Symantec Releases Public Beta Version of its Comprehensive Spyware Solution for Home Users

Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition To Deliver Complete Protection From Spyware, Spam, Viruses, Worms, Hackers and Other Security Risks

Toronto, ON - April 18, 2005 - Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC), the global leader in information security, today released the public beta version of its comprehensive, integrated Internet security solution that provides broad protection from spyware and adware to home users. Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition is being designed to provide real-time detection and automatic removal of spyware from users' computers and prevent new spyware risks from impacting the PC in the future. This new spyware functionality will be seamlessly integrated into Norton Internet Security, Symantec's award-winning Internet security solution, which provides essential protection from viruses, hackers, and privacy risks.

Users can download the free public beta version of Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition from www.symantec.com/spyware. Plans call for Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition to be available for purchase by retail and OEM customers in the second quarter of the year.

"Computer users are fed up with spyware and adware clogging their PCs. They are equally unhappy with standalone products that only address one aspect of their security needs. Users want a single, easy-to-use solution that lets them use their machines without having to become computer security experts," said Matthew Moynahan, vice president of consumer products and solutions at Symantec. "Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition is being designed to meet this critical need by delivering a comprehensive, integrated Internet security solution that provides powerful protection from spyware along with spam, viruses, worms and hacker attacks."

Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition is being built with multiple scanning levels to provide extensive protection against spyware risks. Unlike most standalone antispyware products that can't fully detect spyware and adware in real time, Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition identifies spyware at the point of entry, leveraging Symantec's highly effective mechanisms already in use to block viruses today. On-demand scanning options will include full system scans and scheduled scans as well as Norton QuickScan. Symantec's Automatic LiveUpdate technology will deliver protection updates for new security risks on a regular basis. Norton QuickScan will begin scanning by default immediately upon receipt of the latest protection updates to detect active spyware without requiring user intervention.

In addition, Norton Personal Firewall, a component of Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition, will provide on-communication scanning by monitoring the data leaving a user's computer. This real-time, network-level, behavior-based detection helps protect privacy by preventing personal information from being transmitted without the user's knowledge. This additional layer of security automatically blocks spyware and other malicious applications from establishing outbound connections to the Internet.

Another advantage of Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition will be its ability to accurately differentiate between actual spyware risks and legitimate software applications. The potential for false positives with Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition will be significantly reduced because real-time detection will be based on known signatures that are posted by Symantec Security Response and deployed via Automatic LiveUpdate rather than on the rudimentary system monitoring typically associated with other standalone spyware solutions. Those spyware applications categorized by Symantec Security Response as high risk will be repaired and quarantined automatically as soon as they are detected by a system scan. Lower-risk programs will generate an alert to the user that will include information on the risk category, symptoms and behavior of the risk, transmission details and recommended action.

Once a high-risk program is identified, Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition will employ sophisticated new removal and repair technology to ensure that the spyware and other malicious code are automatically and safely removed, returning the system to a clean state. All repairs will be backed up using Symantec's Quarantine technology. This gives the user the opportunity to safely undo any changes they have made to their system.

In addition to spyware protection, Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition will continue to include the firewall, intrusion prevention, privacy protection, virus protection, spam filtering, and content filtering features that have made the solution so popular with users and product reviewers alike. Norton AntiVirus is the world's most trusted antivirus solution. Norton Personal Firewall keeps personal data in and hackers out. It makes a user's PC invisible on the Internet so that hackers can't find it, and its intelligent intrusion prevention technology blocks suspicious Internet traffic. Norton Privacy Control prevents personal information from being sent out without a user's knowledge. Norton AntiSpam filters out unwanted email. It accurately detects spam, even finding deceptive Web site addresses within messages to defend against email fraud. And Norton Parental Control helps parents safeguard children from inappropriate content by blocking access to specified Web sites and newsgroups. Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition is an addition to the Norton Internet Security family of products.

Platform Support

Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition is being designed to support the Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP operating systems along with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or above.

Pricing and Availability

Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition is scheduled to be available from OEM computer manufacturers and for purchase at various retail locations and online retailers in the second quarter of the year. The estimated retail price will be US$79.95. Current users of Symantec products as well as users of select competitive products will be able to upgrade to Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition for an estimated retail price of US$49.95 after rebate. Prices for all Symantec consumer security products include a one-year subscription to Symantec's protection updates.

About Symantec

Symantec, the world leader in Internet security technology, provides a broad range of content and network security software and appliance solutions to individuals, enterprises and service providers. The company is a leading provider of client, gateway and server security solutions for virus protection, firewall and virtual private network, vulnerability management, intrusion detection, Internet content and e-mail filtering, remote management technologies and security services to enterprises and service providers around the world. Symantec's Norton brand of consumer security products is a leader in worldwide retail sales and industry awards. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has worldwide operations in 36 countries. For more information, please visit www.symantec.com.

Symantec's Canadian operations are headquartered in Toronto with offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver. For more information on Symantec products or current promotions, contact the Canadian office at (416) 441-3676 or access Symantec's Canadian Web site at www.symantec.ca. Symantec is an active member of the Canadian Alliance Against Software Theft (CAAST).

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Symantec and the Symantec logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation in the United States and certain other countries. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.

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