Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8114 in Software
• Brand: Symantec
• Released on: 2003-09-26
• Platforms: Windows 98, Windows 95, Windows XP, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows Me
• Format: CD-ROM

Features

• Hides your PCs on the Internet so hackers can¿t see them
• Norton Intrusion Detection automatically blocks Internet attacks
• Norton Privacy Control prevents data from being sent without your knowledge
• Program Control determines which applications can safely connect to the Internet
• LiveUpdate automatically checks for new protection updates when you¿re online

From the Manufacturer
*Awarded PC Magazine's Editors' Choice Award in November 2003.* Symantec’s Norton Personal Firewall 2004 keeps hackers out and personal data in. Malicious Internet users are constantly looking for new ways to take control of your PC or steal your private information. Norton Personal Firewall works on multiple levels to defend against those threats. Right out of the box, this award-winning software hides your PC on the Internet so hackers can’t see it. If an attack is launched, Norton Intrusion Detection automatically blocks it. New Web controls provide fast access to ad blocking and other program options from Microsoft Internet Explorer. Another new feature, Network Detector, allows you to set up different firewall rules for different wired and wireless networks, then automatically switches to the appropriate settings when you move your laptop from network to network. Norton Personal Firewall also controls what goes out of your computer. Norton Privacy Control prevents confidential information from being sent out in email, instant messages, or Microsoft Office attachments without your knowledge. And Program Control lets you decide which applications can connect to the Internet, preventing spyware programs and Trojan horses from secretly transmitting data. To guard against emerging threats, Symantec’s exclusive LiveUpdate technology automatically downloads new protection updates via the Internet. Small office packs for five or 10 users are also available.

Customer Reviews

Product activation Key
For those who have concerns about the "activation", I found on Symantec's web page the following statement about that product:
"Permits users to transfer the software to their upgraded or new PC without having to purchase a new copy of the software."
I hope this will help to decide whether to buy it or not.

Norton Personal Firewall 2004
I'm using Windows 98 SE and have run Norton antivirus 2000 for several years and was very happy. Then a very dark cloud appeared - it was called Norton Personal Firewall 2004. I had to clean my hard drive for other reasons and when I reloaded everything I decided to get rid of my old firewall, Black Ice and install Norton's new Firewall 2004. After I reloaded everything and got back up running the computer speed gradually became slower and slower until it virtually stopped. After discussion with several experts I decided to uninstall both the 2000 and 2004 Norton versions. I did reinstall Nortons Antivirus 2000 and got a new firewall, Zone Alarm. The computer runs just fine. I am not a computer expert, but it seems to me that Nortons Firewall 2004 did something very naughty to my computer, and my blood pressure. I would not recommend Norton's Personal Firewall 2004 to my enemies.

Post Mortem on my computer lock-up
This is a follow-up to my earlier troubles following installation of Norton Firewall 2004. After two completely lost days at work - and $200 in consulting tech support - trying to sort the problem out, we solved it. If you are unable to defrag your hard drive, or use your "A" drive or CD-ROM like I experienced, then you must UNINSTALL ALL REFERENCES TO NORTON, not simply Firewall 2004, and then reboot! Although I had already installed, and was quite happy with, Norton Antivirus, Symantec's software integration "feature" when adding Firewall 2004 apparently left hooks in my computer to render it problematic. Once uninstalled - and I mean COMPLETELY - then everything worked fine. After uninstalling, search for any reference to Norton or Symantec, then delete any and all. Later, I downloaded the free version of Zero Alarm's Firewall and it works great! Very user friendly, intuitive, seems to work as advertised, and FREE! Don't waste your money (and TIME!) with Norton's version.