You can get the optional Norton Safe Web extension for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. We recommend adding this browser extension because it protects you when browsing, shopping, or searching online. It does so by verifying that you’re visiting a secure website. Specifically, it will keep you safe by placing colored icons next to each search result. Here are the color codes and what they mean:
Green: A site is perfectly safe to visit Grey: An unknown URL that Norton holds no data on (the software advises against visiting) Yellow: A potential risk, something Norton calls “annoyance factors” (like installing unwanted extensions without permission) Red: A dangerous site (back out immediately, as you could risk a malware infection)
You can even click the colored icons for more details about the site. What we found most useful is that this system works for Facebook, Twitter, and web-based emails too. That is, the extension highlights any risky links in red to alert you. This is done in a non-obtrusive way so that it doesn’t hamper your user experience. The Safe Web extension also includes Norton 360’s Isolation Mode. This lets you safely visit a potentially risky site by loading the web page within a confined sandbox on Norton’s server. Still, unless you have a very good reason to do so, we advise against interacting with risky websites. To further prevent vulnerabilities, all financial sites open in Isolation Mode to keep your data protected.
Norton Smart Firewall
Norton 360 offers a smart firewall — yes, there is a difference between a firewall and an antivirus! The Norton Smart Firewall monitors the network traffic sent and received on your computer to protect against unwanted communication. It offers four main options, namely app blocking, connection blocking, vulnerability protection, and location awareness. These help keep your system safe from intrusion attacks. Depending on your settings, the Norton 360 antivirus will alert you and ask for permission to allow certain apps or processes. Here’s an example of an alert we saw when app blocking was enabled in the firewall settings on our MacBook Pro: Norton 360’s vulnerability assessment feature was a particular point of interest for us. It identifies any weaknesses in your system that cybercriminals could take advantage of, such as an outdated operating system, suspicious apps on your computer, or weak passwords. It also offers recommendations to help fix the problems so that you can maximize your security and stay alert. For example, creating more secure passwords or removing potentially unwanted programs, like adware. Our tests revealed that the Norton AntiVirus firewall performs well and does what it says on both Windows and Mac.
Norton Password Manager
This is another useful feature of the Norton 360 Security Suite. A password manager offers peace of mind and convenience because you only need to remember one password to access all your online accounts. What’s more, it helps you create more secure passwords that can ward off hackers. Norton Password Manager will assess your passwords and guide you through creating stronger ones when appropriate. The Norton Password Manager works as a web extension on your computer and as an app on iOS and Android. We also appreciated that it’s a free tool, so you can use it without subscribing to a Norton 360 plan. However, it doesn’t currently sit on our list of the best free password managers. During our Norton 360 review, we found that the software makes it a breeze to quickly fill in login credentials on the web. It was also simple to save new passwords in our secure vault and sync them across our Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices. In addition to login credentials, you can use the password manager to save credit card information, addresses you want to keep safe, and private notes.
Norton Secure VPN
A VPN is essential for browsing the net anonymously by preventing companies, websites, and governments from tracking you. It also encrypts your data to make you less vulnerable to attacks from hackers and other cybercriminals. Norton’s Secure VPN does not require any additional downloads. You simply access it from within the Norton 360 app dashboard on Windows or Mac. When you turn it on, it automatically connects to the fastest server available. Of course, you can also select a server manually. This comes in handy when you want to access content restricted to a specific country. For instance, we connected to a U.S. server in order to access American Netflix. When we tested Norton Secure, the VPN offered strong speeds. Distant servers performed worse, but the results were still good enough for day-to-day browsing and streaming. As a bonus, it also blocks ads to enhance your browsing experience. However, if you’re looking for robust protection and security, it’s not our best VPN. If you’re interested in what else is out there, check out the current industry leader, NordVPN.
Cloud Backup (for PC)
This is one of the unique features of Norton AntiVirus, as many providers do not include cloud storage in their packages. You can store all your important documents and files securely — and then access them from any device, plus recover them in case anything happens to your computer. Norton Cloud Backup is only available for PCs at the moment, with no news yet about when it’s coming for Mac. The feature is a good measure to keep your files safe from ransomware. Hackers use ransomware to remotely encrypt your files, and then they demand payment from you before they restore your data. So, backing up on the cloud is vital to staying safe from ransomware threats. This feature is easy to set up, and you can select which files or folders to back up. You can also schedule backups to reduce manual effort. These scheduled, automatic backups occur when you’re not using your computer so that the process doesn’t slow down your system while you’re using it. Along with cloud backup, we would have liked to see an option for file encryption to add a layer of security to sensitive documents. Moreover, Norton 360 does not offer a file shredder either, which would have helped its appeal as a complete security suite.
SafeCam (for PC)
The webcam on your computer can be a potential security risk because cybercriminals can use spyware to capture photos and videos of you without your knowledge. These can then be used to blackmail you. Norton’s SafeCam is a handy feature to combat this threat. It blocks unauthorized access to your webcam by alerting you when an app tries to access the camera. However, it’s again only available on Windows and not Mac. We appreciate that this feature is smart and unobtrusive as it automatically allows safe apps — such as video conferencing apps — to access the camera when needed. As such, you don’t need to see alerts and allow access repeatedly.
Privacy Monitor
Norton 360’s Privacy Monitor helps check if your private information, such as phone number, birth date, and address, is easily available online. It scans common sites to find your information and helps you opt out wherever possible. This is important from a security and identity theft protection point of view. For instance, you might use information like your birthdate or your partner’s name as part of your passwords. If such information is readily available online, it becomes easier for hackers to log into your online accounts. Moreover, fraudsters can use publicly available information about you to commit identity theft. Therefore, Norton’s Privacy Monitor offers insights into how you can delete your publicly available information and protect your identity online.
Dark Web Monitoring
Similar to the Privacy Monitor, Norton’s Dark Web Monitoring feature alerts you if any of your information — such as bank account numbers, credit card details, phone numbers, addresses, etc. — has been compromised on the dark web. You need to sign into the Dark Web Monitoring section of Norton’s website using your Deluxe or Premium account. It searches as far back as 2008 to tell you if your details are being used on dark websites or forums.
Parental controls and School Time
Norton AntiVirus is a great choice for families because it offers some pretty good parental controls through the Norton Family app. To set this up, you need to log in to your account on the Norton website and select the “Parental Control” section. You’ll then be guided to add accounts for children and set up different rules for each child. There are four levels of restrictions to choose from based on different age groups. You’ll need to install the Norton Family app on your children’s devices, and then you’ll be alerted when inappropriate websites are accessed. Additionally, Norton AntiVirus recently added the School Time feature to help your child focus on learning by only allowing access to whitelisted websites and categories during specific hours. This is a nifty feature that aids remote learning. We tested out Norton Family, and it successfully restricted access to adult websites. It also prevented adult content from appearing in Google search results.
100% Virus Protection Promise
When you opt for an automatically-renewing Norton subscription, you benefit from its Virus Protection Promise. This means that if a Norton expert cannot remove a virus from your device, you may be eligible for a refund. The amount refunded would be based on the actual price you paid for the current term of your qualifying subscription. Some terms and conditions apply to this guarantee, but it’s a pretty reassuring benefit.
LifeLock identity theft protection and credit monitoring
For users in the U.S., Norton 360 with LifeLock Select offers identity theft protection of up to $1 million. It also includes credit monitoring to keep an eye on your credit score and be alerted if anybody is using fraudulent accounts in your name. Norton and LifeLock’s U.S.-based teams help resolve identity theft issues and other related problems.
Privacy: How Does Norton 360 Handle Your Data?
The privacy features Norton 360 offers help set it apart from other competitors. Collectively the different apps provide robust privacy protection, which is why we gave Norton an 8/10 for privacy in this Norton AntiVirus review. Some highlights are:
Apps such as a VPN and dark web monitor help secure information and data. Though Norton AntiVirus does collect user information, it is not shared with third parties without consent. IP and geolocation are collected but not stored. Norton has a robust VPN no-logging policy.
Norton’s privacy policy
Norton has an extensive section on its website explaining its privacy policy and how user data is handled. Technically, Norton has 19 privacy policies covering its full range of apps. That makes it one of the more difficult privacy policies to digest among the antivirus providers we’ve reviewed. Overall, Norton collects information about you, but it does not share this with third parties without your consent. Still, the company gathers a pretty large range of data, depending on the apps you choose to use. Here’s a quick rundown.
Name and contact information Credit card and payment data IP address (not stored) Child’s geolocation (when permitted and enabled by a parent) Browser history and browsing activity (when using Norton AntiTrack or Safe Web) System configurations (including installed programs and active processes) Social security number and other government-issued documents (to verify your identity and protect it) Credit scores and reports (when using LifeLock/Identity Advisor) Geolocation data
The more data you provide, the more information Norton will potentially have access to. Certain products request and may collect data such as gender, physical addresses, child profile information, and more. Given the January 2023 data breach, you’d be wise to consider the extent of the data you store. While Norton is a successful and long-running provider with a good track record, no antivirus provider is immune to security breaches.
Norton AntiVirus data breach
As part of our Norton AntiVirus review, we looked into whether Norton has had any notable security breaches. Unfortunately, in January 2023, Norton LifeLock started informing customers that hackers had cracked into a number of Norton Password Manager accounts. Norton discovered that stolen credentials had been sold on the dark web after an unusual spate of failed login attempts early in December 2022. We dove a little deeper into the details of this serious attack, in which customers’ usernames and passwords were stolen. In addition to credentials, Norton warned that hackers may have also accessed the following:
First names Last names Addresses Email addresses Potentially, details stored in private vaults
From what we can ascertain, thousands of customer accounts were potentially infiltrated by the hacker. Norton responded by changing all affected account passwords and advising customers to use two-factor authentication — something we advocate setting up on all of your accounts. This is a largely isolated incident for what is ordinarily a highly secure antivirus. In February 2023, several California medical groups suffered a breach affecting over 3 million patients. Their reparations included paying for Norton LifeLock credit monitoring on behalf of victims. Norton wasn’t implicated in this breach — rather, their services were recommended for helping these victims avoid identity fraud. That’s a testament to Norton’s quality.
Usability: How User-Friendly Is Norton 360?
Overall, we were impressed by Norton’s efforts to build a user-centric product. After all, they’ve had more than three decades to do so! Norton 360 is very easy to use and boasts an attractive, simplistic design. This has earned the antivirus a score of 8.5/10 for user-friendliness, and it’s due to the following key points:
Norton has a well-designed and intuitive website. Most apps can be accessed using the My Norton interface. Live chat functionality is available 24//7. Customer support is knowledgeable. After installation and restart, there’s a bit too much happening on-screen.
How do I install Norton AntiVirus?
Norton’s website is easy on the eyes and intuitive. While writing our Norton AntiVirus review, we could find everything we needed pretty quickly and easily. On the homepage, all we needed to do was click the “Get Started” button to view the different plan options. You can also scroll down to read more about Norton and its products. You can also log into your account on the Norton website. Here, you’ll be able to get an overview of your security and subscription at any time. We could also use this space to set up various features, including parental controls and Norton’s Password Manager. Once you’ve decided on a plan, follow the step-by-step guide below to install the Norton 360 antivirus on your device. All in all, it only took us a few minutes from beginning to end. All in all, the installation is fairly straightforward, mostly thanks to the helpful install wizard. However, it did take us a few minutes to complete — longer than your average cybersecurity app. Norton offers free trials, which you’ll find in the website’s menu. Note that if you choose a trial, you won’t get the same, discounted price when it ends. You will be required to grant Norton 360 permissions to access certain system settings and network controls, which are needed for the antivirus and VPN to work. After completing the installation, you’ll need to restart your computer to use the product. After that, you can sign in using the account you used to purchase your subscription on the Norton website. Once logged in, Norton should display a message saying your device is secure (“Congratulations, you’ve successfully installed Norton 360 on your device!”) You should also see a webpage open automatically, offering you installation links for the other apps in your subscription. Actually, this is our only very minor criticism. When you restart your computer to finish up, things get wild. I had a notification pop up, the installer asked me to set up extensions, and that webpage opened by itself. It’s not the cleanest experience, unlike the rest of Norton’s offerings. We found installing Norton 360 on mobile devices to be even easier, though, thanks to official app support. You just need to go to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, find the Norton 360 app, and install it. You’ll have to log in to the app before you start using its security features.
Norton AntiVirus’ software
During this Norton AntiVirus review, we found Norton 360 pretty intuitive and straightforward to use. However, for antivirus beginners, it could seem a bit daunting, given the variety of features at hand. That’s why we loved that the software offers you a quick tour after you’ve installed it. When you launch Norton for the first time, the default view is the “My Norton” screen. Here, you’ll see quick insights into your subscription and device health. You can also hop into specific features to configure them. All the options are clearly displayed on the screen and are easy to find. When you click any option, it opens in a new window. This can be a bit difficult to navigate at first, but it’s not really a big deal once you get used to it. Clicking on the “Open” button next to “Device Security” brings up the Norton Security dashboard. You can use the dashboard to start scans, configure your firewall, and set up the Safe Web extension. One thing that we loved about the dashboard is how the main menu follows you everywhere. Whether you click on “Scans” or anything else, those same options remain available at the bottom. It makes navigation very simple.
How easy is it to cancel Norton AntiVirus?
We all know that canceling subscriptions can range from very easy to nigh-on impossible, depending on the company. Fortunately, Norton isn’t in the business of making things difficult. If you do want to cancel your Norton 360 account, you’ll be glad to know that it’s quick, easy, and all completed through your online account in a few short steps. You don’t even need to speak to a human or jump through any hoops. On concluding our Norton 360 review, we were pleased to see that they made this process straightforward. We had an email confirmation almost immediately to confirm the cancellation.
Norton 360’s customer support
You can jump straight to Norton’s support website via a link in your Norton 360 app. When we checked out the support center, we were pleased to find a wide range of resources. These included instructional videos and a community forum that seemed to answer any question we could think of. Of course, sometimes, you need a human. If you need to speak to a customer support agent, there’s a 24/7 live online chat feature. We were able to reach Norton customer care using the chat pretty quickly, and we received timely help. The support staff was knowledgeable and polite. So, Norton takes pretty good care of customers, and you will easily find help if you need it. Alternatively, you can contact customer support by phone during working hours on weekdays. It’s also possible to contact support via Norton’s social media channels, namely Facebook and Twitter. Furthermore, the company offers an additional Ultimate Help Desk service for expedited access to technicians, tune-up sessions for your computer, and other tech help not limited to just Norton products. This is a subscription service that costs $150 per year (for one PC or Mac) or $20 a month (for up to three systems). You can also opt for one-time assistance at $70 if you ever get stuck with a pesky tech problem.
Speed and Performance: Will Norton 360 Slow Down My System?
Speed and performance are important in an antivirus. You don’t want software that’s going to render your device unusable while it does its thing. Norton’s performance isn’t bad, but it isn’t the best, which is why it’s earned an 8/10 for speed and performance. Some key points to highlight are:
Our quick scan took just a couple of minutes. A full scan takes about 40 minutes to an hour, which is more than competitor scans take. Norton runs smoothly in the background and won’t slow your system down. We saw moderate to low load on the CPU during scans averaging around 8-9%. The software doesn’t indicate how far the scan has progressed while running.
How long does a scan take?
Accessing scans is simple from your Norton Dashboard. Just click on the “Scans” button along the bottom menu. In this section, you’ll be met with three options. We tried out both quick and full scans on our MacBook Pro with a 16GB M1 Pro processor. The quick scan took only a couple of minutes. The full scan, however, took well over 40 minutes, even on a device as fast as the MacBook. However, the full scan is a very thorough scan of each file on your device and is expected to take time. That said, the time taken for scans by Norton 360 is higher than some of its competitors. For example, Kaspersky took only 12.5 minutes for a thorough scan. This is much less than the 40 minutes Norton takes for a full scan. Hence, Norton isn’t the fastest antivirus scanner on the market by any means. We also had to time these scans ourselves. Most antivirus software tells you information about the progress of the scan, like the number of files scanned and the time taken. None of this is visible while Norton’s scans are running, which was disappointing. It’s quite a minor feature.
How does Norton AntiVirus impact my CPU?
The Norton 360 antivirus consumes minimal system resources when running in the background. Scans could impact this, but in our experience, it may depend on your system. When we tested Norton in the past, a full scan consumed about 30-35% CPU usage. Our system also got somewhat warm. But in our February 2023 testing circuit, we saw far better results. Running a 13-inch Macbook Air, our CPU usage never rose above 9.7%, even during a full scan. Perhaps Norton has fine-tuned its software, or perhaps it truly depends on your system. Our Mac isn’t particularly new. But in general, most antivirus quick scans do not interrupt your workflow as much as full scans. This means they don’t tend to impede the performance of other apps on your computer. All in all, while Norton excels as an overall package, the provider could certainly improve aspects of scanning. Namely, by making the dashboard more informative.
Final Verdict: Is Norton 360 a Good Virus Scanner?
Following our in-depth Norton AntiVirus review, we can assert that Norton 360 is one of the best antivirus software for both Windows and Mac. It could be even better with some minor quality-of-life improvements, including detail around active scanning. Still, it provides robust security and privacy, plus a range of additional security tools such as a password manager, parental controls, and the Safe Web browser extension. Few other antivirus providers offer so much under a single subscription. It’s also user-friendly and reliable, albeit on the pricier side, and an excellent gaming antivirus. Thanks to the varied pricing structure, you truly can make Norton the antivirus that you need it to be. So, check out Norton 360 and find the package that works for you by clicking the button below. If you’re concerned about performance issues, you can schedule a Full Scan for when you’re not using your system, or you can run a Quick Scan instead.
