Symantec locks down tighter security with Norton Premium beta

Symantec HQ

Symantec has launched a beta version of Norton Security Premium 2017, which as the premium label suggests is a solution that offers bolstered security levels above the firm's standard antivirus software.

The product offers a clean interface, much like the standard version of the Norton suite, but obviously boasts a number of improvements.

These include proactive exploit protection (PEP), which attempts to block malware such as backdoors from exploiting software vulnerabilities that often remain unpatched for some time. The system isn't dependent on signatures and is a constantly-on defence keeping an eye out for such possible exploits.

Norton has also improved its Intrusion Prevention System so it's capable of blocking attacks which use HTTPS connections, and support for 64-bit browsers has also been introduced.

Happy as a sandbox

Finally, Symantec notes that Norton Security Premium 2017 has a sandboxing mode whereby it will take installation files, then run and analyse them in an isolated virtual environment to check programs out before they're actually installed on the device in question. This ensures there are no nasty surprises from hidden malware.

You can grab a copy of the premium suite at the beta page – you're required to register with your email address, and a product key will subsequently be sent to your inbox.

Remember that this is a beta though, and you could well run up against issues – from the sounds of things, there are still teething problems with Norton Security Premium 2017.

Via: Betanews

Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).