Digital security service company
Norton, formerly known as Norton by Symantec, is a brand of Gen Digital co-headquartered in Tempe, Arizona and Prague, Czech Republic. Norton originally provided utility software for DOS,[1] and currently offers a variety of products and services related to digital security, identity protection, and online privacy and utilities.[2]
Norton was acquired by the Symantec Corporation in 1990, and in 2014, Symantec separated their business into two units. One was focused on security, and the other was focused on information management; Norton was placed in the unit focused on security.[3]
As of 2022, Norton is a consumer cybersecurity brand of Gen Digital, the parent company formed following the merger between NortonLifeLock and Avast.[4]
History
Peter Norton Computing, Inc. was a software company founded by Peter Norton. Norton and his company developed various DOS utilities including the Norton Utilities which originally did not include antivirus features.
In 1990, the company was acquired by Symantec and renamed Peter Norton Consulting Group. Symantec's consumer antivirus and data management utilities are still marketed under the Norton name.[5]
In early 1991, Symantec's Norton Group launched Norton AntiVirus 1.0 for PC and compatible computers. The company updated and diversified its product line until combining its offerings into one seamless product, Norton Security.[6]
In the 1990s, Norton provided software to check computer systems for Y2K compliance.[7]In 2019, Symantec was renamed to NortonLifeLock following Broadcom’s acquisition of its enterprise division,[8] leading to the combination of the Norton 360 suite with the LifeLock identity threat protection offering, which was purchased by Symantec in 2017.[9]
In 2019, the Norton 360 brand was reintroduced, replacing Norton Security and adding privacy features including a virtual private network (VPN) and identity theft protection services alongside its traditional antivirus features.[10]
Products and Services
Norton's products are primarily digital security tools for personal computers, server devices and mobile devices. It is currently compatible with PCs running Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11, MacOS, and since 2011, Android and iOS, and is available as an annual subscription.[11][12]
Norton software is licensed to consumers. The brand's primary product is Norton 360, available in multiple editions.[13]Norton 360 Standard Edition includes real-time threat protection, Norton's Secure VPN, cloud backup, a password manager, and a smart firewall. A mobile version of the software is also available.[14]Norton 360 Deluxe and Norton 360 Advanced editions also add parental controls and digital identity features including dark web monitoring for leaks of personal information.[15]
Norton also offers its traditional antivirus software, Norton Antivirus Plus, as a standalone service, as well as separate subscriptions for Norton AntiTrack, Norton Secure VPN, and Norton Identity Advisor Plus.[16]Other services, including PC tune-up and optimization software, are also available as separate offerings.[17]
In January 2022, several users brought to light an issue with a hidden backdoor crypto-mining tool in the Norton 360 security software suite.[18] Following the report in media Norton highlighted the procedure for uninstalling the product from their computer.
