Norton Antivirus 2012

Norton Antivirus 2012 is made by the Symantec company, and long been praised as one of the best antivirus programs and malware removers of all time. Its long history is generally enough to make people want to buy it, but does this new program stand up to the likes of other similar virus protectors on the market?

Performance

It is true that Norton Antivirus 2012 has an exhaustive list of features, but that isn’t what people buy antivirus software for. They buy these programs, assuming they will be able to block and extract malware and malicious files. As with most modern antivirus programs, Norton has been objectively tested by several independent labs, including West Coast Labs and AV Comparatives.

According to the findings of both labs, Norton Antivirus 2012 is one of the best at blocking and extracting harmful files. It ranks among the 20th percentile in a rigorous testing scenario. While Norton is not quite the fastest program in this niche, it definitely gets the job done.

Features

If there is one thing that every Norton program shares, it’s a long list of features. In addition to scanning your hard drive for viruses, malware and Trojans, Norton Antivirus 2012 can also scan emails, instant messages and your Facebook account for transmissions that contain suspicious links or files. Due to its ability to scan email, it can also check for phishing emails rather accurately.

Most of the time, people obtain viruses when they download a file. Norton Antivirus 2012 actively scans all files before they are downloaded to ensure they are safe, and it will alert you when a file looks suspicious. Along with checking for malware already stored in this program’s database, it will check the behavior of the file for common malware activity, known as behavior-based scanning.

Even after the file is downloaded, if it makes it passed the scanner, Norton will still keep an eye on it. As soon as any weird behavior occurs, Norton will immediately alert you.

If you connect your computer to the Internet with a 3G-enabled device, Norton will detect the connection and it will cease any updates. This is because the updates can often overload 3G data plans, causing users to spend more money. In this capacity, Norton is able to save people money with their carrier.

Ease of Use

There are two ways of viewing Norton Antivirus 2012: simple view and advanced view. Simple view is what most people will use, because it is easier to work with and because most of the features are easily accessible through this view. When this view is used, Norton is very easy to use and it should not present any problems.

The advanced view is harder for average users to work with, because more tools and data are accessible, but the view itself is still rather easy to work with. People that are comfortable working with technology should have no problem navigating this view, as Norton has streamlined everything to improve the user experience.

Memory Usage

Many antivirus programs use a lot of memory when they scan the computer or perform any function. Norton is made to work when the computer is idle, and in the background. This means that Norton uses very little memory, and when it does, it ensures that users will not notice any lags or problems with their computer.

While it does take up memory to install the program, it only leaves a small mark on your hard drive. This is a vast improvement over earlier versions that would take a lot of hard drive space, and they would noticeably affect computer efficiency.

Help and Support

Just like its early years, Norton has excellent customer service. You can reach representatives via phone, chat or email regardless of the time or day. Most representatives are very knowledgeable, and they should be able to help you out quickly.

Unlike other versions, Norton Antivirus 2012 is cloud-based. This means you can manage your account and subscription renewals from any Internet-enabled device. This also reduces memory usage, and makes it easier to transfer the program from one computer to another.

Conclusion

With its many features, powerful support and great performance, Norton Antivirus 2012 continues a tradition laid by past Norton products: being the best in the business. The interface is also very easy to use, ensuring that anyone can operate this program, regardless of experience or knowledge. If you are looking for Internet security, this might be your dream program, so you should consider looking into it.