In terms of enhanced features, Norton Internet Security 2006 already offered some rootkit protection, but Norton Internet Security 2007 takes detection to a new level. Symantec has extended its Veritas VxMS enterprise technology to the consumer level, allowing Norton Internet Security 2007 to compare files within the directory to files on the volume level. This quickly ferrets out suspicious or known malware and rootkits operating on your system. Norton Internet Security 2007 can also throttle its antivirus scanning engines so that either the full system scan or a quick scan runs in the background, giving priority to applications such as Microsoft Word. Other antivirus engines already have this technology.
One enhancement we do not agree with is Symantec's decision to disable firewall alerts by default. Symantec already does this with its antivirus alerts and insists that most people do not want to be bothered with granting or denying programs' access to the Internet. We disagree. Years ago, firewall alert messages were a problem, but today, a properly configured "smart" firewall should have access to a vast database of allowed applications, thereby minimising the need to alert users except when a new or rogue application is detected. We found the silence frustrating. Advanced users, who sometimes need to monitor their Internet access, must now drill down within the configuration settings to enable the alert messages.
The Norton Internet Security 2007 suite does not include wireless router protection. In fact, none of the Internet security suites we've seen includes the ability to configure WEP or WPA protection on common household wireless routers -- vital for any secure Wi-Fi connection, and it's a mystery to us why more vendors aren't including it within their security suites. Norton Internet Security 2007 changes your firewall protections based on whether you are connected to your home network, an office network, or a public wireless network, such as that of an Internet cafe or a commercial airport, but Windows Vista has that capability built in.
Missing from Norton Internet Security 2007 is thorough protection from identity theft. An ID vault for storing passwords and credit card information is de rigor in Internet security suites from McAfee, Trend Micro, and ZoneAlarm, yet it is missing from Symantec's suite. For that feature, the company directs you to buy its new Norton Confidential application.
Also missing are system diagnostics and backup features (available in McAfee Internet Security Suite 2007) and enhanced Internet transaction security (available in ZoneAlarm Internet Security 7). For built-in backup, Norton users will need to purchase Norton Save & Restore or Norton SystemWorks 2007.
Performance
Norton AntiVirus 2007 improves on ZDNet Australia sister site CNET.com's last years labs performance test scores, although Norton turns in a mixed bag of results overall. On our iTunes test, Norton AntiVirus 2007 lost ground compared with last year, taking 208 seconds as opposed to 184 seconds last year. On our Sorensen Squeeze test, Norton AntiVirus 2007 improved, taking 317 seconds compared to 326 seconds last year. Overall, Norton showed the most improvement with individual file scans: it took only 117 seconds and 320 seconds last year. But in terms of boot speed, Norton lost ground, taking 4 seconds longer -- 66 seconds as opposed to last year's 62 seconds.
To determine how well a product will protect your PC we refer to test results from two leading independent antivirus testing organisations. In the latest test results from AV-Comparatives.org, Norton AntiVirus 2006 earned an Advanced+ (highest) rating, catching 98 percent of all malware tested, and from Checkvir.com, Norton AntiVirus 2006 was one of eight products to earn its Standard (highest) rating.
For firewall tests, we used NMAP on a closed system with a router connection, however, we were unable to scan the Norton Internet Security 2007 PC; all other vendors tested produced at least some results in the various tests performed. Norton hides or "stealths" a PC from criminal hackers, which is good, though we're suspicious of what we can't see.
Support
The Norton Internet Security 2007 download site has a 32-page PDF manual, which is surprisingly light and almost useless when it comes to critical information; the index, for example, is only 2 pages, and it doesn't list information on configuring the firewall settings. The updated, automated, online technical-support service works with only Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher, not Firefox. Fortunately, the redesigned FAQ knowledge base still works in both IE and Firefox. If you're still having trouble finding an answer, Symantec offers live technical-support options. In our tests, free online chat required a 15-minute wait, free e-mail averaged about 72 hours for a response, and a live conversation over the phone cost US$9.95 and required a 30-minute wait. But to use any of these options, we first had to first fill in our name, address, e-mail, and telephone number -- this despite already having set up a Norton Account.
By going deeper, and by breaking apart its Internet security protection into individual modules, such as Norton Save & Restore and Norton Confidential, Symantec risks weakening Norton Internet Security 2007 against its competition by making it only one part of a larger puzzle. Essentially, Norton Internet Security 2007 is a very thorough antivirus-and-firewall combo with a few other security features thrown in, but it lacks data theft prevention, which is what most people want in an Internet security suite. There's also a weird duality, with features for home users that'll annoy advanced users and advanced-user features that most home users will never need. We prefer ZoneAlarm Internet Security 7; it strikes the right balance and gives end users the most complete Internet security package on the market today.
Norton Internet Security 2007
Company: Symantec
RRP: AU$99.95
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