The Internet is a two-way street: The more time you spend gathering
information online, the more you need to make sure that others aren't
doing the same to you. Symantec addresses this concern with Norton
Internet Security 2000 (NIS 2000). Not only does NIS 2000 protect your
computer from hacker attacks and viruses, it also gives you the tools
necessary to maintain your online privacy, restrict access to offensive
material, and even limit annoying banner ads.
At the heart of the program is a firewall that controls the flow of
information between your computer and the Internet. This firewall blocks a
wide range of intrusion techniques—including Trojan horse attacks and
rogue Java code—while leaving normal activities like online gaming
unaffected. Also included in the package is a full version of Norton
AntiVirus, which can root out viruses and malicious macros in downloads
and e-mail attachments.
You can also use NIS 2000 to restrict the online activities of children
and other users. The program's Privacy settings let you block any attempt
to transmit confidential information (such as your last name or telephone
number), and the Parental Control option blocks access to Web sites whose
content you find objectionable. In fact, NIS 2000 lets you block whole
categories of Internet applications, such as chat or file transfer.
There's even an option to disable online ads and pop-up windows, although
its shotgun approach tends to block some inoffensive material as well,
including product-ordering and sweepstakes-entry forms. The product also
comes with a year of free updates.
Although the program could use more flexible logging options and better
documentation of the advanced settings, we found it easy to use and highly
effective overall. In fact, NIS 2000 detected several intrusion attempts
during the week it was tested on our cable-modem and ADSL-connected
systems.
If you're worried about who might be lurking around the next digital
corner, you'll appreciate the convenience of having a firewall, a virus
checker, and a parental-control program all in one package.
Product: Norton Internet Security 2000
Rating:
Computer Shopper Best Buy Five Stars
Pros: Effective firewall,
monitoring, and parental-control capabilities; easy-to-use default
settings
Cons: Complicated advanced options; ad-blocking capability a bit too broad
Company: Symantec Corp.
Cupertino,
CA; 800-441-7234
www.symantec.com
Requires: Pentium-class
processor; 24MB RAM (32MB recommended); 60MB hard drive space; Internet
connection; Windows 95 or 98
e-link 20665
