Norton Family

[geogherkins]

I keep seeing this question being asked, but I do not see a satisfactory answer in this forum. Please provide a direct answer that others may use. I have taken pains to provide complete documentation of the scenario.

I get the following alert e-mail from Online Family.

"Norton Safety Minder plug-in is disconnected or disabled on [computer name]. To resume monitoring the Internet activities of your children, restart the Web browser or restart the computer."  See screenshot 1:



The child's computer is Windows Vista (although it is happening on Windows XP also). The browser is Internet Explorer 9 (although on Windows XP it is IE 8). The child has their own least-privilege user account (not a member of Administrators group). When the child opens Internet Explorer, the following option is offered, "Speed up browsing by disabling add-ons". See screenshot 2:

Then, of course, any smart child will try to get around the online family restrictions, and Microsoft is even suggesting how to do it! They can simply click on "Disable." See screen shot 3:

Those 3 steps describe the scenario. I want an answer to this question: How do I prevent a child account from disabling the Norton browser add-ons and therefore prevent the child from defeating online family security?

[kiwiinoz]

This scenario also appears to exist with Windows XP running Firefox. Any answers would be appreciated.

[KatieQ]

Hi geogherkins and kiwiinoz,

Thanks for taking the time to write us.  I understand your concern.  For your information,  Even though the Norton Safety Minder add-on is turned off, the program still monitors and blocks websites. 

What monitors and blocks websites is Norton Safety Minder (not just the add-on for Norton Safety Minder).  To uninstall the program Norton Safety Minder, the program requires Norton Online Family email account and password.

When you see the message next time, please check the browser(s) that your child uses to see if the Norton Safety Minder add-ons is enabled.  You can find it by clicking Tools -> Manage Add-ons in IE or Tools -> Add-ons in Firefox. 

As for the message “Speed up browsing by disabling add-ons”, we are currently working on the issue, so the browser can speed up. 

Thanks,

Katie

[geogherkins]

KatieQ,

Thank you for replying, but you did not answer the question.

You imply no functionality is lost by disabling the internet browser Add-on (or Plug-in). If this were the case then what is the purpose of the Add-on (Plug-in)? This is a bit of a rehtorical question, since obviously there is functionality present or Symantec wouldn't have written an Add-on (Plug-in) as part of the Norton Online Family product! I will ask the question differently in hopes it elicits a full explanation from Symantec:

1. How can a Windows account, internet browser, or Norton Add-on (Plug-in) be configured so as to PREVENT a child from disabling it?

2. What functionality is lost when a Norton Add-on (Plug-in) is disabled? Please address all of the Add-on (Plug-in) modules:

2a. Norton Toolbar

2b. Norton Identity Protection

2c. Norton Vulnerability Protection

2d. Norton Safety Minder BHO

The functionality of the Norton 360 product depends upon all of its components to be enabled and working correctly in order to deliver the specific functionality as advertised. Am I not correct?

P.S. You acknowledge that there is a small performance penalty when an Add-on (Plug-in) is enabled; of course and this is to be expected. Anything Symantec can do to improve performance is a good thing. But that was not the point of my question.

[sabu1516]

Just to say that I am having the same problem on Windows 7 with Firefox browser. 

[KatieQ]

Hi geogherkins,

Thanks for the inquiry.

1.  If the Norton Safety Minder plug-in is disabled for some reason, the program detects that and sends an alter to the parent, so the parent get a chance to check the plug-in setting and  talk with the child.  Below is the message the program sends to the parent:

"Safety Minder plug-in is disconnected or disabled on XXX . To resume monitoring the Internet activities of your children, restart the Web browser or restart the computer...."

I'll pass your request of preventing a child from disabling the plug-in to the team.

2d. Norton Safety Minder BHO plug-in is for video and social networking monitoring.

The forum is for the product of Norton Online Family.  For 2a, 2b, and 2c, if you prefer, I'll ask the forum administrator to move these questions to another forum or you can post them at  http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-Internet-Security-Norton/bd-p/nis_feedback

If you have any further questions, please let us know.

Thanks,

Katie

[geogherkins]

I take it from your comment that perhaps the scenario I carefully documented is a technical support issue/bug, not something the Norton Community forum can address ("I'll pass your request of preventing a child from disabling the plug-in to the team.")? Based on this, how should I proceed?

As to the other Add-on (Plug-in) Norton components that behave in the same manner as the Safety Minder BHO Add-on (Plug-in) - items 2a, 2b, 2c - are these not indirectly providing protection to keep children safe (safe from malware infection, etc.)? I would encourage you to take ownership of the question in its entirety. To me it is all "Norton 360" and although there are specialized zones within the Norton Community forums for all the components of Norton 360 we're really looking at the same problem for all of them. Perhaps this thread could be relocated to a more general area of the Norton Community if that makes sense to getting a faster and complete resolution. If it will help, you (or the forum moderator) can do that as far as I'm concerned if I don't have to repost the question all over again, then please do whatever it takes to move this up a notch in priority.

Thanks for looking into this KatieQ.

[KatieQ]

geogherkins,

I've asked the forum administrator to move 2a, 2b and 2c to the Norton 360 forum.  I"m not authorized to provide suggestions for Norton 360 as I don't work for the team and don't want to give you incorrect information.

I'll report that you suggested a function that prevents a child from disabling the NSM plug-in to the NOF management team, so they can evaluate the function and prioritize the product to do list.

Thanks,

Katie

[Funkya]

I am also having this problem on one of my computers that is running NSM, HOWEVER, I know for a fact that the child is NOT disabling anything himself (I have sat by the computer multiple times and watched, and the plug-in seems to get disabled by itself).

This usually happens after he has hit google to search.

After the browser gets disabled (by itself!), NSM still seems to block websites, BUT I do not get a notification email, and any websites that are blocked that he happens to hit DO NOT show up in the list under the "Web" tab on my NSM website.

Computer is running Windows 7

Browser is usually IE9 

Help please!

[KatieQ]

Hi Funkya,

You said: "This usually happens after he has hit Google to search." 

I just want to make sure I understand you correctly.  Can I assume you meant to say the Norton Safety Minder add-on is Enabled, then after the child searches something in Google, then the Norton Safety MInder add-on becomes Disabled at Tools -> Manage Add-ons in IE?

If so, does it happen consistently?

Thanks,

Katie