Norton Protection Blog

What would your company do if an employee's device was lost, or even worse, stolen? Does your business  have measures in place to protect the data on the device?

February 13th is National Clean out Your Computer day, and there’s good reason behind it. When you “clean” your computer, you don’t just dust off the keyboard and wipe fingerprints from the screen. You also pay attention to the state of the hard drive, updating software and removing old programs.

New High-Performance Wi-Fi Router, Built from The Ground Up to Secure Home Networks and IoT Devices, Will Come Bundled with Subscription to Award-Winning Norton Security

Software updates can seem like an annoyance, but they are actually critical to the protection of your system.

Online dating is as normal to life as is online shopping. Believe it or not, online dating has been around for 20 years, and as a result, cybercriminals are finding big money in people looking for love. However, these aren’t issues that should deter you from fishing in the sea of online dating.

In this guide, we will take you step-by-step through the entire online dating process. From finding the best dating site, protecting your digital privacy, all the way up to that first date, we’ve got you covered.

Every day more of the country gets better, faster Wi-Fi coverage. But that doesn’t stop your signal at home from dropping off or grinding to a halt every now and then. Here are the latest tips from our top experts on how to get the most from your home Wi-Fi service.

"We’re counting down days until Christmas is here,
And gifting you cool security tips to be of good cheer,
And make sure this season is the best of your year."

Join us every day for a new Norton tip to keep your holidays merry and bright. A secure holiday is a happy holiday with Norton.

It’s the age of modern romance. The approach of finding a partner has changed over a period of time. Busy lives and innovative technology have given rise to apps and websites that has increased the probability of finding a suitable companion. As in finding love the traditional way, online dating too also has its pros and cons.

We announced some exciting news in November about Symantec’s plans to acquire LifeLock, and now I’m happy to share that the deal has closed and our integration with LifeLock, and its enterprise subsidiary ID Analytics, is underway.

There is a lot of passion and excitement from our combined team around the promise and potential we have together to provide a comprehensive digital safety platform that gives you, our customers, a greater sense of security with the addition of identity theft protection expertise.

Have you heard about cutting the cord? It’s a way to replace cable television that has grown in popularity as more people are upgrading to Smart TVs and video streaming devices. Renting equipment from cable service providers can be costly, and for many cutting the cord can also cut the bill. If you’re on the fence here are a few tips to get you started and most importantly home network security best practices to consider. Smart TVs are making headlines for faulty security and privacy risks. So when you cut the cord, stream smarter and more secure. Here’s how: 

Wireless Internet access is one of the modern conveniences of our time. However, your home wireless router can also be an access point for hackers. If your Wi-Fi router isn’t secured properly, you could be letting anyone with a wireless-enabled device gain access to your home network. That means you’re opening up your emails, banking information, and maybe even details of your smart home’s daily schedule to criminals. 

Basic Wireless Security

Our daily and digital lives overlap each other. Since our personal safety takes precedence over everything, it’s safe to say that our digital security is a close second.

The price of digital safety

It is beginning to feel like the Internet is a basic necessity for existence in the 21st century. With all our devices connected to the Internet, we have an indescribable physical mobility that leads to increased productivity. It is safe to say that the Internet is for everyone and does not limit itself to the tech savvy. Unfortunately, when not safeguarded, the Internet can be a playground for nefarious activities caused by people with malicious intent.  

As the most popular travel days of the year approach, many holiday travelers are creating mental checklists for navigating busy airports — most likely with their trusty mobile devices in hand and laptops in their bags. To save fliers the headache and heartbreak of having their devices compromised en route to Grandma’s house, here’s a checklist to keep smartphones, tablets, and laptops safe while spending time in an airport. 

Congratulations on your new device! You’re likely caught up in the fun of having a new gadget, and probably shopping for a shiny (or sparkly) new case. While a case protects your device from nature and clumsy hands, it doesn’t make your phone absolutely safe. Why? Because it doesn’t protect what matters most—your information.

980 data breaches occurred in 2016. That left an approximate 35,233,317 known records exposed. Over the years, data breaches have become more sophisticated, and cybercriminals target both large corporations and small businesses.

2016 saw a string of data breaches that left sensitive information of millions of people at the mercy of cybercriminals. In addition to financial consequences, these data breaches ruined customer trust and the reputation of the companies in question.

To understand the importance of privacy in the digital age, one must understand exactly what it is before it can be valued. There seems to be a good number of people in the “I’m not doing anything wrong, therefore, I have nothing to hide” camp. Well, we are here to bust that myth. The truth of the matter is, right or wrong, we have everything to hide.

What Is Privacy?

Surprisingly, in this always-connected day and age, people surveyed by Norton in Australia and New Zealand said they plan to do less than 40% of their Christmas shopping online.

The Internet threat landscape was booming last year for cybercriminals. We reported on 54 major events in 2016. And that’s not counting the little stuff. The threat landscape shifted slightly in the past year, and we have seen some new trends. However, some of the older ones are sticking around and still going strong.

Happy Thanksgiving from Norton!

We’re counting down days until Christmas is here,
And gifting you cool security tips to be of good cheer,
And make sure this season is the best of your year.

Internet of Things gadgets aren’t just for toys for techies. They are actually more accessible by cost and ease of use, and people are finding convenience in creating a “smart home” with connected things.

However, convenience does not come without risk. One of the key security concerns with smart homes is ensuring that devices are not vulnerable to hacking and cyber attack. Let’s take a look at how-to create a smart home while following cybersecurity best practices.

Cybercrime is a growing threat in 2016. You might think that the only form of cybercrime you have to worry about is hackers stealing your financial information. Unfortunately there are far more concerns than just basic financial ones. When you see the full list of cybercrimes out there, you might be tempted to stop using the Internet entirely. However, such drastic measures are not necessary. All you need to do to protect yourself is take some basic precautions and know who to contact when you see others engaged in criminal activities online.

The holidays are just around the corner, and that means many of us will be making purchases online to avoid large crowds and busy mall traffic. While online shopping has made our lives easier, it also exposes new weaknesses with the information we use to make those very purchases.

Online socializing has both good and bad sides to it. While it has opened a whole new dimension of ways to communicate and has added convenience to our lifestyles, it unfortunately has some unpleasant effects too.

Have you ever lost a lot of really important data? Or, alternately, have you ever had a moment of panic where you thought you did? Whether it’s images of a family vacation, a report from work or a semester’s worth of homework, you probably have data on your computer that’s not just valuable, it’s too valuable to lose. Backing up your data regularly will help you to avoid the crushing feeling that comes with finding out that all your hard work and treasured memories are gone.

Whether you own a small business or a big one, you live in a world where cybersecurity is of paramount importance. Big business, small business, academic institutions, government agencies, nonprofits… all of these need to take an interest in cybersecurity or pay the price. It’s a matter or success, but also a matter of national security. Those working in critical infrastructure have a special obligation to make sure that they’re securing the workplace.

A new survey uncovers the prevalence of harassment against men in the online world and suggests ways to combat it.

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On the face of it, Gold Coast Titans National Rugby League (NRL) player Jarryd Hayne hardly seems a likely candidate for cyberbullying.

Since our physical world has become so integrated with our technology, it’s not as easy as to protect it back when all we had to worry about was our computers and laptops. However, in this day and age, that is not the case. The threat landscape has evolved just as our technology has. The more devices that are out there equal more things for cybercriminals to attack.

The security of electronic voting machines has been the subject of scrutiny, just before the November U.S. presidential elections. Are they secure? Are they anonymous? And if the answer is yes, how can we possibly know? A Symantec security expert recently demonstrated just what a motivated hacker can do to undermine the election by hacking an electronic voting machine. 

Can Hackers Hack the Election?

Most of us use search engines on a daily basis. It’s become automatic. If we don’t know what something is, or hear a word that we can’t define, we go online and type the term into our favorite search engine. And voila, we have our answer in seconds. But did you ever stop to wonder what happens to your searches?

You’re probably familiar with 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi hotspots. In today’s increasingly connected mobile world, there are a variety of ways to get and stay connected to the Internet, but what’s really the safest way?

Truth be told, nothing is 100% safe. However, there are ways that you can beef up your own security to get as close to that 100% as possible. It begins with understanding what these technologies are, and the risks that come along with them.

Identity theft is the most common complaint lodged with the Federal Trade Commission, to the tune of 11.7 million a year. That means roughly one-in-five Americans over the age of 16 have become victims of identity theft.

Guest post by Jeff Barto, Trust Strategist, Evangelist & Website Security Advocate for Symantec

In 1994, the first online purchase crossed the World Wide Web: a large pepperoni pizza with mushrooms and extra cheese from Pizza Hut. Over the next 20 years, e-commerce has exploded into a bustling economy, exceeding $1.2 trillion in sales in 2013.

Cyberbullying is not very different from the ill reputed bullying that happens in the school yard. It has the same psychological and social implication that leaves the formative minds of children insecure. What makes cyberbullying a little more intense than bullying is it not limited to the school yard.

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s safe to use public Wi-Fi, you are not alone. In fact, according to the Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report, 6 in 10 consumers believe using public Wi-Fi is riskier than using a public restroom. And it is. Surfing the Web or transacting on an unsecured Wi-Fi network means you’re placing your private information and anonymity at risk. That’s why a virtual private network, better known as a VPN, is a must for anyone worried about online security and privacy. 

VoIP is an acronym for “voice over Internet Protocol.” That means any phone call that takes place over the Internet, rather than on landlines or through mobile towers. This alternative to traditional phone calls is gaining in popularity exponentially with both companies and consumers. Skype, Google Voice, and FaceTime are well-known and extremely popular examples of Internet telephony services. The question is: Are phone calls made over the Internet vulnerable to standard online security risks? The answer is yes, as is any other information transmitted this way, especially in light of recent hacks to VoIP apps. Read on to find out how to secure your VoIP calls. 

When hacking was first introduced in film and television, it was nowhere near as prevalent as it is today. The threat landscape was years away from becoming what it is now, so hacking and cybercrime wasn’t quite the household name it is today, therefore, there was a wide unfamiliarity of it within the public eye.

Did you know that an attacker can flood your house via the water dispenser on your connected refrigerator? Or that bluetooth enabled locks can be picked from ¼ of a mile away using radio frequencies? I didn’t either, until I attended this year’s DefCon 24, an annual hacking convention in Las Vegas.

A form of phishing, smishing is when someone tries to trick you into giving them your private information via a text or SMS message. Smishing is becoming an emerging and growing threat in the world of online security. Read on to learn what smishing is and how you can protect yourself against it.

This year, Norton visited DefCon 24, a hacking conference held in Las Vegas. Established in 1993, this conference is designed to bring together people from all realms of the Internet security sector to explore the latest threats that are currently on the Internet, and to learn how to get ahead of them.

We are very excited to release Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus 2011. After undergoing months of Beta testing, getting feedback from our enthusiastic Norton community and incorporating much of that feedback, we are finally releasing what we think are our best products to date.

While this post is somewhat similar to the 2011 Beta post, it has some important additions that warrant an update.

Realizing your mobile device has been stolen is a sickening feeling, and often one that elicits panic. As challenging as it may be, you must remain calm so you can take the necessary steps to retrieve the device, or at least keep your data protected. You may never see your phone again, but you’ll know that your personal information is safe from those who would abuse it.

A major new survey titled reveals that 76 percent of Australian women under the age of 30 have experienced online harassment. This International Women’s Day, let’s make the online world a safer one.

In 2015, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull invested $100 million in a Women’s Safety Package. At the launch of the package, Michaelia Cash, Minister for Women and Employment, said ‘all women in Australia and their children should be safe at home, should be safe on the streets and should be safe online’.

Many VPN providers safeguard their customers’ anonymity by offering a no-log network, meaning that they do not collect, or “log,” any information transmitted through the network. They don’t save information about your personal details, where you go online, what you download, or what you search for. Therefore your privacy and anonymity are protected from everybody — even your VPN provider.

Sure, downloading apps from third-party sites—i.e. not the Apple Store, Android Market, or Blackberry App World—can be all kinds of tempting. However, to do so is to put your device, and therefore yourself, at risk.