Product Review: Page (1) of 1 - 09/14/05

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Norton Internet Security 2005 Symantec's latest package to protect your data and web experience By Don Lee

As long as your computer is hooked up to the internet, your system will be vulnerable to viruses, spyware and other unwanted files and programs. You have to be vigilant towards keeping your computer system clean but it also helps when you have a program that can assist you in protecting your important files.

Hackers and virus writers will never stop creating new ways to get into your computer, so you need the stop them before they attack. This is why Symantec released the Norton Internet Security package. This collection of programs is targeted towards the everyday user looking to secure and maintain their system?s integrity.

A Closer Look
The package contains Norton AntiVirus, Norton Personal Firewall, Norton Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam and Norton Parental Control. These five programs are designed to work together towards creating maximum protection of your data. Let?s take a closer look into each program.

Click image to purchase Norton Internet Security 2005

Norton AntiVirus has been a staple of computer usage for years. Norton AntiVirus has been protecting millions of computer users daily. Using its LiveUpdate feature, Norton AntiVirus can protect your system from the latest viruses, spyware and it can even look inside of compressed files. The program also protects you from instant messaging file attachments (although you should never accept file attachments from anyone you don?t know). This is the program most associate with the Symantec/Norton name and for good reason?it works.

 

Norton Firewall helps keep those prying eyes away from your data by hiding your PC and helps prevent outsiders from accessing your system. You may be prompted at times to allow access by some of your installed programs to register products or to log onto numerous websites. When you are prompted, you have the choice of allowing access, preventing access or permitting certain access. You should be wary of the activity you are performing on the internet and that you don?t permit access to unknown sources.

Norton Privacy Control works to provide a more secure way to control cookies as well as other personal information that you would want to protect. When you attempt to send certain types of data such as credit card information or social security number, the program will inform you that this specific data is being requested. You will then be given the opportunity to allow the data to be transferred or you can choose to block the information from going through.

Norton AntiSpam is a new program to my experience with Norton products. I use the latest version of MS Outlook Express and if you?ve ever used it, you?re probably aware that the mail program doesn?t come with any mail filters to help combat spam. You need to create custom mail filters based on a variety of factors such as sender, subject line, body content and more.

The last program in the suite is called Norton Parental Control. This program was designed to help control access for your children. You can let the program set the types of offensive websites you wish to block as well add websites to the blocked list as you surf the web. Parental Control offers control over access to internet programs and even newsgroups. You can add websites and newsgroups to your blocked list from Internet Explorer?s toolbar. Norton installs two quick access panels to the web browser?s address bar during installation. 

The Final Word
I found that Norton Internet Security provides the most comprehensive security towards protecting your computer system from the muck that the internet has become haven for. The five programs that make up the Internet Security suite is well worth the price of protection compared to the time and effort it would take to reformat and reinstall your computer to its former state. When was the last time you backed up the contents of your hard drive?

Although I enjoyed using the AntiSpam program, I would have like to have seen the program have some form of updateable database file where users can submit websites to Symantec, which would then keep an updated list for download. This would enable Internet Security users to use LiveUpdate to get the latest list of spamming offenders. Then if users had to reinstall the Internet Security suite, then could simply update their system with the latest list of targeted spammers without having to manually recreate their spammer list. Although the program does a great job tackling a large percentage of spam e-mail, which should help save you time from pressing that delete button a few hundred times a day.

The Norton Parental Control should be extremely useful to those parents trying to protect their kids from the seedy side of the internet. Even if you?re not that web savvy, the configuration panel is easy to configure. With the quick access panels available within Internet Explorer?s address bar, you can continue to add websites to the list quickly as you surf the internet.

Overall, Norton Internet Security is one of the best comprehensive solutions on the market today. Secure your vital files, personal information and make your web surfing experience enjoyable and safe for yourself as well as your family.

You can click HERE to purchase Norton Internet Security 2005 for Windows based computers.

System Requirements
Windows® XP Home Edition/Professional/Tablet PC/Media Center
300MHz processor or higher
128 MB of RAM

Windows 2000 Professional (SP1 required)
133MHz processor or higher
96 MB of RAM

Windows Me
150MHz or higher processor
96 MB of RAM

Windows 98, 98SE
133MHz or higher processor
64 MB of RAM

Required for ALL Installations
70-100 MB available hard disk space (200 for complete installation, including Norton? Parental Control)
DVD or CD drive
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 browser or later

Norton Internet Security 2005
The package contains the following programs: Norton AntiVirus, Norton Personal Firewall, Norton Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam and Norton Parental Control. From protecting your computer to controlling your incoming spam e-mail, the Internet Security offers a comprehensive package of programs to defend against the most vulnerable points on your system. You can learn more about Symantec?s Norton Internet Security by visiting the product?s website at http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/nis_pe/.

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