Norton 360 packages real-time malware protection, a firewall, and behavioral detection with cloud backup, a VPN, password manager, and privacy extras under a subscription model. It emphasizes automatic protection and ease of use, while cloud backup and added features vary by plan. Power users who need advanced backup control may prefer dedicated tools.

What Norton 360 is now

Norton 360 is the consumer security suite from Gen Digital (the company that owns the former Symantec consumer business). It packages real-time malware protection, a two-way firewall, web and email protection, and automated tune-up tools with integrated backup and privacy features into a single subscription aimed at home users and families.

Core protection and detection

The product still centers on signature-based antivirus plus behavioral detection to catch new variants and zero-day threats. Symantec's legacy technologies (commonly known by names like SONAR in earlier releases) evolved into the current detection stack that combines cloud threat intelligence and on-device behavioral analysis to reduce missed threats and false positives.

Privacy and extras

Contemporary Norton 360 plans commonly include a Secure VPN for private browsing, a password manager, webcam protection (SafeCam), and some level of dark-web monitoring for exposed credentials and personal data. These extras shift the suite from simple antivirus toward a broader privacy and identity offering. Some features or monitoring services remain limited by region. 1

Cloud backup and recovery

Norton 360 bundles cloud backup to protect important files from hardware failure and ransomware. Plans differ in the amount of included cloud storage; higher-tier plans offer substantially more space than the legacy 2GB allotment that early releases provided. Cloud backup is convenient for everyday protection, but power users who need full image backups or very granular schedule control may still prefer a dedicated backup solution. 2

Performance and user experience

The suite continues the hands-off philosophy: it aims to do the right thing automatically, with a simplified console and policy defaults aimed at nontechnical users. Modern builds are designed to reduce background impact, but exact resource use varies by OS version, hardware, and enabled features (for example, VPN and full system scans add CPU and I/O activity while running).

What to consider before subscribing

  • Subscription model: Norton 360 is sold as a renewable subscription that includes protection updates and feature updates while active.\
  • Plan tiers: Different plans trade off device count and cloud storage. Check the plan details before purchasing. 3\
  • Backup control: Built-in cloud backup is convenient but not a full replacement for dedicated imaging tools if you need complete system restores or custom retention policies.\
  • Compatibility: Always verify compatibility with your current OS version and other security tools to avoid conflicts.

Bottom line

Norton 360 remains a mainstream, all-in-one security and privacy suite for home users. It combines core antivirus and firewall protection with privacy features and integrated cloud backup to cover common risks without requiring users to assemble multiple point products. Advanced users who need very granular backup control or minimal installed features should compare dedicated tools alongside Norton 360.
  1. Confirm current branding and ownership (Gen Digital) and note any recent name changes.
  2. Verify whether SONAR remains an active product name in the detection stack or has been fully rebranded and update wording accordingly.
  3. Check which Norton 360 features (Secure VPN, password manager, SafeCam, dark-web monitoring) are included in each current plan and their regional availability.
  4. Confirm current cloud backup storage amounts by plan and any notable limits or options.

FAQs about Norton 360

Is Norton 360 only antivirus?
No. Norton 360 combines antivirus and firewall protection with cloud backup, a Secure VPN, password manager, webcam protection, and some identity monitoring features depending on the plan and region.
Does Norton 360 include cloud backup?
Yes. Norton 360 includes cloud backup to protect important files. The amount of included storage varies by plan; check current plan details before buying.
Will Norton 360 slow down my PC?
Norton 360 is designed for minimal background impact, but scans, backups, and VPN activity use CPU and disk I/O while running. You can schedule or pause heavy operations if you notice slowdown.
Can Norton 360 replace a full system imaging backup?
Not always. Its cloud backup protects files and folders, but it may not offer the same full-image, bare-metal restore features and granular controls that dedicated imaging solutions provide.
Is dark‑web monitoring included?
Some Norton 360 plans include dark-web monitoring for exposed credentials and personal data, but availability and features can vary by plan and country.

News about Norton 360

TotalAV vs. Norton 2025: Which Guards Your Devices Better? - All About Cookies [Visit Site | Read More]

Norton Rose Reserves Seat On EasyJet's Legal Panel - Law360 [Visit Site | Read More]

Norton Antivirus Review: #1 Best Antivirus in 2025 - VPNOverview.com [Visit Site | Read More]

Norton Antivirus Pricing 2025 - Cybernews [Visit Site | Read More]

The Best Security Suites We've Tested for 2025 - PCMag [Visit Site | Read More]

Norton 360 review: Solid performance on the Mac, but with some tradeoffs - Macworld [Visit Site | Read More]

Norton adds AI-powered deepfake detection to Genie assistant - SecurityBrief UK [Visit Site | Read More]