Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC) today unveiled beta versions of the Norton 2011 AntiVirus and Norton 2011 Internet Security, available now as free download.
With performance being a key objective in the latest releases, both products will include “System Insight 2.0” which alerts users when applications are significantly impacting their system resources.
In addition, Symantec launched its first beta security application for Facebook and two other security tools to help fight against malware infection and assist with removal.
- Norton Safe Web for Facebook – This free beta application helps protect computer users by scanning their Facebook news feeds for malicious URLs, allowing them to identify risky sites before clicking through. Symantec claims that 60% of unsafe sites identified by Norton Safe Web are found to contain threats that can infect a PC without requiring the user to download or install files.
- Norton Power Eraser – Norton Power Eraser aims to take on difficult to detect crimeware known as “scareware” or “rogueware” that cybercriminals use to trick users into unknowingly downloading. This popular tactic displays fake pop-up alerts or security notifications that scare users into thinking their PC has been. Norton Power Eraser is designed to target and eliminate this type of crimeware. These “scareware” programs can often require special tactics to remove them. With Norton Power Eraser, these threats (and others) are specifically targeted, and effectively detected and removed. Power Eraser is recommended for use when nothing else has been successful in removing the threat users are willing to accept the risk that that it may quarantine a legitimate program as a false positive.
- Norton Bootable Recovery Tool (Available to Paid Subscribers) – This tool allows Norton users to boot a PC into a safe state after a system has been deeply infected, preventing from starting up. The Norton Bootable Recovery Tool wizard automatically creates a CD/DVD/USB bootable device to help users get PCs running and restored to safe status.
Additional features in Norton Internet Security 2011 beta include an updated Norton Identity Safe, Norton Safe Web, a web site rating service that annotates results on major search engines, and the Norton Internet Security 2011 beta toolbar which helps users identify unsafe web sites which contain malware, browser or media plug-in exploits and phishing attempts.
The beta is available as a free download now at: http://www.norton.com/nis2011beta
“Our customers are looking for value beyond ‘core security’ and the free new tools we’re bringing to market will keep the Norton community and the community-at-large safer from the cybercriminals who find new ways everyday to target people’s identity for a profit,” said Jens Meggers, Vice President of engineering, for Norton products.
