Norton AntiVirus 2002

Symantec's Norton AntiVirus 2002 combines all feature selections in one integrated interface. NAV 2002 scans 175 file types and has highly configurable logging capabilities.

These features don't come cheap - the drain on some systems can be substantial. When testing on a P4 with 256Mb of RAM and 20Gb of available drive space, NAV2002 worked like a charm. However, on an older PII with only 64MB of RAM and 100MB post-install drive space, system performance took a drastic nosedive such that the machine was virtually unuseable until Norton was removed.

The first indication of NAV's girth is during installation. Even the installation launcher required a reboot, a second reboot was required mid-way through the install, and a final reboot over half an hour later at the end of the installation. Uninstalling Norton is not a simple task either. The program itself must first be uninstalled and the system rebooted, after which both LiveReg and LiveUpdate must be uninstalled separately and in that order.

Once installed on a system capable of handling Norton AntiVirus 2002, detection rates are impressive. AV-Test.org results show Norton's detection rates at 100& of ITW threats and 97.41% of Zoo viruses. Norton actually scored perfect detection rates on the polymorphic Zoo viruses and 99.48% of macro viruses from the Zoo. However, their detection rates were less stellar with script (89.82%) and Trojan (75.64%) threats in the Zoo.

Unfortunately, Norton AntiVirus 2002 suffers compatibility issues with the top-rated ZoneAlarm firewall. With more choices available for solid antivirus protection and fewer choices for really good firewalls, this is a problem that clearly needs fixing. Despite these drawbacks, Norton is well-suited for newer systems and provides an excellent and comprehensive set of features in a well-thought out interface. Automatic LiveUpdate should keep even novice users current on their definition files, ensuring timely protection against newer threats.