Norton Internet Security and customer support.

[rhegedus]

After 10 years of purchasing Norton products for myself and family which have always worked for us, I got a kick in the teeth from Norton.

I bought my mother a PC for Christmas that came with a free one month trial of Internet Security 2006. When this trial expired, my mother tried to use the serial code for the copy she already had on the PC that was replaced. No go.

So she spent £54 on an 'upgrade' to Internet Security 2007 and got all the downloads and updates straight away.

Within days, some adware/virus got on her PC that opened up an extra window of Internet explorer full of adds every time she opened IE or clicked on a link.

Norton just sat there and did nothing. A full scan found nothing.

So as I was home this weekend, I got on the PC and joined a Norton Internet Security 'live chat' with a technician....

I'll paste the conversation from a few minutes in:

Operator: When you download, knowingly or unknowingly, you break your firewall.

Operator: These threats should be removed from system registry. System registry should be edited by trained technicians only. If not edited in right manner your operating system might give errors. We will also have to remove the files executed by these threats.

You: But previously, IS has detected threats during downloads, just like it does when it scans e-mails

You: It did not detect anything then, nor does it do so now when I do a system scan

Operator: I can help you remove these infections manually.

You: ok, thanks

Operator: Before we proceed, I would like to inform you that this is a paid live troubleshooting service. We have two support options that you can select from. Now you just need to select one of our Support options and then I will transfer you to the Technicians.

You: paid?

Operator: Yes this is a paid support.

You: despite already having paid £60, I now need to pay more?

You: The software was bought on Feb 10 - two weeks ago

Operator: Let me explain how this works. When you buy the product, the cost of the product is for the software, updates to the software and for the virus definitions. Apart from this, we offer you value added services at an additional cost.

You: Value added for things which IS failed to detect in the first place?

Operator: A virus replicates usually without your permission or knowledge.
These infections try to hide themselves from the operating system and anti-virus products. They do this by residing in the OS kernel and intercepting all operating system access. Even information passed on to security software can be manipulated in this way, and the security software might consider the computer to be threat free.

You: So what does IS protect against?

Operator: There are hundreds of infections and intrusions, released every single day, trying to enter your system when you are online. NIS provides complete security against them.

You: Complete? Apart from the ones it lets through....

You: Look, I've paid nearly £60 for this and it has failed to protect me

You: And now I need to pay more?

You: It would be cheaper to re-format my HD and reinstall from scratch

Operator: This infection could have caused while subscribing or downloading from free sites. When you do so, you are actually disabling the protection Norton provides you for insecure data entry. Clicking insecure links and opening attachments without scanning, can also get you infected.

You: so IS does not scan any download files?

Operator: Reformatting will reduce the hard disk life.

You: no it will not

Operator: Moreover, before reformatting, you need to back up your files. If the files are infected, the infection would come back.

You: so why can't IS find the infection even when I do a scan?

Operator: A virus replicates usually without your permission or knowledge.
These infections try to hide themselves from the operating system and anti-virus products. They do this by residing in the OS kernel and intercepting all operating system access. Even information passed on to security software can be manipulated in this way, and the security software might consider the computer to be threat free.

You: you've already said that

Operator: Yes, and that is what is happening.

You: if I save my files, reformat, reinstal XP and IS, are you saying that IS will not detect a virus in my back-up files if I scan them?

Operator: In certain cases, that could happen. I recommend you to avail our service and remove all infections.

Operator: The technicians will educate you well to prevent any future infections.

You: Sorry, but after paying nearly £60 for I don't wish to pay any more.

You: Goodbye.

So, Kaspersky it is then.....

p.s. any ideas on how I can solve the adware problem?

[hech54]

These guys are good....if you are a bit patient.
http://www.spywareinfo.com/
I strongly suggest Spybot, Spyware Blaster(not a remover through...just protection) and HiJackThis(dangerous but VERY effective).
And of course AdAware.

[CrayonEater]

Interesting - reformatting will reduce the hard disk life. Now you know why Norton's is the LAST product security-conscious people use. They don't know s--t.

Apparently, AVG Anti-Spyware and Webroot's Spysweeper is tops for combating spyware. But try hech54's advice before shelling out some dough for either. I'm more partial to AVG and their anti-virus is one of the best too. Better than Kaspersky's IMO.

I'd try to get a refund on that Norton's garbage. The problem is, you really WILL have to reformat to get rid of it. Norton's is a bigger problem to get rid of than most malware, and if you think that's being facetious, wait till you find out what a broken (or even partially-working) Norton's does to your system.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[hech54]

Actually I have had nothing else BUT Norton Antivirus and have had almost no problems. Most of my spyware experience is more from other machines than my own. Norton AV is fine for me but after owning Norton SystemWorks once...I'll never go any "higher" in the chain of Norton products than their regular Antivirus.
My system/IE was hijacked once while I had Norton AV as I recall...it was a pain in the butt to get rid of too. Spywareinfo.com really helped....and from what I've read...not many AV programs would have caught what I had.

[ahhaa]

this happened to you in the EU, right? mebbe you should forward this to the regulatory folks who've been taking bites outta M$ for the same monopolistic crap...

we don't deserve this- these outfits no longer have any understanding of the customer and my opinion is they also are one of the biggest sources of new virii.

[rhegedus]

Thanks for the replys and advice.