I remember when I used Avast, it has Hardened Mode.
This mode uses reputation services to decide whether an executable file is “trusted” or “safe to open.” It tends to block or prevent the execution of files that do not have a good reputation or are not recognized as safe.
It is especially useful for users who want an extra level of protection beyond traditional malware signatures.
I didn’t find this in Norton because it doesn’t have it?
Norton 360 does not have a specific feature explicitly named “Hardened Mode,” but it uses a combination of features to achieve similar functionality, primarily through its Smart Firewall’s “Smart Mode” and its use of reputation services.
Here is how Norton provides equivalent application control and security:
- Reputation Services: Norton, like Avast, heavily relies on cloud-based reputation services to determine whether an executable file is trustworthy. Files with a poor or unknown reputation are treated with suspicion and often blocked automatically or require user permission to run.
- Smart Firewall: The Smart Firewall in Norton automatically configures program access for most applications. However, for unknown or untrusted apps, you can configure the firewall to prompt you for a decision.
- Smart Mode (Default): This mode automatically allows connections for programs with a “trusted” reputation and blocks those with a “poor” reputation, only asking for user input for unknown or questionable applications.
- Manual Control: You can manually configure the firewall to “Block all new connections” or set specific rules for individual applications to restrict their network access, similar to the granular control offered by Avast’s Hardened Mode.
- Proactive Exploit Protection (PEP): This feature specifically protects against “zero-day” attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in legitimate applications, adding a layer of security that complements reputation-based blocking.
While Avast’s Hardened Mode is a single, user-facing feature with “aggressive” settings, Norton integrates similar functionality into its core, always-on protection mechanisms, particularly within the firewall and behavior shields. Users can adjust the Smart Firewall settings for greater control over unknown applications.
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To make Norton’s Smart Firewall behave more like Avast’s Hardened Mode (prompting for unknown applications), you need to adjust the firewall’s program control settings to be more restrictive and manually manage application access.
By changing the default SmartMode behavior for applications from automatic handling to Ask, you can emulate the stricter, “zero-trust” approach of Avast’s Hardened Mode. This requires more user interaction but provides maximum control over application network access.
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Configuring Smart Firewall settings here
Applicable for: Windows
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Excellent explanation, thank you. 
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