Problems switching BT security from McAfee to Norton

[Discorde]

BT are switching from McAfee to Norton security. Needless to say the installation process is 1000 times more complicated than it should be. Trying to install Norton on my iphone SE I get the message 'your protection cannot be installed on your device or operating system'. Using ios 15.2.1. Norton website not helpful. Any suggestions?

Thanks for info.

[NutLoose]

https://www.nortonlifelockpartner.co...-based-device/

That help?

[ShyTorque]

I groaned this morning when I opened the letter from BT about this. I have avoided Norton antivirus products for years because every PC I've ever used them on has subsequently had problems. I first bought it in the mid 1990s when I had my first Windoze based desktop and later stopped doing so because it caused a massive slowdown of everything; only for normal service to be restored after uninstalling the whole thing.

Let's hope they've improved the product because I have just installed it...

[Discorde]

Thanks chaps

Installed Norton on my laptop OK. Unable ditto on iphone & ipad mini. Phoned BT - their response was 'Norton products can't be installed on Apple hardware'. Norton website says 'Norton protection that is provided through BT is currently not available for IOS devices'. Brilliant!

The old cynic in me wonders whether the BT directors have been bribed with an extra bonus to change to Norton. But that would be unethical, wouldn't it?

[le Pingouin]

I don't understand why you're using it if you don't like it. Is it a requirement of your service provider? Or just because it's free?

[EGTE]

BT Virus Protect (now using Norton software) is offered free of charge to BT Broadband customers. Installation is optional so no-one is forced to use it.

[netstruggler]

Originally Posted by EGTE

BT Virus Protect (now using Norton software) is offered free of charge to BT Broadband customers. Installation is optional so no-one is forced to use it.

I've installed Virus protection software in the past but have gradually convinced myself that the built in Windows security system (Windows Defender) is good enough, and a lot less hassle than installing a third party tool.

I'd be interested in hearing evidence to the contrary though.

[Jhieminga]

Originally Posted by Discorde

- their response was 'Norton products can't be installed on Apple hardware'. Norton website says 'Norton protection that is provided through BT is currently not available for IOS devices'.

The built-in security in Apple devices (iPhones and iPads) is pretty good at keeping nasty stuff away from your devices. For a typical user, you should not need to install any anti-virus software on these devices. Have a look at this article: https://www.techadvisor.com/feature/...phone-3669234/ If you used an anti-virus product on your iPhone in the past, I suspect it wasn't doing anything that your phone and the associated infrastructure was not already providing. On a Windows system you really should use some form of anti-virus and anti-malware, but the built-in options have improved a lot over the years.

[Blackfriar]

Originally Posted by netstruggler

I've installed Virus protection software in the past but have gradually convinced myself that the built in Windows security system (Windows Defender) is good enough, and a lot less hassle than installing a third party tool.

I'd be interested in hearing evidence to the contrary though.

I put a small company through computer security basic procedures and the security company advising us said they only used Windows Defender, nothing else needed. Make sure it is turned on!! And you have set it up properly which takes a couple of minutes.

You must be sensible whatever security you have. Don’t click on links that you don’t know. Ignore “ free! Click now!” It isn’t free and it might be dodgy. Don’t download software/ apps without considering where they came from.

Run Spybot occasionally or immediately if you think you have a problem. It finds and destroys dodgy stuff.

[andytug]

+1 for Spybot, and also consider Malwarebytes (either free or paid for, the paid for one runs automatically the free one is manual but they do the same).

I would not touch Norton or McAfee with a barge pole, both are resource hogs and anything that needs you to download another "tool" to uninstall it properly (Windows installer doesn't do it all) is suspect in my view. Unless you have a really top spec PC these will slow it down noticeably.

Of the free ones Avast! is OK, AVG used to be but has got slower and slower over the years.

As said above best protection is not clicking on stuff that might be dodgy/downloading stuff from sites you don't know ("driver download" sites are the worst). I also use Firefox browser and uBlock Origin add on (also available for Edge I think) that stops malicious scripts and ads running, makes a big difference to browsing when you have no ads!

Where I work (govt stuff) uses just Windows Defender, but then also has a shed load of firewalls and filtering software between the PCs and the internet.

Opinion based on 30+ years in IT support and using/messing with/building IT kit at home.

[Saab Dastard]

Agree with what the knowledgeable folk have said above, and I would add that possibly the single most effective way to prevent a serious malware problem on your PC / network is to ensure that your normal day-to-day account is a standard user account NOT an administrator account. Only use the administrator account when absolutely necessary, and never to access the internet.

SD

[Ancient Observer]

Originally Posted by Saab Dastard

Agree with what the knowledgeable folk have said above, and I would add that possibly the single most effective way to prevent a serious malware problem on your PC / network is to ensure that your normal day-to-day account is a standard user account NOT an administrator account. Only use the administrator account when absolutely necessary, and never to access the internet.

SD

Yup. 100% right.
However, for a non-techie, I do admit having to "phone a friend" to find out how to get in to "Admin" mode when I have to!!