Entered CNET Catalog: 04/13/2005
SKU: F69256
Manufacturer: Symantec Corporation
Manufacturer description
Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition provides essential protection from viruses, hackers, and privacy threats. This easy-to-use, integrated product includes virus protection, spyware removal, a firewall, intrusion prevention, privacy protection, spam detection, and content filtering. This edition includes powerful new Norton Spyware Protection (available for Windows 2000 and Windows XP only), which automatically detects and removes both spyware and adware. Norton Spyware Protection even helps you identify adware that's needed to run programs you want. Norton AntiVirus is the world's most trusted antivirus solution. Its Norton Internet Worm Protection blocks worms from entering your computer through direct Internet connections. And QuickScan allows you to run a fast, efficient virus and spyware check at any time. Norton Personal Firewall keeps personal data in and hackers out. Norton Privacy Control prevents personal information from being sent out without your knowledge. Norton AntiSpam filters out unwanted email. To defend against email fraud, it even finds deceptive Web site addresses within messages. And Norton Parental Control helps you safeguard children from inappropriate content by blocking access to specified Web sites and newsgroups. Defend yourself, your family, and your PC online with the all-in-one protection of Norton Internet Security AntiSpyware Edition.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 04/18/2005
Upside: By taking the stance that there's a very thin line between malicious virus code and malicious spyware, Symantec created its antispyware scanning engine similar to the one used within its Norton AntiVirus app. But unlike the antivirus scanner, which automatically quarantines viruses without user input, the Norton antispyware scanner informs you of all suspected instances of spyware. For each, Symantec recommends action but ultimately leaves the decision of whether to quarantine a questionable app up to you. If you're uncertain about what to do, Symantec further defines each threat using one or more of the following criteria: performance impact, privacy impact, ease of removal, stealth installation, and prevalence. For example, if you're a gamer and you're concerned about system speed, you might want to remove all suspected spyware that has an adverse performance impact.
Downside: Unfortunately, Norton Internet Security 2005 suite is a resource hog, and the addition of a new antispyware scanning engine within Norton Internet Security 2005 Antispyware Edition (beta) is bound to slow older PCs. Also, there are already many excellent and free antispyware alternatives, such as Spybot Search and Destroy, Ad-aware SE Personal Edition, and Microsoft Antispyware (beta). Norton Internet Security 2005 Antispyware Edition is currently a public beta available for download; however, the final, retail version, expected later this summer, should sell for about $70 and requires an annual update subscription fee of about $20.
Outlook: Norton Internet Security is perhaps the most popular Internet security suite on the market, so widespread adoption is almost guaranteed. This will put added pressure on the paid third-party apps to either align with a competing security company or rethink their business model entirely. It will not, however, mean the demise of the free alternatives, which you should continue using since no single antispyware app alone removes everything. Check back this summer for a review of the final Norton release.
User opinions
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User Rating: 
1/10
Not worth putting on a computer
Pros: NONE that I found
Cons: Too many to list
User Rating: 1/10
Absoultly horable.
Pros: Somewhat sucure. Easy for the tecnologicly retarded. No Afence ment.
Cons: Dosnt work with steam or any other games. Eats ram and cpu.
User Rating: 
2/10
If you use Microsoft Outlook, stay away from this product!
Pros: Many features integrated into one.
Cons: Horrible customer service, does NOT interact well with Microsoft Outlook.
User Rating: 1/10
norton anti-virus sucks
Pros: NONE - zero
Cons: buy anything but symantec
User Rating: 1/10
Months of Frustration to eventually uninstall.
Pros: No pros to report whatsoever
Cons: Slow, cumbersome, network un-friendly, a waste.
User Rating: 
10/10
Works without problem if installed and configured properly
Pros: Comes as a complete suite that I use
Cons: Can bring slow/old computers down
User Rating: 1/10
Worst product ever by Norton !
Pros: You will not find one.....I promise
Cons: Completely froze my machine
User Rating: 
6/10
Works "Ok" if Pre-Loaded by Computer Manufacturer
Pros: The Anti-Virus Feature is the best part of the whole package.
Cons: Slows Down System Log-In - - "Boot Up" Time.
Overall, this security suite is not bad. It still doesn't beat Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite 5.5 though.
User Rating: 
9/10
Still the leader.
Pros: Offers Protection to those that know how to use it.
Cons: I haven't discovered any cons for now and don't think i will.
User Rating: 9/10
works real good had it for 10 years
Pros: nothing wrong
Cons: nothing wrong
User Rating: 1/10
Pathetic, is the only word.
Pros: On new versions? I can think of none.
Cons: Bulky, slow, plants itself into registery and diffuclt to get rid off. The mother-in-law of software!
User Rating: 1/10
what a bad joke
Pros: comes with an uninstall (sort of)
Cons: to many to list
I reformatted my hd down to the shine. reinstalled and sos. dont waste your money or time..
User Rating: 2/10
Buy one that will at least offer product support.
Pros: None that mean anything.
Cons: Uses too much memory and Norton won't support their product.
I've found Norton is so antiquated it siphons off an inordinate amount of resources. It would almost seem the main way it protects you is to slow your system down to the point where you can't go anywhere and by doing that, you can't be exposed.
But, the worst thing is the complete lack of support for their product. I've tried contacting them repeatedly concerning things like the new virus definitions not downloading and the Common Client Updates not downloading. Without these, of course, your antivirus and Internet Security are pretty much useless. Norton doesn't seem to care. At least their total lack of response would indicate that.
My solution is the same I'd suggest to anyone: Trend Micro's PC-cillin. I've found it at great prices all over and some rebates are available. It comes highly recommended by nearly all reviewers and is reputed to use minimal resources. Can't wait to get it loaded and get rid of this millstone around my computer's neck.
User Rating: 2/10
stay away, not worth the bother
Pros: free(at present)
Cons: everything, better and more stable products
User Rating: 2/10
consistently used up over a Gig of much-needed boot drive space on my iBook, grinding everything to
Pros: their rebates were on time!
Cons: rebate hoops and space hogging solution made for a very bad experience
User Rating: 10/10
The best one out there
Pros: Very reliable, better than previous version,
Cons: may be expensive
User Rating: 1/10
How the mighty have fallen
Pros: Well, it looks good but that's all. I hate it.
Cons: It will slow your system down to a crawl. It misses a lot of spyware.
User Rating: 
4/10
sad product
Pros: better than nothing
Cons: nothing to it
User Rating: 2/10
Norton has gone downhill
Pros: Trusted name
Cons: Resource hog, takes over system
User Rating: 1/10
100% CRAP.. DONT INSTALL THIS PIG !!
Pros: NONE... I REALLY MEAN NONE !!
Cons: ITS THE BIGGEST RIPPP GOING
CAN YOU SPELL GARBAGE.???? PURE KA KA !!
DONT WASTE YOU TIME..!!!!
User Rating: 1/10
PC Techs Unite!
Pros: Firewall????
Cons: Blocking network communication, resource hog, major web issues
User Rating: 10/10
Fantastic Product!!!!! A must have!!!
Pros: Fantastic all-in-one product
Cons: None that I can see
Once these threats were removed my computer ran like a top!
User Rating: 9/10
Thanks Mr. Norton!!
Pros: Removes spyware and keeps my computer clean
Cons: Parental control is antidemocratic
User Rating: 10/10
This program is a must!
Pros: Many great programs in one!
Cons: Nothing in particular
Imagine having:
A world class spyware program
A great anti virus programs
A really safe and easily configured firewall
An antispam function for your email that works with Yahoo Mail
A parental control feature that can save your kids from all bad things on websites
A security function that protects your creditcard information and passwords from coming out on the internet
An adblocking feature that takes away all those irritating popups and that also takes away advertisments!
I am so happy with my product and whenever I get a problem (caused by my inexperience with computers) the superior support always gets me back on track within minutes!
If I am only to teach other people one thing in my life it is this:
Buy this program! It is the best out there and you will never look back to using 7 programs creating internal conflicts instead of this great program. Symantec: I adore you!!
User Rating: 10/10
Norton Spyware edition
Pros: Its an exellent program and cheap
Cons: Nothing from with it
User Rating: 9/10
Great Product
Pros: Lets you know if you have any spyware on your hard drive and removes it . If not you can go to there web site and download tools to remove unwanted spyware.
Cons: None that I can comment on.
User Rating: 2/10
Stay Away - wont work
Pros: not that I know of
Cons: makes PC unusable
User Rating: 4/10
not good enough at detection
Pros: detected 2 spyware, excellent at removal
Cons: failed to detect six other which ad-aware did
the scanner was very slow. it detected two spyware and sucessfully removed it with the options of heal, delete and quarantine. running ad-awaren se later on it detected a further 6.
User Rating: 
3/10
IT Costs You More Than Money In Agravation_It Sucks!
Pros: No Pros Anykind!
Cons: Worst Of them All!
I Dumped Snorten Norton---Last Review I Did Never Saw It Printed-Irrespective Charged $120 + Already Installed 2 Computers-It Didn't Only Crawl It Created Its Own Virus'--Live Update Hung Up Constantly-Unless You Ran It-It Would Not Even Let Me Go To Any Site Or My Home Page-All It Did Keep Downloading More Junk Into Your Computer- Load Up Hard Drive With Useless Catalog Updates,Definitions...
Vincent Auto -----PS: Try AVG 7.0...
User Rating: 2/10
Slows pc to a crawl - Requires massive power to run
Pros: Checks most would-be threats and request your permission
Cons: Drains all of your PC's resources to render your system slow
User Rating: 3/10
After restart the computer froze stiff.
Pros: Frozen computer gets NO spyware
Cons: Anything else
User Rating: 2/10
Norton Used To Be The Standard: Not Any More
Pros: I can't think of anything positive to say about Norton anymore.
Cons: A tremendous resource hog, slows your computer to a crawl.
Plus, I repair and maintain computers for a living and on 4 systems in the last 2 months, I have had to use AVG anti-virus to remove trojan horse programs from computers that had updated installations of Norton anti-virus!
Norton is no longer a reliable product and their attitude regarding customer service is terrible (and expensive). I would not recommend any Norton product.
User Rating: 2/10
Misleading ad
Pros: Not sure of benefits or utility
Cons: Difficult to uninstall
User Rating: 2/10
What did you expect. Garbage produces garbage
Pros: Hahaha. Funny. Oh! you were serious.....None
Cons: Almost everything. Slows PC, doesn't work
This product is utter garbage. Stay away from ALL Norton products. Doesn't update via live update even though its a new subscription. Slows the PC to a crawl on a dual cpu Intel Xeon 3.2 GHz with HT on !!!!
Norton is history. Go with Trend PC-Cillin. That is truly a superior product
User Rating: 1/10
No way you should download this
Pros: as far as i can see, it doesn't have one
Cons: huge amount of system resources,desinfection fails
User Rating: 2/10
It is the wost behemot I have ever tried
Pros: No pros here just to big in size and restrictions
Cons: Way to strict instead of dealing with real practical issues
It's size is to big AND all the options are overwhelming for the non-technical users. I'm technical but to see other suffer and clicking on things the can't explain says enough. Keep it simple is not invented by Symantec.
User Rating: 
7/10
Slow but effective
Pros: Does a great job of solving the spyware, popups, and virus problems
Cons: It definitely slowed my system. I finally added more memory and I'm back to normal now
User Rating: 1/10
Why waist your money?
Pros: Takes up so much system resources that you can con your wife into letting you buy a new computer!
Cons: Huge footprint on your system, Misses viruses and spyware even when updated, pretty pricey for what you get.
