Is Customer Service Part of Norton Internet Security 2012's Features?
December 8th, 2011 - Posted by jeff
Q: On Norton's customer support, if I am having problems is there a charge or is this part of the service?
A: Norton Internet Security 2012 offers customer service as part of their security suite package. And not only do they offer the service, they customize it to your particular software, so that you don't spend precious time searching their site for an answer.
After you select the software that you need help with, they first offer you personalized assistance via an online chat with their online customer service rep, Nathan. If Nathan can’t help you, there are other features that include common FAQs, a copy of the product manual, customer service forums and other specific categories to help you narrow down your search. In addition, they also have paid professional service that will fix the problem for you, so you don’t have to do any of the work. They also include an email and phone number so that you can contact customer service directly.
If you want to know more about Norton Internet Security, or compare it to other security software, check out our Internet Security Software reviews.
Q: Does Internet Security Software Run On My Computer All the Time?
October 14th, 2011 - Posted by jeff
Q: Does Internet Security Software run all the time or do I have to start it up when I want to use it?
A: The best part about Internet Security Software is that it is constantly protecting your computer. Once you install the software, it will be constantly scanning your computer, your downloads and the websites you are visiting for viruses and malware. Most suites will send you updates and notifications to update you on the health of your computer. Some software, like BitDefender’s AutoPilot, will only notify when there is a serious threat to your computer.
If you don’t want to wait for notifications to check in on your computer, most security software allows you to launch the suite and check the status of your computer to see if there has been any unusual activity. Want to know more about the different security software products? Check out our reviews of the newest Internet Security Software.
Can I Re-Install my Security Software Without the Disk?
October 7th, 2011 - Posted by jeff
Q: I already have CA 2010 Internet Security Suite but had to uninstall it and I don't have the disk, my son has it at school. Can you tell me how to reinstall it using the code I was given?
A: Luckily, most Internet Security Software suites now allow you to download their products from their websites. To access your CA 2010 Internet Security Suite, you need your order number and password or your email address and the last five digits of the credit card you used to buy the suite. Then go to findmyorder.com and enter in the information. It will take you to a screen that lists the products that you have purchased from CA. Each product will have a download button so that you can easily re-download the software. If you have any issues, or don’t remember some of the information needed, CA has a dedicated support system to help you.
How does Internet security software affect the performance of my computer?
April 15th, 2010 - Posted by Kent
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q: How does internet security software affect the performance of my computer?
Any extra piece of software is going to affect the performance of a computer. Internet security software is no exception. It must analyze your computer's activities including firewall access, web browser traffic, as well as program behavior. A completely uninfected, out-of-the-box computer running Internet security software will run marginally slower than the same computer without Internet security software. The problem is keeping the computer uninfected.
Consider this: spyware, adware and other types of malware will also slow down your computer, and can lead to far worse consequences. Not having Internet security software opens up the door to thousands of programs that can install themselves invisibly and use your computer for their own purposes. Those purposes can range from setting up annoying pop-up ads to stealing your personal information. On top of that, infected computers can be used to attack corporate and government systems without the user's knowledge.
Considering the consequences of stolen credit card information, annoying adware, and having your computer used to attack other computers (something which contributes to the slowdown of the Internet as a whole and can have very real consequences for essential services), the net effect of having an infected computer is far worse than the slight resource requirements of Internet security software.
All that being said, we would recommend that users who are highly concerned about performance, choose Internet security software that comes with a free trial.
Can I run Norton 360 on my Toshiba NB 305 Netbook?
April 8th, 2010 - Posted by Kent
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q: Can I run Norton 360 on my Toshiba NB 305 Netbook? I currently have Norton Internet Security and it doesn't offer idendity theft protection. I had one Norton tech person tell me I shouldn't upgrade to 360 because the files wouldn't be optimized for my netbook.
A: Actually, Norton Internet Security and Norton 360 have the exact same identity theft protection features, namely defense against hacking, phishing, and keyloggers, as well as an encrypted vault for protecting your logins and credit card info. It does not have the features of a full-fledged, stand-alone ID theft protection service like Trusted ID. The main advantages of Norton 360 are the inclusion of online storage and PC tune-up tools. There is a Norton 360 Netbook Edition, though we have not tested it so we don't know why the tech would say the files wouldn't be optimized for your netbook. We do know that, according to Norton, "phishing protection feature available only on 32-bit Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher or Firefox 3.0 or higher."
So, you may be happy re-subscribing to Norton Internet Security. Just make sure you have the latest version installed to get the ID theft protection features. Or, you may want to upgrade to Norton 360 Netbook Edition, at least for the 30-day trial to see how it works. Here are the system requirements for Norton 360 Netbook Edition:
Phishing protection feature available only on 32-bit Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher or Firefox 3.0 or higher.
Minimum Hardware Requirements
- 300MHz or faster processor
- 256 MB of RAM (512 MB recommended)
- 300 MB of available hard disk space
- Must meet minimum operating system requirements for Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/Win7
- Internet Explorer® 6.0 or higher, or Mozilla Firefox® 3.0 or higher
- Internet connection (a high-speed connection is required for online backup)
Microsoft® Windows® XP (32-bit) with Service Pack 2 or later Home/Professional/Media Center
Microsoft® Windows® 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium/Professional/Ultimate
Microsoft® Windows Vista® (32-bit and 64-bit) Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium/Business/Ultimate
I have Mcafee Security, I ran a webroot scan and it indicated I have a virus. Why doesn't McAfee find it?
April 2nd, 2010 - Posted by Kent
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q: I have McAfee Security; I ran a Webroot scan and it indicated I have a virus Mal/FakeAV-CO but have to subscribe to clean it out. If I have this why doesn't Mcafee find it?
A: There are a number of reasons why this could be happening. The first thing you'll want to do is make sure that your McAfee virus definitions are up-to-date, and that you have the most current version of McAfee installed on your computer. If the auto-update is somehow disabled or your subscription has run out, it may be missing crucial virus-identification information. Once you're sure your virus definitions are up-to-date, run a full system scan.
Assuming your virus definitions are up-to-date, it might be best to get a third opinion. Try Norton's free virus scanner. It's possible that Webroot may be reporting a false-positive (something that's not a virus, but just looks like one). The other possibility is that Webroot may have found something that McAfee hasn't.
Are Webroot and Trend Micro the same? Is it harmful to have them on at the same time? Or is it a waste of money, and am I doing double security?
March 11th, 2010 - Posted by Kent
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q: Are Webroot and Trend Micro the same? Is it harmful to have them on at the same time? Or is it a waste of money, and am I doing double security?
A: This is a good question. It reminds me of a scene from a Billy Wilder movie called Ace in the Hole. In it, Kirk Douglas plays a scheming reporter who tells his prospective employer that, "I've done a lot of lying in my time. I've lied to men who wear belts. I've lied to men who wear suspenders. But I'd never be so stupid as to lie to a man who wears both belt and suspenders." His point being that you can't slip one by a man who has redundant methods for keeping his pants up.
Back in the world of Internet security software, Web Root and Trend Micro are actually different Internet security products put out by different companies. You can read our reviews and see a comparison here. You actually should not have two Internet security products of any brand running at once. It's not so much that you're doing damage, but the products may interfere with each other allowing something else to damage to your computer. Instead of doing double security, you might actually be cutting your security down.
Webroot may do something that Trend Micro sees as virus-like activity, or vice versa. Of course, Webroot is not a virus, but its activities could be misinterpreted. At the very least, it's a bit of a resource drain. At worst, it could interfere in detection of an actual virus or firewall intrusion. So choose the one you like best and uninstall the other one.
In Ace in the Hole, it turns out that Douglas actually is lying. So, while Internet security software is neither belt nor suspender, the moral of the story is the same: sometimes being twice protected doesn't help at all.
A Windows security alert and it directed me to have a scan of my computer which alerted me to numerous Trojan and viruses and worms—is it a scam?
March 3rd, 2010 - Posted by Kent
The following is an actual reader submitted question:
Q:I received a Windows security alert and it directed me to have a scan of my computer which alerted me to numerous Trojan and viruses and worms. Now I am not able to open any of my computer files or access my virus protection. Is this site legitimate or is it a scam?
A: It depends on where that warning came from. If it came from reputable Internet security software that you installed on your computer, it's probably legitimate. If it came from a website that you came across, it's probably a scam. Either way, it sounds like you probably have a virus, or some other piece of malware on your computer. A good antivirus product would have removed any viruses or advised you on further action.
A good first step is to try running a free scan from a reputable company, such as the one from Norton. This should give you an indication of what's going wrong. Depending on the quality and age of your antivirus product, you may want to consider upgrading to a more robust Internet security software product.
I have a possible virus on my desktop. How will the McAfee process work and what will i have to do?
January 14th, 2010 - Posted by Kent
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question.
Q: I have a possible virus on my desktop. How will the McAfee process work and what will I have to do? I am not abreast on all the computer literate info. Can I do this my self or do you have tech support who can talk me through the process if i buy the McAfee total protection package? I want protection, firewall, spam, malware, phishing, virus, trojans. Please advise!
A: A few days ago, we talked about signs of virus infections and some of the free virus scans available. A free virus scan from a reputable company is a good first step. Whether your machine is infected or not, you need Internet security software. While it seems you like McAfee, we recommend taking a good look at Norton. While more expensive, its new security suite is amazing.
In general, it's not difficult to install Internet security software. While it's been a while since we installed McAfee, we remember the process being pretty simple: go to the site, enter your billing info, download the program. McAfee has its own installer. You should be fine just following the on-screen prompts. Then, make sure the first thing you do is update your virus definitions and run a full system scan (which should be automatic).
As we mentioned above, McAfee requires that you enter your credit card and other personal info before you start the download. If you're concerned that you have a virus that may steal your credit card info, you may want to purchase and download McAfee from a computer you know to be safe and virus-free, and then copy the McAfee download file to your infected machine for installation (use a new CD, just to be safe). In fact, if your machine is infected, it's best to keep it disconnected from the Internet as much as possible. If you don't have access to a clean, trusted computer, consider downloading Kaspersky's Internet security suite; it does not require your credit card info for your initial installation. It also scored better in AV-Comparatives' 2009 Malware Removal test than McAfee did.
NextAdvisor does not have tech support. Since we're a product review site, we don't actually provide the software we review. McAfee does offer some tech support, but it's largely a collection of help documents. Both McAfee and Norton offer "expert" or "guided" installation, but it will cost you around $130 (depending on the product).
Does either the AVG Free Antivirus program or the Avira Free edition have firewalls?
January 12th, 2010 - Posted by Kent
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question.
Q: Does either the AVG Free Antivirus program or the Avira Free edition have firewalls?
A: According to both websites, they do not. AVG Free Antivirus and Avira Free are anti-virus products, but are not meant to provide additional firewall protection beyond what Windows provides. They also seem to lack some more robust anti-malware and anti-spam solutions (again, we haven't reviewed these products, we're going off the online literature). The security suites we reviewed do have firewalls as well as other features designed to protect your computer. For more information on those, please see our Internet security software comparisons and reviews.
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