Symantec Offering Free Norton Security for Android
Symantec has released a "lite" version of its new Norton Mobile Security suite for the Android platform.
On Thursday Symantec released a free security application for the Android platform to help users combat against malware and phone thieves. Called Norton Mobile Security (NMS) Lite, the new suite goes up against Lookout Mobile Security's own popular offering which provides similar anti-malware and anti-theft services for Android.
"In the same day, a smartphone user can stream their favorite music station, get the high score hurling birds through the air and then file their taxes online. Having Norton installed means feeling equally confident regardless of what you do on your mobile phone," said Dave Cole, vice president mobile products, Norton. "Norton Mobile Security Lite protects confidential information and offers basic mobile protection from the most trusted name in security - which means your device is safe and you're worry-free."
According to Symantec, NMS Lite protects users on three fronts. First, it will remotely lock your lost or stolen device via SMS text and prevent strangers from seeing your private information or running up your mobile bill. Second, it will scan all files and app updates downloaded to the mobile device and automatically detect and remove threats without slowing the device down. And finally third, it will download and install security updates automatically, keeping you "a step ahead of cybercriminals."
By comparison, Lookout Mobile Security's free software offers anti-virus, anti-malware and anti-spyware protection. It will also backup the device's contact book and restore data to an existing phone. Lookout will also find a missing phone (locate and "scream") and come with standard support. Naturally the Premium version offers a more robust suite of services for $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year which includes blocking phishing and malicious websites, photo and call history backup, remote wipe and lock, and more. To see a comparison of the free and premium versions, head here.
As for Symantec's premium flavor of Norton Mobile Security, it will require an annual subscription for $29.99 and add additional features like the ability to remotely locate or wipe the device, block unwanted calls or text messages, block phishing websites used to steal personal information and money, and more. At the time of this writing, a detailed list was not provided.
"There are 42-percent more mobile vulnerabilities today than the previous year," Symantec claims in Volume 16 of its Internet Security Threat Report. "Additionally, a recent Norton survey found that 36 percent of consumers in the U.S. have had their cell phone lost or stolen. It's clear that there is a growing need to protect consumer mobile devices now more than ever."
Symantec's Norton Mobile Security Lite is now available on our Download Section.
- Verizon Finally Blocking Unauthorized Tethering Apps
- Target, Walmart Drops 3DS Price to $169 Early
- Anonymous Threatens to "Destroy" Facebook in November
- Motion Capture from Body-Mounted Cameras
- Chinese Smugglers Use Zip Lines to Import iPads, iPhones
- Vibrating Dumbbells Increase Workout Efficiency by 50%
- Project Aeon: The Future of Augmented Reality?
- Samsung Responds to Apple's Galaxy Tab Block in EU
- Disney's New Tactile Tech Makes You Feel Real Collisions
- Apple Overtakes Exxon as Most Valuable US Company
- Groupon Could Simply Implode
- Walmart Killing Off MP3 Download Service
- Ouch: News Corp Lost Over $200M on MySpace Sale
- Windows 7 Forecasted to Capture 42% Share This Year
- Roadmap Shows 720p Ice Cream Sandwich Phone
- Mozilla to Improve Firefox Memory Performance by 30%
- Artificial Island Skyscraper Fights Global Warming
- Japanese DJs Make Music With Nike Shoes
- Meet Kisai's New 3D (Sorta) Digital Watch
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. No. My mobile phone is actually fast now. I'd like to keep it that way.
Why would I want to infect my phone with a commercial virus..
Oh Norton, you make me laugh with your delusion of security... u so funny
Lol, take your bloatware somewhere else... antiviruses are for people who can't understand basic security.
Ya, how about no? It would need to be light on memory usage and processor usage...and WORK. For most people on this site they know that this is not possible with a Symantec product.
I feel like I just read and ad, not an article.
Norton antivirus will make your system will be too busy even to run a virus program...that is the basic logic of Norton antivirus...keeping the system busy so that it can not anything else!
Now, you want us to have it on our phone? Are you sure that you spare enough room for the phone even to do phone calls?
Oh Norton, go huddle in the corner with McAfee and take your bloated crap somewhere else.
Additionally, a recent Norton survey found that 36 percent of consumers in the U.S. have had their cell phone lost or stolen.... YOUR POINT?
Guess they are trying to say that Norton can help with that or something?
I understand that we'll reach a point where we'll have to protect our phones, since they're becoming an increasingly attractive target for thieves and hackers. However, Symantec is the last company I would trust with this task. I want my phone to be more than a shiny paperweight.
Have any of you people used a RECENT version (last 3-4 years) of Norton Antivirus or Norton Internet Security? I couldn't agree more that they USED to be terrible resource hogs in earlier incarnations. But the current versions are actually pretty streamlined, slick, and non-intrusive.
Have any of you people used a RECENT version (last 3-4 years) of Norton Antivirus or Norton Internet Security? I couldn't agree more that they USED to be terrible resource hogs in earlier incarnations. But the current versions are actually pretty streamlined, slick, and non-intrusive.
They lost my vote when they were being packaged as bloatware and given to the consumer without them having an informed decision about what anti-virus to take.
I prefer viruses over symantec bloatware. Thanks but no thanks ;-)
Guess they are trying to say that Norton can help with that or something?[/quote]
I can only assume it has to do with "...which includes blocking phishing and malicious websites, photo and call history backup, remote wipe and lock, and more."
http://xkcd.com/463/
But replace "voting machines" with "cell phones"
Hahaha! I love it when Toms tries to prank us.
Norton... on my phone... man, it's downright hilarious!
Those who said "Norton is a memory hog" or similar stuff means they haven't use anything recent from Symantec.
it use so much less memory and cpu cycles now and it's one of the lowest footprint anti-virus/security software out there.
if you don't know shit, that's perfectly ok, just keep ur mouth shut, that's all. don't try to act like a know-it-all.
They lost my vote when they were being packaged as bloatware and given to the consumer without them having an informed decision about what anti-virus to take.
then maybe you should stop buying the cheapest garbage laptop/desktop that you can find.
Cuz last laptop I got, hmm, a decent spec one, has no bloatware that everybody talked about. on the other hand, my gf got the cheapest crap from Dell that cost for 399, guess what, it's loaded with garbage.
I guess it's too hard for morons to understand this line : you get what you paid for.
Those who said "Norton is a memory hog" or similar stuff means they haven't use anything recent from Symantec. it use so much less memory and cpu cycles now and it's one of the lowest footprint anti-virus/security software out there.if you don't know shit, that's perfectly ok, just keep ur mouth shut, that's all. don't try to act like a know-it-all.
Ok, so they have improved in the resource department and a slick UI...but...Norton still detects malware for shit. I know this so I must know "shit"...
free for $33 annualy. This is nothing but a "Lite" version with little to offer.
then maybe you should stop buying the cheapest garbage laptop/desktop that you can find.Cuz last laptop I got, hmm, a decent spec one, has no bloatware that everybody talked about. on the other hand, my gf got the cheapest crap from Dell that cost for 399, guess what, it's loaded with garbage. I guess it's too hard for morons to understand this line : you get what you paid for.
I have literally seen that any preinstalled Windows computer purchased from a company comes with some form of bloatware installed on it. So if you think Alienware is garbage then tell us what high-end non-garbage computer isn't. What falls under "cheapest garbage"? Is spending $1,700 on a laptop "garbage"? How about $3,300 that I spent on my Alienware that still came more bloated than a female with PMS...so I'm curious hotshot. You just trolling today kid?
Norton antivirus will make your system will be too busy even to run a virus program...that is the basic logic of Norton antivirus...keeping the system busy so that it can not anything else!Now, you want us to have it on our phone? Are you sure that you spare enough room for the phone even to do phone calls?
When did you last use Norton? A few years ago, you were right. Today, Norton shows the lowest memory and CPU usage out of all major security suites and also offers the highest detection rates.
Norton is pricey, too pricey to make it truly superior to free AV's even, but you can't blame it for being bloated anymore.
then maybe you should stop buying the cheapest garbage laptop/desktop that you can find.Cuz last laptop I got, hmm, a decent spec one, has no bloatware that everybody talked about. on the other hand, my gf got the cheapest crap from Dell that cost for 399, guess what, it's loaded with garbage. I guess it's too hard for morons to understand this line : you get what you paid for.
When did you last use Norton? A few years ago, you were right. Today, Norton shows the lowest memory and CPU usage out of all major security suites and also offers the highest detection rates.Norton is pricey, too pricey to make it truly superior to free AV's even, but you can't blame it for being bloated anymore.
Agree. I'm guessing the first posters either haven't used a Norton Internet Security product since 2008, or are repeating what they've heard from dated second hand accounts (which wouldn't surprise me at all).
From 2009, Norton completely reworked their internet security software from the ground up, 09 and up are unrelated to previous versions. Since then I've switched back to Norton, and I can honestly say it's the best Internet Security software I've ever used. The installation size is small and install time is quick (under a minute).
But the best part is the performance, it's light on system resources, and it works completely in the background, you're never bothered with regular or trivial tasks. No scheduled full system scans like every other anti virus I've used, no prompts to install updates, no restarts. Everything is done when your system is idle, and when you come back it pauses whatever scan or update it might be performing and simply continues the next time it's idle (again without any popup windows or prompts). It's a really great, seamless experience, and you never notice it.
then maybe you should stop buying the cheapest garbage laptop/desktop that you can find.Cuz last laptop I got, hmm, a decent spec one, has no bloatware that everybody talked about. on the other hand, my gf got the cheapest crap from Dell that cost for 399, guess what, it's loaded with garbage. I guess it's too hard for morons to understand this line : you get what you paid for.
..and what laptop did you buy? what a numbnuts... Companies put software on their systems to keep the prices down genius. I feel sorry for your GF that she's dating someone that's dumb as dirt.
Have any of you people used a RECENT version (last 3-4 years) of Norton Antivirus or Norton Internet Security? I couldn't agree more that they USED to be terrible resource hogs in earlier incarnations. But the current versions are actually pretty streamlined, slick, and non-intrusive.
Norton, no recent experience.
Symantec has done much to lighten the usermode bloat but their kernel mode bloat is still really bad. They are still stack hogs for one. They've also branched into network hooks with symantec endpoint protection. I've seen a bajillion problems cause by endpoint protection. Symantec has been quick to fix them but it's just inexcusable how bad it is.
All that said... Yes. There has been in improvement particularly in their consumer products.
To late though: The wise consumer is now using Microsoft Security Essentials (Basically Forefront Enterprise for free)
Those who said "Norton is a memory hog" or similar stuff means they haven't use anything recent from Symantec. it use so much less memory and cpu cycles now and it's one of the lowest footprint anti-virus/security software out there.if you don't know shit, that's perfectly ok, just keep ur mouth shut, that's all. don't try to act like a know-it-all.
Pot, Kettle.
Symantecs stack usage is still absurd. You'll find out when debugging a failure, but not by looking at the working set up in user heap.
Symantec has improved a great deal. Not enough though.
Norton, no recent experience.Symantec has done much to lighten the usermode bloat but their kernel mode bloat is still really bad. They are still stack hogs for one. They've also branched into network hooks with symantec endpoint protection. I've seen a bajillion problems cause by endpoint protection. Symantec has been quick to fix them but it's just inexcusable how bad it is.All that said... Yes. There has been in improvement particularly in their consumer products.To late though: The wise consumer is now using Microsoft Security Essentials (Basically Forefront Enterprise for free)
MSE is an OK Anti-Virus to use for starters, at least it's completely free. but it lacks some of the feature found in any other Anti-Virus(Security) software.
I never looked at their Kernel side. maybe you're right, but honestly most End-users not going to care nor will they noticed any of those stuff.
..and what laptop did you buy? what a numbnuts... Companies put software on their systems to keep the prices down genius. I feel sorry for your GF that she's dating someone that's dumb as dirt.
so you got some garbage low end laptop and you bitxh about having bloatware ? Even when you do a clean install, that garbage low end crap is still going to be garbage low end crap, which fits people like you.
if you can't afford a "decent" laptop that's worth more than your welfare checks, I understand where the jealousy came from, that's ok.
Pot, Kettle.Symantecs stack usage is still absurd. You'll find out when debugging a failure, but not by looking at the working set up in user heap.Symantec has improved a great deal. Not enough though.
never look into that(stack)
my company's network comps never had any problems with Symentec. they feel "safer" with it. I am not paying, so I don't really give a crap
I got 6 comps at home and none of them have Anti-Virus/Security software cuz I know how to lock it all down. They can surf site loaded with trojan and none of them works on my comps. You just gotta know what you are doing.
Great.... So, where is the ANDROID VERSION of SymNRT?
Norton is ranked the 2nd to worst antivirus, right ahead of McCrappee.
McCrappee can detect the viruses, but can't stop it. Norton can stop more than it, but detect less.
Free is free to say, some compaines find find interests better then none, cause of it at least there is some more then none, but of it though is the "prices" paid for uses of things free of course.
Even then to say that a company would offer something free makes wonder of anything different of say other for a cost.
But as long as you have the means of use with or without then your good either way.