Norton 360 always protects you from known viruses and the latest virus outbreaks.

But some lesser-known programs may show virus-like behaviour and not be viruses. If you know the program comes from a reliable source, you may want to run it anyway, and not have Norton 360 shut it down. You can use the settings under Threat Categories tab in the Virus & Spyware Protection Settings window to indicate that the program should not be treated like a virus.

The Virus & Spyware Protection Settings give you the choice of treating potentially dangerous programs as viruses or leaving them alone. The options present a list of program types that you can check if you want them detected as part of your routine protection scans.

You also have the choice of not scanning for spyware and adware, if you tend to use programs that match the typical profile of spyware or adware.

About virus and spyware automatic protection

Automatic protection monitors your PC for the presence of viruses and spyware, as well as other threats, and either quarantines or removes them. You can modify the automatic protection settings using the options under the Automatic Protection Settings tab in the Virus & Spyware Protection Settings window.

The following automatic protection settings are available:

Turn on Auto-Protect
Auto-Protect examines files for viruses or spyware when the files are placed on your PC or when they are modified. Use this option to turn on or turn off Auto-Protect.

Hide Auto-Protect Popups
Auto-Protect examines files for viruses or spyware when they are placed on your PC or when they are modified. If any virus or spyware is detected, you are notified with a pop-up. If you do not want to get this notification, check the Hide Auto-Protect Popups option.

Turn on SONAR
SONAR (Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response) proactively detects unknown security risks on your computer. Use this option to turn on or turn off SONAR.

Turn on Suspicious Activity Monitoring
Suspicious Activity Monitoring blocks the actions of suspicious applications on your computer. Use this option to turn on or turn off Suspicious Activity Monitoring.

Turn on Email Check
Email Check examines attachments to incoming email for viruses. Use this option to turn on or turn off Email Check.

How to respond when a low-security-item is found
Automatically remove - Automatically removes the low-risk items that are detected. Medium-risk items and high-risk items are automatically removed from your computer, regardless of this setting.

Ignore - Automatically ignores the low-risk items that are detected

Always ask - Gives you the greatest control when a risk is detected

You choose what to do at each phase of the risk response process.

To open the Automatic Protection Settings tab in the Virus & Spyware Protection Settings window

1. In the Norton 360 main window, click Settings.
2. In the Settings window, click Virus & Spyware Protection.

About what is checked automatically

You can use the Virus & Spyware Protection Settings to customize what Norton 360 automatically scans for.

You can include or exclude the following program types in your virus detection scans:

Spyware
Programs that can monitor activity and send private information such as passwords, account numbers, and other personal information to other computers or locations on the Internet.

Adware
Programs that deliver advertising content to the user through their own windows, or through another program window. In some cases, these programs may gather information from your PC and send it to a remote computer or other location on the Internet.

You can also include or exclude the following security risks in your virus protection scans:

Security Risk
Programs that can pose a security risk to your computer.

Hack Tool
Tools that can be used by a hacker or unauthorized user to attack, gain unwelcome access to your PC or that perform identification or fingerprinting of your PC. While some hack tools may also be valid for legitimate purposes, their ability to facilitate unwanted access makes them a threat.

Trackware
Programs that track your PC's system activity, gather its system information, or track your computing habits and relay this information to third-party organizations. The information that such programs gather is neither personally identifiable nor confidential. Trackware programs are installed with your consent and may also be packaged as part of other software that you install.

Dialer
Programs that use your PC or its modem to dial out to a 900 number or FTP site, typically to accrue charges. Dialers can be installed with or without your explicit knowledge, and may perform their dialing activity without your specific consent prior to dialing.

Remote Access
Programs that allow one computer to access your PC (or facilitate such access) without explicit authorization when an access attempt is made. Once access is gained, usually over the Internet or by direct dial access, the remote access program can attack or alter your PC and your information. The remote access program may also have the ability to gather personal information, or infect or delete files. Remote access programs may also create risks that third-party programs can exploit to obtain access to your PC.

Joke Program
Programs that alter or interrupt the normal behaviour of your PC, creating a general distraction or nuisance. Joke programs generally do not themselves engage in the practice of gathering or distributing information from your PC.

Security Assessment Tool
Programs that are generally used to perform administrative tasks locally on your computer. However, they can also be used to gain unauthorized access to your computer or to disable it.

Misleading Application
Programs that report false or significantly misleading information about the presence of security risks, threats, or system issues on the target computer.

Parental Control
Programs that monitor the content of Web sites, chat rooms, instant messages, or email messages.

About Quarantine

Quarantine lets you manage the files and programs that Norton 360 identifies as threats or risks.

To function, some programs rely on files that are classified as security risks. For example, a program may not function if a particular file is removed. If a program you need stops working because a required file was identified as a threat or risk and quarantined, you can restore the file. After it is restored, it is possible that Norton 360 will treat it as a threat again and add it back to the quarantine list. You can prevent this behaviour for a file that you know is safe. If you add the file to the list on the right side of the window, Norton 360 will ignore it in future scans.

When you exclude an item from being scanned, your level of protection is reduced. You should only exclude an item if you have a specific need and if you are confident that it is not infected.

About File Exclusions options

File Exclusions options let you select the items that you do not want to be included in Norton 360 scans. You can exclude the items from both risk scanning and Auto-Protect scanning.

Exclusions reduce your level of protection and should be used only if you have a specific need. You should exclude items only if you are confident that they are not infected.

Norton 360 does not support exclusions for files on a network.

Which disks, folders, or files to exclude from risk scanning

New - Defines a new exclusion item by file name or file name extension and adds it to the excluded items list. Norton 360 ignores files of this type or name when checking for security risks.

Edit - Edits a file name or file name extension in the excluded items list.

Remove - Deletes a file name or file name extension from the excluded items list.

Which disks, folders, or files to exclude from Auto-Protect scanning

New - Defines a new exclusion item by file name or file name extension and adds it to the excluded items list. Auto-Protect ignores files of this type or name when checking for security risks. This option excludes subfolders within a folder. In Windows XP/2000, you cannot exclude items inside a compressed file.

Edit - Edits a file name or file name extension in the excluded items list.

Remove - Deletes a file name or file name extension from the excluded items list.