Entered CNET Catalog: 10/11/2003
SKU: 10098800
Manufacturer: Symantec Corporation
Manufacturer description
Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2004 provides essential protection from viruses, hackers, and privacy threats. Powerful yet easy to use, this award-winning suite now includes advanced spam-fighting software to filter unwanted mail out of your inbox. Protect yourself, your family, and your PC online with Norton Internet Security 2004.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 11/20/2003
 NIS's interface is easy to navigate, shows the status of its defenses at a glance, and retains the big Block Traffic button at the upper left. |
NIS 2004, like Microsoft Windows XP, now requires product activation. Unlike Microsoft, however, Symantec gives users the benefit of the doubt by allowing up to five installations to account for changes in the original PC's hardware or a reinstallation after a hard drive crash.
NIS 2004's interface is now more consistent throughout, with color-coded indicators on the main screen that quickly show you which modules are running and which need your attention. This is an improvement over NIS 2003, which displayed the firewall's status in an unclear, text-style interface. Simply navigate the suite by clicking icons in the bar at the left or get configuration settings of any module by clicking the appropriate link on the right. Norton Internet Security 2004 bundles Norton AntiSpam, then throws in additional Web filtering tools and privacy and parental controls. While Norton AntiVirus and Personal Firewall are the heart of the suite, they remain relatively unchanged from last year's versions. The most notable improvement--and, we think, the reason to upgrade--is the excellent Norton AntiSpam (NAS) 2004.
 Before you begin installing, NIS offers to scan your hard drive for viruses, worms, and other threats--a nice touch. |
NAS 2004 lets you create lists of people whose mail should always reach your in-box, lists of addresses to block, and spam rules of your own. NAS also includes its own preset list of antispam rules (unfortunately, you can't view or edit the list), and Symantec constantly updates that list via its LiveUpdate feature. Unlike McAfee's SpamKiller, NAS 2004 lets you use buttons on the Outlook, Outlook Express, or Eudora toolbars to immediately tag a message as spam.
Like McAfee Internet Security (MIS) 6.0, NIS 2004 also includes parental controls, which let you block sites from young children, and various cookie controls. Unlike MIS 6.0, unfortunately, NIS 2004 doesn't include a password manager. (Norton Password Manager 2004 is available as a standalone app or bundled with Norton SystemWorks 2004.) Symantec's tech support is relatively unchanged from last year--and it's still expensive. The new Support Assistant, available from the Symantec Web site, takes less than a minute to download and install, automatically recognizes the version of NIS on your PC, then guides you to the most likely problems and solutions. None matched our test problems, however, so we ended up searching the online knowledge base each time. Frankly, the Support Assistant is a waste of precious time.
 Symantec's Automated Support Assistant displays a couple of popular problems relating to your version of NIS. |
You can also contact a help-desk technician via e-mail--if you can find the form. It's a multistep process that Symantec should simplify.
Phone support is available, but it costs $29.95 per incident or $2.95 per minute and is available only on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT. Once you do reach a real person, whether by e-mail or by phone, you'll get first-rate help. We called and e-mailed with the same question and got accurate answers both times, although it took Symantec two business days to respond to our e-mail.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
User Rating: 
8/10
The thing does what it's supposed to do
Pros: Good overall protection; excellent automatic programming rules; very active
Cons: Too aggressive at times, but better safe than sorry
User Rating: 
9/10
Very pleased (with 2005 version)
Pros: Very intuitive
Cons: Takes a while to scan for viruses/Tech support
Doing a manual virus scan takes a long time so to overcome this I have scheduled scans while I am at work.
I agree with CNET that the automated assistant is a waste of time. Phone support for at least the first 30 days should be free. Was told I had to pay when I ran into an install issue 3 times in a row with 2004 version. I thought that was crazy and decided to call back. Rep told me I probably had defective disk, apologized, and sent me the 2005 version for free.
User Rating: 
3/10
Does a good job, but slows down your system considerably and very bad costumer support
Pros: Very efficient protection against all categories of Internet pests
Cons: Slows down your system, Live update goes awry, and install/uninstall can become a nightmare
User Rating: 
1/10
very bad software
Pros: very bad software
Cons: very bad software
User Rating: 
4/10
Does what it says
Pros: The spam blocker works like a charm.
Cons: Slows down your system....and internet connection???
User Rating: 
7/10
Less Than Impressed
Pros: Nice Interface,
Cons: E-mail Scanning "Gremlins"
User Rating: 
2/10
Too Aggressive
Pros: Comprehensive
Cons: Comprehensive, Slow, Memory Hog
I am looking at another program to replace it. CNET reviews and user reviews are a great help. I am leaving the Symantec fan club. They have gone too far and are too aggressive and difficult to work with.
Look around at other options. NAV isn't the only one anymore, and hardly the best.
User Rating: 7/10
The Best All in one Security Suite!
Pros: It finds and Deletes Viruses better than anything available!
Cons: Needs a lot of memory if you want it to work fast.
It works great for getting rid of scum ware, etc.
Where it could use some work is with the web assistant a function that lets you decide if a site is allowed cookies script, etc. It needs to also add the ability to allow disallow other stuff like flash, active X, referrers, Animated images, Etc.
Instead of going in to settings and then opening up 3 windows just to adjust it everytime.
User Rating: 
6/10
Does "the Job", but makes my system sooooo sloooooowww.
Pros: I've never had a virus get past it; caught quite a few. Made my system stealth to internet.
Cons: Has made my system sluggish
User Rating: 1/10
DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY
Pros: NONE... will never buy again
Cons: No Tech Support.... Don't bother
Don't waste your money... They get you to pay for on-line updates, subscriptions, etc. and they want you to PAY FOR TECH SUPPORT when you have a problem.
I've been a customer for 10 years and I'll never buy another Symantec product ever again.
User Rating: 3/10
Problematic product, HORRIBLE customer service
Pros: When it works it seems to be simple to use and effective.
Cons: When it doesn't it's difficult to fix but the biggest issue is the lack of customer service support and responsiveness from Symantec.
Worse yet, when I finally did get to customer service, they promised me on four occassions over two months to ship me a new CD to reinstall the software that thier technical documentation told me to uninstall. Two months later they are still telling me it will be 7-10 days until I get the CD.
An internet security product is useless if you can't get to the internet with it and if it can't be fixed.
User Rating: 2/10
Who programmed this Piece of crap?
Pros: It is exelant at blocking viruses. It loads easily and has lots of features.
Cons: the site blockings for kids is way to strict. It will not allow kids with 9-12 settings to view anything that has to do with religion. I had to do a school report on judisum and every thing was block including judisum 101 which my teacher recommended. It
