Should I install Norton on my iMac?

True. However, Norton AV has destroyed a system file, preventing a system from booting until the OS was reinstalled, and has destroyed email. Meanwhile, I have not seen malware, of any type which could affect a Mac, on a Mac under my control. since 1997. I have seen plenty of malware aimed at Windows; I just killed two examples today, both served up in email, one a phish, one from spam. (Hint: if you get an email with a file with a .DOTM extension, that's a Word macro file and is almost certainly a macro virus, especially when the email it's attached to says that it's an invoice from Apple. It's a good idea to show extensions, it really is. In this particular case, a quick run past AV on Windows confirmed that it was malware and I nuked it.) Norton AV will detect Mac malware, but there's so little Mac malware (over 99% of all malware is for Windows, and another 0.4% is for Android) that most people are unlikely to ever see any real Mac malware. I have not seen Mac malware on one of my Macs in 20 years. In that time I have seen Mac malware on other people's Macs, but only a few cases, less than a dozen all told. Meanwhile, it is actively dangerous to run Norton AV: it eats system files and email. It has done more damage to Macs under my control than malware has over the last 20 years.

Go right ahead and use it. I certainly won't be joining you.

Norton/Symantic will doubtless be grateful for the free advertising you have given them.

For the benefit of other readers who may have more sense:

Norton Antivirus (made by Symantec) has a very long and illustrious reputation for mangling Mac OS X systems, sometimes to the point where a complete reinstall is necessary. Among other things, it installs kernel extensions which are known to cause kernel panics and system freezes; it contains known and documented bugs which can silently corrupt Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign files, destroy a user's ability to authenticate as an administrator, and (on PPC systems) can cause Classic to stop functioning; and Symantec has on at least two occasions now released flawed .dat file updates which erroneously report certain critical Mac OS X files as "viruses." (Deleting these "viruses" causes damage to the system that in some cases renders it unbootable.)

Norton has also been reported as damaging iPhone backups.

A major security flaw in Norton has also been noted:

http://www.macnn.com/articles/15/05/08/contentious.utility.ignored.apple.guideli nes.created.zero.day.exploit.128538/

Norton Removal Tool (Symantec Uninstaller):

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH103489&locale =en_US

there are no Mac _viruses_ _in the wild_. There is Mac malware, just not a lot of it, mostly trojans, and mostly not out in the wild. Even the currently popular ransomeware malware seem to install mostly as trojans, usually carried by phishing or spamming attacks. The only Mac viruses I've seen anywhere in the last 20 years have been MS Office macro viruses, and the three I've seen have been pretty pitiful.

That level of threat would not justify installing (and paying for! and continuing to pay for periodic AV database updates!) something as dangerous as Norton AV. I've got Sophos around and install it when one of my machines must visit a network whose management insists that all computers must have AV. It's free, and hasn't yet caused the damage that Norton has. I uninstall it when the Mac is no longer connected.

I simply don't click on 'invoices', or 'click here to unfreeze your account', or 'click here to see naked pictures of <insert name of brain-dead celeb here>'. And I'm pretty sure that 'beautiful Russian/Chinese/Indian/Fillipina women' are not sufficiently desperate as to send spam emails out. It's am,azing how many malware attacks can be avoided by simply not 'clicking here'.

Worse than that Norton/Symantec and other useless antivirus software collects acolytes who seem not to be able to stop proselytizing about it in an attempt to persuade others to waste their money, time and Mac, acting as unpaid sales staff for these scams that AV companies love to sell to us, For make no mistake, they are in business to separate users from their cash, helping them is not on the table. They are themselves worse than a virus.

Sophos is less questionable than some, but it is still a total waste of time and resources, OSX and MacOS have no need of it and using it will invariably reduce your Mac's performance and/or stability.

Anne02 wrote:

Even iMac could have a virus.

That is totally untrue, there are no viruses for Macs, so no Mac can get a virus, with or without AV protection. In fact Norton is the nearest thing to a virus you can get, and you have to install yourself. You may even pay for it, which would be akin to bashing your own head against a wall. But as I said before, messing up your Mac is entirely up to you.

I had Norton installed like I do each year and they did catch one virus from a website.

iMac doesn't have any viruses of course but I always want extra protection and haven't been disappointed by

Norton yet. One never knows when viruses are hidden in websites.

Even iMac could have a virus.

actually... yes, you are pushing Norton. No, he's not a troll, though he is somewhat, umm, opinionated. And no, sensible people don't use Norton AV.

Once again I will remind you that there are no viruses for Macs, not hidden ones or obvious ones, none at all. Anti virus software is a scam.

Why are you pleading with people to buy Norton products, do Symantec pay you to?

Do not tell me what I should or should not do, I can tell that you are happy shilling for Norton, and I think that you should be ashamed of such a transparent attempt to get more customers for them.

Norton is an appalling thing, no-one should use it or, even worse tell others to.

Don't tell me what to do and do yourself a favour and get off this discussion and get some help. Your brain has not been activated to what I said. I am not pushing Norton. You must be a troll because sensible humans don't comment like you, so good-bye and good riddance although you will find it necessary to put the last word.

I have had it for years and am satisfied with it, so let's put this whole discussion to rest once and for all. I will not reply anymore and for the last time, I AM NOT PROMOTING NORTON. Adios discussion on this topic over.

I installed Norton and have for many years and will stay with them and their online and phone support when necessary is available. I won't switch to another one.

That is entirely your choice.

Never had any of those problems before with Norton so to each of their own.