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Kudos0

Norton Secure VPN causing huge CPU spike (Bug still NOT fixed!!)

Posted: 12-Aug-2021 | 7:57AM · Edited: 12-Aug-2021 | 7:59AM · 8 Replies ·

So I just installed the latest version of macOS update and restarted the machine. The VPN was off as auto connect option IS NOT SUPPORTED on macOS . I was  browsing AWS for a while, I started noticing fan noise on my MBP. On opening Activity monitor I could see that Norton Secure VPN is causing CPU spike. I thought this bug had been fixed already but it's still not fixed. I am using the latest version macOS and Norton 360 Premium. I have attached a screenshot below:

Labels: Norton Secure VPN

Replies

Kudos1 Stats

Re: Norton Secure VPN causing huge CPU spike (Bug still NOT fixed!!)

Posted: 09-Sep-2021 | 3:23PM · Permalink

Yes, it eats up the battery, too.  On a recent flight I barely got to watch one < 2-hour movie before my battery was depleted--all coz this process was pegging everything.

Norton, please fix this!!!!!!

Kudos0

Re: Norton Secure VPN causing huge CPU spike (Bug still NOT fixed!!)

Posted: 10-Sep-2021 | 1:38PM · Permalink

I guess until Norton fixes it, we can use Gatekeeper to deny it from loading.

Kudos0

Re: Norton Secure VPN causing huge CPU spike (Bug still NOT fixed!!)

Posted: 10-Sep-2021 | 2:11PM · Permalink

How do you use Gatekeeper for this--I never could find an actual file, and thought it's just built-in to Norton 360?

Kudos0

Re: Norton Secure VPN causing huge CPU spike (Bug still NOT fixed!!)

Posted: 10-Sep-2021 | 2:22PM · Permalink

I haven’t tried this yet, but listing the running processes show this: /Library/Application Support/Symantec/Norton Secure VPN.app/Contents/MacOS/Norton Secure VPN
Kudos0

Re: Norton Secure VPN causing huge CPU spike (Bug still NOT fixed!!)

Posted: 10-Sep-2021 | 2:36PM · Permalink

Wonder if you stop it, or even just delete it, is Norton 360 gonna go crazy and continually prompt you with errors and/or eat up just as much time as the VPN did?

Be nice if Norton would respond...

Kudos0

Re: Norton Secure VPN causing huge CPU spike (Bug still NOT fixed!!)

Posted: 10-Sep-2021 | 2:45PM · Permalink

Deleting it may not work as it will be readded when it updates itself. I’m not home to check but see if Norton has a launchd config that might have the option of removing it there.
Kudos0

Re: Norton Secure VPN causing huge CPU spike (Bug still NOT fixed!!)

Posted: 17-Sep-2021 | 2:32AM · Edited: 17-Sep-2021 | 2:43AM · Permalink

has anyone found a way to delete the VPN or stop it from loading yet? It regularly kicks in and drains my battery in minutes, plus my CPU temp gets over 100C...

After a bit more hunting I found an old post in a locked thread (locked why?) https://community.norton.com/en/comment/8505011#comment-8505011

Used the terminal command: sudo rm -f "/Library/Application Support/Symantec/Norton Secure VPN.app/Contents/MacOS/Norton Secure VPN"

This removes the binaries and seems to not screw up anything else for the time being.

Can't believe Norton haven't fixed this yet. After all the hassle with NAS drives earlier in the year, I won't be renewing my subscription in 2 months. Time to find someone more proactive. 

Any suggestions? (mixed PC, Mac, Android environment)

Kudos0

Re: Norton Secure VPN causing huge CPU spike (Bug still NOT fixed!!)

Posted: 17-Sep-2021 | 4:36AM · Permalink

Don’t know if this is a perfect solution but…look under your Mac Hard Drive/Library/Application Support/Symantec (might have path off as doing from memory) and you’ll see the VPN executable. I just renamed the file with a non-executable extension, “.frd”. Note I had to rename it both in fileman and in the Info pop up. So far, repeated live updates have not replaced or renamed it, and I no longer have it killing my battery.

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