Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus 2012 Public Betas Now Available

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Norton by Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC) released the 2012 beta versions of the award-winning Norton AntiVirus and Norton Internet Security, which are now available for free download from the Norton beta website. The Norton 2012 betas improve on performance and protection in what are already the industry's fastest and lightest security products(1). They include key security enhancements, including the ability to assess the safety and stability of an application before installation.

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"As we've proven year after year, we are committed to arming consumers against cybercrime with the strongest protection possible, without slowing down their computers," said Jens Meggers, vice president of engineering, for Norton products. "For the Norton 2012 release, our aim is to continue to raise the bar for both protection and performance."

With the 2012 betas, Norton continues to deliver the strongest core protection technologies, without sacrificing performance. The betas feature Insight 3.0, the latest version of Norton's exclusive reputation-based security technology, which leverages the anonymous software adoption patterns of millions of contributing Symantec users to automatically identify and block new malicious software. Download Insight, which checks every downloaded file for safety before it is allowed to run, has been updated this year to include information that lets users know if a downloaded application is likely to cause stability issues when they install it on their PC. Now Download Insight provides users with additional data they can rely on before installing an application, to decide whether to install that application or look for a similarly safe, yet more stable application. The betas also include upgraded SONAR 4.0 behavioral protection, which monitors running applications for suspicious behavior to quickly detect and disable previously unknown threats.  

In terms of performance, the 2012 betas are designed to maintain or improve upon Norton's industry-leading benchmarks in installation times, scan times and memory usage.

The Norton Internet Security beta features a revamped Norton Identity Safe, with a streamlined interface, improved login and form detection technology, and the capability to store passwords in the cloud so they are accessible from any computer with Norton 360 or Norton Internet Security installed. Both 2012 betas enable consumers to conserve bandwidth by postponing non-critical Norton activity to a later time, particularly useful for consumers with limited data plans.  

The 2012 betas include an updated user interface, which offers quick access to the Norton Cybercrime Index, alerting consumers to online trouble-spots and potential hazards, including the day's most dangerous websites, the most hijacked search terms by cybercriminals, as well as top scams, identity theft and spam. The free tool includes expert news about the most dangerous threat of the day and advice on how to stay safe online.

Beta Availability

The beta is available for free public download now at: http://www.norton.com/nis2012beta or http://www.norton.com/nav2012beta. Norton beta testers are encouraged to share feedback and discuss their product experiences in our online Norton Public Beta Forum.

About Norton by Symantec

Symantec's Norton products protect consumers from cybercrime with technologies like antivirus, anti-spyware and phishing protection -- while also being light on system resources.  The company also provides services such as online backup, PC tuneup, and family online safety.  Like Norton on Facebook at www.facebook.com/norton and follow @NortonOnline on Twitter.

About Symantec

Symantec is a global leader in providing security, storage and systems management solutions to help consumers and organizations secure and manage their information-driven world.  Our software and services protect against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently, enabling confidence wherever information is used or stored. More information is available at www.symantec.com.

Note to Editors: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please visit the Symantec News Room at http://www.symantec.com/news. All prices noted are in U.S. dollars and are valid only in the United States.

Symantec and the Symantec Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Forward-looking Statements: Any forward-looking indication of plans for products is preliminary and all future release dates are tentative and are subject to change. Any future release of the product or planned modifications to product capability, functionality, or feature are subject to ongoing evaluation by Symantec, and may or may not be implemented and should not be considered firm commitments by Symantec and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions.

(1) PassMark Software, Consumer Security Products Performance Benchmarks (Edition 3, 2011) February 2011, norton.com/passmark2011

SOURCE Symantec