Norton AntiVirus

Norton AntiVirus, developed and distributed by Symantec Corporation, provides malware prevention and removal during a subscription period. It uses signatures and heuristics to identify viruses. Other features include e-mail spam filtering and phishing protection.

Symantec distributes the product as a download, a box copy, and as OEM software. Norton AntiVirus and Norton Internet Security, a related product, held a 61% US retail market share for security suites as of the first half of 2007. Competitors, in terms of market share in this study, include antivirus products from CA, Trend Micro, and Kaspersky Lab.[1]

Norton AntiVirus runs on Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. Version 17.0.0.136 is the latest Windows build.[2] Windows 7 support is in development for versions 2006 through 2009. Version 2010 will natively support Windows 7, without needing an update. Version 11.1.1 is the latest Mac build.

In August 1990 Symantec acquired Peter Norton Computing from Peter Norton.[3] Norton and his company developed various utilities, or applications for DOS, including an antivirus. Symantec continued the development of acquired technologies. The technologies are marketed under the name of "Norton", with the tagline "from Symantec". Norton's crossed-arm pose, a registered U.S. trademark, was traditionally featured on Norton product packaging.[4] However, his pose was later moved to the spine of the packaging, and eventually dropped altogether.[5]