Spyware blockers: Norton AntiVirus

I include Norton AntiVirus from Symantec in this chapter as an example of a product that stakes claims in both the antivirus and anti-spyware areas. Like many of the products that essentially “bolt-on” new functionality, there are some problems with functionality and documentation for the new features.
The Web page for Norton AntiVirus contains two sentences regarding spy-ware, both of which essentially say that Norton AntiVirus also prevents spy-ware, key loggers, and adware. In the users’ manual, the word spyware doesn’t appear at all. Yeah.
From personal experience running Norton AntiVirus and a dedicated spyware checker on the same computer, I know that Norton AntiVirus will miss a number of things that most anti-spyware software will pick up.
So, why include Norton here at all? Because I’m convinced that antivirus and anti-spyware products should be combined and given a new name (something like anti-malware or anti-bad-stuff), and I like the fact that Symantec has started down this path. To be fair, I have had this product catch spyware, and catch it earlier than any of the other products I have access to, so I’m looking forward to what’s next in the spyware part of this program.

Also check out:
Ten Spyware blockers programs for Businesses