Complete internet blocking for all browsers and applications

[bjm]

@Ray_Matthews

I have been using Norton for years without a problem. Now am finding most of the sites I try to access on Firefox are blocked. All these sites work on all the other browsers. When I disable Safe Web, I am able to access all sites on Firefox. I have searched the web for solutions with no answers. I have tried all the so-called solutions - none work. I am using Mac OS 10.15.7 Catalina. I have updated both Firefox and Norton. No difference. I am strongly considering deleting (uninstalling) Norton. It has been about 2 months now that I am forced to use other browsers. What else can I do??

Hello @Ray_Matthews

You’re referring to Norton 360 Safe Web engine?

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Norton 360 Safe Web engine blocking occurs via HTTPS/QUIC scanning and firewall inspection. The fact that other browsers work fine suggests a specific interaction issue with Firefox’s network protocols on macOS Catalina.

Here are the specific actions focused on the Norton application’s core settings:

1. Disable Specific Scanning Features in Norton 360
   The Safe Web engine performs HTTPS scanning (also known as SSL inspection) which can interfere with how Firefox establishes secure connections (man-in-the-middle inspection).

Disabling this feature temporarily can confirm if it’s the culprit.

1. Open your Norton 360 application.

2. On the left pane, click Security.

3. In the Security dashboard, click Safe Web.

4. In the Settings tab, find the option for HTTPS Scanning and move the slider to Off.

5. Test Firefox. If sites load, this is the exact source of the problem. You can leave this off and rely on other security layers, or proceed to the next step to re-enable it and try a full reinstall.

6. Exclude Firefox from Scanning
   If disabling HTTPS scanning isn’t an option or doesn’t work, you can try excluding the Firefox application entirely from the main AutoProtect scans.

7. Open your Norton 360 application.

8. Go to Settings > Administrative Settings (or just Advanced).

9. Look for Performance Monitoring or AutoProtect.

10. Find Program Exclusions or Exclusions and click the Configure link.

11. Add the Firefox application executable file from your /Applications folder to the exclusion list.

12. Complete Reinstallation Using the Removal Tool
    A corrupted installation after months of updates is a very common cause for these deep conflicts. A full wipe and reinstall is often the most reliable fix for this scenario.

13. Uninstall your Norton product using its standard uninstaller found within the application or the /Applications folder.

14. Download and run the official RemoveNortonMacFiles tool from Norton’s support site. This tool ensures all remnants are completely removed from the system.

15. Restart your Mac when prompted by the tool.

16. Reinstall the latest version of Norton 360 from your Norton account’s download page.

If all these specific steps fail, the conflict is likely an unresolvable incompatibility on your specific setup (macOS 10.15.7 Catalina, latest Firefox, latest Norton 360) and your only remaining options are to use Norton without the Safe Web engine features enabled, or switch to an alternative antivirus product.

AI may make mistakes

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• Certificate Authority Conflicts: Firefox manages its own set of trusted security certificates separately from the macOS system Keychain that Safari and Chrome might use. Norton’s deep-level scanning, including HTTPS inspection, sometimes requires generating its own “fake” security certificates for the secure websites you visit. Firefox often doesn’t automatically trust these Norton-generated certificates, leading to connection errors and blocked access for seemingly every secure site until configured correctly or disabled.

To fix Firefox certificate authority conflicts caused by Norton Safe Web on macOS Catalina, the most effective approach is to configure Firefox to automatically trust root certificates from the macOS system store or, if that fails, manually import the Norton security certificate into Firefox’s certificate manager.

Method 1: Enable Automatic Enterprise Roots (Recommended)
Firefox has a setting that allows it to automatically trust certificates installed in your operating system’s keychain. Enabling this often resolves conflicts without manual imports.

1. Open a new tab in Firefox and type about:config in the address bar, then press Enter/Return.
2. Click Accept the Risk and Continue if a warning page appears.
3. In the search box, type security.enterprise_roots.enabled.
4. Click the Toggle button next to this preference to change its value to true.
5. Restart Firefox for the changes to take effect.

Method 2: Manually Import the Certificate
If Method 1 does not work, you can manually import the Norton certificate. First, ensure you have the Norton certificate file (often a .cer or .der file; sometimes a general email protection certificate named wscert.der) available on your Mac.

1. Open Firefox and go to the Firefox menu (three horizontal lines in the top-right corner) and select Settings (or Preferences on older macOS versions).
2. In the left sidebar, click on Privacy & Security.
3. Scroll down to the Certificates section and click the View Certificates… button.
4. In the Certificate Manager window, go to the Authorities tab.
5. Click the Import… button.
6. Locate the Norton certificate file you saved on your Mac, select it, and click Open.
7. In the “Downloading Certificate” window, check the box next to Trust this CA to identify websites.
8. Click OK to import the certificate and close the Certificate Manager.
9. Restart Firefox.

Method 3: Temporarily Disable HTTPS/SSL Scanning in Norton
If the issue persists, the most direct workaround is to disable Norton’s inspection of encrypted web traffic.

1. Open your Norton 360 application.
2. Navigate to the Settings or Advanced Security section.
3. Look for options related to Web Protection, Safe Web, or HTTPS/SSL Scanning.
4. Disable the setting that scans encrypted (HTTPS) connections. This will reduce your protection, so re-enable it after you have accessed the necessary sites or determined the issue is resolved.

Other Quick Fixes

• Update Firefox: Ensure you are running the latest version of Firefox compatible with macOS Catalina.
• Clear Cache and Cookies: Corrupted data can sometimes cause issues. Go to Firefox Settings > Privacy & Security > Clear Data under “Cookies and Site Data”.
• Restart Everything: A simple restart of your Mac and the Norton application can clear temporary glitches.

AI may make mistakes

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Caveat: I’m not Mac

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Set up Certificate Authorities (CAs) in Firefox
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/setting-certificate-authorities-firefox

Fix repeated Application Blocking alerts from Norton for Mac
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v117055450

Allow all permissions for your Norton product on macOS
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v20240130170216702

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Edit: I’m not finding … RemoveNortonMacFiles tool … at this time.

Uninstall your Norton device security product on Mac
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v20240130211511761

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Edit 2: related: https://community.norton.com/t/can-now-open-sites-with-firefox/483092