Derrick
ლ(ಠ_ಠ )ლ
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2010
- Messages
- 5,085
- Reaction score
- 5
This is a version of Symantec’s renowned security suite, updated for the latest threats. The interface is as easy as ever to use, and has been expanded
One doesn’t hear as many virusrelated horror stories or panicked warnings about outbreaks these days.
Possible contributing factors to this include the increased effectiveness of antivirus software and a general ‘old hat’ approach: people are generally more educated and less easily panicked.
However, this doesn’t mean that viruses have become less prevalent or less dangerous. In fact, if anything, the diversity of electronic threats keeps increasing, and many people are undereducated about some of the more serious threats that now abound.
Among these are various Internetbased attacks, which particularly favour targeting financial services, often for profit. With the growing popularity of Internet banking, people should be ever more watchful for various potential attacks on their digital identities.
Identity theft, which includes the unauthorised acquisition of personal details and access rights (such as usernames and passwords), is one of the leading threats these days, often accomplished by means of phishing.
To this end, security providers are increasingly marketing Internet security products rather than merely antivirus packages. This breed of security packages is aimed at catching viruses and also to intercept online attacks from hackers or phishing sites.
What is phishing? It is the act of trying to acquire personal information and access from individuals by redirecting the user to a phoney ‘duplicate’ Website, which harvests these details. It is highly dependent on people believing that the site is genuine, and while some are not very good replicas of the original, legitimate sites (and therefore fairly easy to spot), others are remarkably ‘authentic’, and can rope in even the wary, experienced Web-surfer.
Norton Internet Security is a suite of security tools that offers all-round digital protection. It has a comprehensive ‘traditional’ antivirus component, which updates itself automatically and transparently with emerging virus signatures and definitions.
Additionally, it handles spyware, which is software that installs itself on a PC ‘under false pretences’ and leaks out personal information intercepted during that computer’s day-to-day activities. It also offers a firewall that is superior to the one included in Windows, replacing it. This allows it to prevent all sorts of electronic intrusions by hackers and the like.
All these functions are also integrated into the email client in order to intercept incoming threats and to prevent viruses and other infections from being sent out.
One of the most visible features of this security package is the anti-phishing filter, which can be integrated into the Web browser. It provides a toolbar across the top, displaying the safety of the current site. Also in this toolbar is the Identity Safe, which is a feature that allows users to securely store login details.
This has two uses: firstly, it saves the user having to remember or write down their usernames and passwords, also saving users the trouble of entering this information every time; and secondly, because users no longer have to enter their details, it foils any key-logger spyware that might have slipped onto the system.
When running, Norton Internet Security can be accessed via a colourful icon that sits next to the system tray. This opens the Protection Center, which is a control panel that gives access to all configuration options.
Because some applications may not work properly when security levels are at a maximum, the user can temporarily lower the protection state if necessary. The menu structure itself is very logical, intuitive and easy to use.
One doesn’t hear as many virusrelated horror stories or panicked warnings about outbreaks these days.
Possible contributing factors to this include the increased effectiveness of antivirus software and a general ‘old hat’ approach: people are generally more educated and less easily panicked.
However, this doesn’t mean that viruses have become less prevalent or less dangerous. In fact, if anything, the diversity of electronic threats keeps increasing, and many people are undereducated about some of the more serious threats that now abound.
Among these are various Internetbased attacks, which particularly favour targeting financial services, often for profit. With the growing popularity of Internet banking, people should be ever more watchful for various potential attacks on their digital identities.
Identity theft, which includes the unauthorised acquisition of personal details and access rights (such as usernames and passwords), is one of the leading threats these days, often accomplished by means of phishing.
To this end, security providers are increasingly marketing Internet security products rather than merely antivirus packages. This breed of security packages is aimed at catching viruses and also to intercept online attacks from hackers or phishing sites.
What is phishing? It is the act of trying to acquire personal information and access from individuals by redirecting the user to a phoney ‘duplicate’ Website, which harvests these details. It is highly dependent on people believing that the site is genuine, and while some are not very good replicas of the original, legitimate sites (and therefore fairly easy to spot), others are remarkably ‘authentic’, and can rope in even the wary, experienced Web-surfer.
Norton Internet Security is a suite of security tools that offers all-round digital protection. It has a comprehensive ‘traditional’ antivirus component, which updates itself automatically and transparently with emerging virus signatures and definitions.
Additionally, it handles spyware, which is software that installs itself on a PC ‘under false pretences’ and leaks out personal information intercepted during that computer’s day-to-day activities. It also offers a firewall that is superior to the one included in Windows, replacing it. This allows it to prevent all sorts of electronic intrusions by hackers and the like.
All these functions are also integrated into the email client in order to intercept incoming threats and to prevent viruses and other infections from being sent out.
One of the most visible features of this security package is the anti-phishing filter, which can be integrated into the Web browser. It provides a toolbar across the top, displaying the safety of the current site. Also in this toolbar is the Identity Safe, which is a feature that allows users to securely store login details.
This has two uses: firstly, it saves the user having to remember or write down their usernames and passwords, also saving users the trouble of entering this information every time; and secondly, because users no longer have to enter their details, it foils any key-logger spyware that might have slipped onto the system.
When running, Norton Internet Security can be accessed via a colourful icon that sits next to the system tray. This opens the Protection Center, which is a control panel that gives access to all configuration options.
Because some applications may not work properly when security levels are at a maximum, the user can temporarily lower the protection state if necessary. The menu structure itself is very logical, intuitive and easy to use.