Symantec Extends Common Share Repurchase Program

CUPERTINO, Calif. – Oct. 20, 2004 – Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC), the global leader in information security, today announced that its Board of Directors has increased the dollar amount of the company’s authorized stock repurchase program from $940 million to $1.24 billion. The company had previously announced a repurchase plan under Rule 10b5-1 to facilitate such purchases. Symantec expects to purchase approximately $60 million per quarter under this plan through March 2006.

A portion of the repurchased shares may be used for the company’s employee benefit plans, and the balance will be available for other general corporate purposes.

About Symantec
Symantec is the global leader in information security providing a broad range of software, appliances and services designed to help individuals, small and mid-sized businesses, and large enterprises secure and manage their IT infrastructure. Symantec's Norton brand of products is the worldwide leader in consumer security and problem-solving solutions. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in more than 35 countries. More information is available at http://www.symantec.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please view the Symantec Press Center at http://www.symantec.com/PressCenter/ on Symantec's Web site. All prices noted are in US dollars and are valid only in the United States. Symantec and the Symantec logo are trademarks or registered trademarks, in the United States and certain other countries, of Symantec Corporation. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT: This press release contains forward-looking statements, including the amount of stock we expect to purchase each quarter under our stock repurchase program, that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual levels of stock repurchase activity to differ materially from that expressed or implied by this press release. Such risk factors include, among others: general market conditions; fluctuations in stock price; and changes in our financial position. The actual level of stock repurchase activity may differ materially from that contained in the forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in the Risk Factors sections of Symantec’s recently filed Form 10-Q. Symantec assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release.