Xfinity Dropping included Norton 360

[RambleOnNW]

Received a e-mail today that Comcast is dropping support for the included Norton Security for multiple devices. Norton will provide 6 months free, then 1 year for $29.99. Then it will cost $104.99/yr.

Stealth price increase by Comcast.

[rk911]

i dropped norton many years ago when their product(s) started being resource hogs, ymmv.

[lane_hog]

I've been in IT for over 20 years, and Norton and Avast are like extended warranties on campers... they play on fear more than need.

The only thing I use right now is the built-in protections on Windows. I don't download "free" software, or do any internet gaming and nothing on my network is open from outside.

Be smart about where you click, and you'll be fine.

[CFerguson]

When i used Norton, they were the all time leaders in SPAM. Hard to surf 30 minutes without one of their BUY ME spam windows popping up. I finally got so aggravated, i called the help desk, waited the requisite half hour with elevator music, and found a sympathetic ear. He told me that he had never heard of this and had no idea what to do. Put me on hold, came back and said no one in his office had heard of this either. I swore right then that when my sub ran out, i was done with the Spammers.

[RambleOnNW]

T18skyguy wrote:


What do you like for security protection?

I’ve been happy with Norton and since it was included with Comcast at no additional cost it was fine and it supported 5 devices. I’ll likely look around and check for the latest info.

Norton has caught relatively little over time. Part of that is I’m using double NAT routers I.e. one router is daisy chained to another and computers attached to that.

The 1st router logs show a lot of probing from the internet but the second has never shown anything. That is due to the fact that the local ip addresses like 192.168.X.X are not routed over the Internet so attackers literally have no method to address the 2nd router. Of course that does not protect against phishing attacks etc.

[rk911]

T18skyguy wrote:

rk911 wrote:
if that's an open question i'm using the iobit products. there's no way to know what you don't detect but they appear to do the job...advanced system care pro and malware detect pro.

rk, I'm always open for anything anyone can teach me about the computer. Particularly security issues. Iobit is a good company. I haven't used their antivirus, but I do use their Driver updater. I got the blue screen of death once, and the PC repairman said it was outdated drivers. I thought Microsoft automatically updated the drivers, he told me they do, but they don't always get it right. For antivirus, I like Bitdefender, Malwarebytes, and Kaspersky(despite the Russian connection). If your computer gets infected, one security pro follows a set procedure; first run Kaspersky virus removal tool. It's extremely good. It's an .exe program not the security suite. Next he does Malwarebytes, then Hitman Pro followed by Zemana, and also Auslogics registry cleaner. Hitman Pro and Zemana can be very destructive, but it should save the PC.

fyi...iobit's malware detect pro incorporates bitdefender.

[T18skyguy]

rk911 wrote:
if that's an open question i'm using the iobit products. there's no way to know what you don't detect but they appear to do the job...advanced system care pro and malware detect pro.

rk, I'm always open for anything anyone can teach me about the computer. Particularly security issues. Iobit is a good company. I haven't used their antivirus, but I do use their Driver updater. I got the blue screen of death once, and the PC repairman said it was outdated drivers. I thought Microsoft automatically updated the drivers, he told me they do, but they don't always get it right. For antivirus, I like Bitdefender, Malwarebytes, and Kaspersky(despite the Russian connection). If your computer gets infected, one security pro follows a set procedure; first run Kaspersky virus removal tool. It's extremely good. It's an .exe program not the security suite. Next he does Malwarebytes, then Hitman Pro followed by Zemana, and also Auslogics registry cleaner. Hitman Pro and Zemana can be very destructive, but it should save the PC.

[rk911]

if that's an open question i'm using the iobit products. there's no way to know what you don't detect but they appear to do the job...advanced system care pro and malware detect pro.

[T18skyguy]

RambleOnNW wrote:

coolmom42 wrote:
Keep your operating systems updated, turn on Windows Defencer, and add Avast Free. Pay attention to where you click, avoid click-bait, and you will be fine. No need for elaborate security suites.

I’m a computer engineer. Very familiar with security issues. Have had e-mail since 1983 (10 years before commercial Internet).

No I won’t use Avast free. Thanks.

What do you like for security protection?

[T18skyguy]

and add Avast Free.

No Avast or AVG for that matter. Avast acquired AVG in 2016. Avast got caught brokering their users data even though they explicitly said in the agreements they would not. And worse, it got linked back to the actual user's. Avast has always been just a middling performer, and how many of us had to uninstall the PIA AVG toolbar. Good grief !!

[RambleOnNW]

coolmom42 wrote:
Keep your operating systems updated, turn on Windows Defencer, and add Avast Free. Pay attention to where you click, avoid click-bait, and you will be fine. No need for elaborate security suites.

I’m a computer engineer. Very familiar with security issues. Have had e-mail since 1983 (10 years before commercial Internet).

No I won’t use Avast free. Thanks.

[rk911]

RambleOnNW wrote:

rk911 wrote:

RambleOnNW wrote:
Received a e-mail today that Comcast is dropping support for the included Norton Security for multiple devices. Norton will provide 6 months free, then 1 year for $29.99. Then it will cost $104.99/yr.

Stealth price increase by Comcast.

does Comcast own Norton or was Norton a strategic partner with Comcast, a partnership that has now ended? there are lots of security suites on the market.

Point is that Norton was included in the monthly Comcast internet charge at no additional cost. Now each user will have to obtain an internet security suite on their own at additional cost.

the question was a reply to your statement that this is a "Stealth price increase by Comcast". maybe, maybe not.

look, it's upsetting, i get it but things change. our family doc for the last 20-yrs just notified us that unless we switch to a medicare advantage plan he will drop us as patients. we are both really ticked off...he's been a good doc for us but we're not switching...screw him. lots and lots of doctors in our area. lots and lots of security suites, too. good luck.

[coolmom42]

Keep your operating systems updated, turn on Windows Defencer, and add Avast Free. Pay attention to where you click, avoid click-bait, and you will be fine. No need for elaborate security suites.

[RambleOnNW]

rk911 wrote:

RambleOnNW wrote:
Received a e-mail today that Comcast is dropping support for the included Norton Security for multiple devices. Norton will provide 6 months free, then 1 year for $29.99. Then it will cost $104.99/yr.

Stealth price increase by Comcast.

does Comcast own Norton or was Norton a strategic partner with Comcast, a partnership that has now ended? there are lots of security suites on the market.

Point is that Norton was included in the monthly Comcast internet charge at no additional cost. Now each user will have to obtain an internet security suite on their own at additional cost.

[rk911]

RambleOnNW wrote:
Received a e-mail today that Comcast is dropping support for the included Norton Security for multiple devices. Norton will provide 6 months free, then 1 year for $29.99. Then it will cost $104.99/yr.

Stealth price increase by Comcast.

does Comcast own Norton or was Norton a strategic partner with Comcast, a partnership that has now ended? there are lots of security suites on the market.