Editing Gen Digital

{{short description|Multinational software company}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Gen Digital Inc.
| logo = Gen logo.svg
| image = NortonLifeLock Inc HQ 111519.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| image_caption = Gen Digital co-headquarters in Tempe, Arizona
| former_name = {{Plainlist|
* Symantec Corporation<br />(1982–2019)
* NortonLifeLock Inc.<br />(2019–2022)
}}
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{Unbulleted list
|{{NASDAQ|GEN}}
|[[S&P 500]] component
}}
| founded = {{Start date and age|1982|3|1}} in [[Sunnyvale, California]], U.S.
| founder = [[Gary Hendrix]]
| hq_location = {{Plainlist|
* [[Tempe, Arizona|Tempe]], Arizona, U.S.
* [[Prague]], Czech Republic
}}
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list
||Frank E. Dangeard ([[chairman]])
|[[Vincent Pilette]] ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])
}}
| industry = [[Software industry|Software]]
| products = [[Cybersecurity software]]
| services = [[Computer security]]
| revenue = {{decrease}} {{US$|3.81 billion|link=yes}}
| revenue_year = 2024
| operating_income = {{decrease}} {{US$|1.12 billion}}
| income_year = 2024
| net_income = {{decrease}} {{US$|616 million}}
| net_income_year = 2024
| assets = {{decrease}} {{US$|15.8 billion}}
| assets_year = 2024
| equity = {{decrease}} {{US$|2.20 billion}}
| equity_year = 2024
| num_employees = {{circa|3,400}}
| num_employees_year = 2024
| owner = [[Pavel Baudiš]] (8.1%) <ref>[https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/849399/000114036124034509/ny20030351x1_def14a.htm 2024 Proxy statement]</ref>
| brands = {{Plainlist|
* [[Norton (software)|Norton]]
* [[Avast (software)|Avast]]
* [[LifeLock]]
* [[Avira (software)|Avira]]
* [[AVG (software)|AVG]]
* [[ReputationDefender]]
* [[CCleaner]]
}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.gendigital.com/}}
| footnotes = Financials {{as of|2024|3|29|lc=y|df=US}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=FY 2024 Annual Report (Form 10-K) |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/849399/000084939924000036/gen-20240329.htm |website=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] |date=May 16, 2024 |pages=10, 42–43}}</ref>
}}

'''Gen Digital Inc.''' (formerly '''Symantec Corporation''' and '''NortonLifeLock Inc.''') is a multinational [[software company]] co-headquartered in both [[Prague]], [[Czech Republic]] ([[European Union|EU]]) and [[Tempe, Arizona]] ([[United States|USA]]). The company provides [[computer security|cybersecurity]] [[software]] and services. Gen is a [[Fortune 500]] company and a member of the [[S&P 500]] stock-market index. It is listed at both [[Nasdaq|NASDAQ]] and [[Prague Stock Exchange]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=GEN DIGITAL {{!}} Prague Stock Exchange |url=https://www.pse.cz/en/detail/US6687711084 |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=www.pse.cz |language=en}}</ref> Its portfolio includes [[Norton (software)|Norton]], [[Avast (software)|Avast]], [[LifeLock]], [[Avira (software)|Avira]], [[AVG (software)|AVG]], [[ReputationDefender]], MoneyLion and [[CCleaner]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gen Digital Inc, GEN:NSQ profile - FT.com |url=https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/profile?s=GEN:NSQ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=markets.ft.com}}</ref>

On October 9, 2014, Symantec declared it would split into two independent publicly traded companies by the end of 2015. One company would focus on security, the other on [[information management]]. On January 29, 2016, Symantec sold its information-management subsidiary, named [[Veritas Technologies|Veritas]], and which Symantec had acquired in 2004,<ref name="Bray 2015">{{Cite news|last=Bray|first=Chad|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/12/business/dealbook/carlyle-group-veritas-technologies-symantec-deal.html|title=Carlyle Group and Other Investors to Acquire Veritas Technologies for $8 Billion|date=August 11, 2015|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 21, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> to [[The Carlyle Group]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Kuranda|first=Sarah|url=https://www.crn.com/news/security/300079555/partners-cheer-the-official-closing-date-of-symantec-split.htm|title=Partners Cheer the Official Closing Date of Symantec Split|date=January 29, 2016|work=CRN|access-date=February 21, 2016}}</ref> On August 8, 2019, [[Broadcom]] announced they would be acquiring the Enterprise Security software division of Symantec for $10.7 billion.<ref name="Novet 2019">{{Cite news |last=Novet |first=Jordan |date=August 8, 2019 |title=Broadcom acquires Symantec's enterprise business for $10.7 billion |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/08/broadcom-acquires-symantecs-enterprise-business-for-10point7-billion.html |access-date=February 5, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> After the acquisition, Symantec became known as NortonLifeLock.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kan |first=Michael |date=November 6, 2019 |title=Symantec Becomes NortonLifeLock |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/symantec-becomes-nortonlifelock |access-date=February 6, 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Avalos 2020">{{Cite web |last=Avalos |first=George |date=January 15, 2020 |title=Cyber-security firm, headquarters moved to Arizona, selling 10 California buildings |url=https://www.pe.com/symantec-buyers-sale-mega-portfolio-silicon-valley-buildings-mountain-view-google-tech-develop |access-date=May 23, 2020 |website=Press Enterprise |language=en-US}}</ref> After completing its merger with [[Avast]] in September 2022, the company adopted the name Gen Digital.<ref name="Scroxton 2022">{{Cite web |last=Scroxton |first=Alex |date=November 8, 2022 |title=NortonLifeLock, Avast debut new 'Gen' identity |url=https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252527041/NortonLifeLock-Avast-debut-new-Gen-identity |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=ComputerWeekly.com |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
===1982 to 1989===
Founded in 1982 by [[Gary Hendrix]] with a [[National Science Foundation]] grant, Symantec was originally focused on [[artificial intelligence]]-related projects, including a database program.<ref name="Slaughter 2014 p. 69">{{cite book|last=Slaughter|first=Sandra A.|author-link= Sandra Slaughter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IXw6BAAAQBAJ&pg=PT69|title=A Profile of the Software Industry: Emergence, Ascendance, Risks, and Rewards|publisher=Business Expert Press|year=2014|isbn=978-1-60649-655-8|series=2014 digital library|location=New York|pages=69|oclc=886114400|access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref> Hendrix hired several [[Stanford University]] [[natural language processing]] researchers as the company's first employees.<ref name="Slaughter 2014 p. 69"/>

In 1984, it became clear that the advanced natural language and database system that Symantec had developed could not be ported from DEC minicomputers to the PC.<ref>{{cite book|last=Springer|first=Paul J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S6egBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA193|title=Cyber Warfare: A Reference Handbook: A Reference Handbook|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2015|isbn=978-1-61069-444-5|series=Contemporary World Issues|pages=193|oclc=1002294935|access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref> This left Symantec without a product, but with expertise in natural language database query systems and technology.<ref name="Jones 2014 p. 198"/> As a result, later in 1984, Symantec was acquired by another, smaller software startup company, C&E Software, founded by Denis Coleman and [[Gordon Eubanks]] and headed by Eubanks.<ref name="Jones 2014 p. 198">{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Capers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BFkXAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA198|title=The Technical and Social History of Software Engineering|publisher=Addison-Wesley|year=2014|isbn=978-0-321-90342-6|pages=198|oclc=868058641|access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref> C&E Software developed a combined file management and word processing program called [[Q&A (software)|Q&A]].<ref name="Jones 2014 p. 198"/>

The merged company retained the name Symantec.<ref name="Jones 2014 p. 198"/> Eubanks became its chairman, Vern Raburn, the former president of the original Symantec, remained as president of the combined company.<ref>{{cite news|date=September 14, 1984|newspaper=InfoWorld|title=From the News Desk|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ci8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA9|page=9}}</ref> The new Symantec combined the file management and word processing functionality that C&E had planned, and added an advanced Natural Language query system (designed by Gary Hendrix and engineered by Dan Gordon) that set new standards for ease of database query and report generation. The natural language system was named "The Intelligent Assistant". Turner chose the name of Q&A for Symantec's flagship product, in large part because the name lent itself to use in a short, easily merchandised logo. Brett Walter designed the user interface of Q&A (Brett Walter, director of product management). Q&A was released in November 1985.

In 1986, Vern Raburn and Gordon Eubanks swapped roles, and Eubanks became CEO and president of Symantec, while Raburn became its chairman.<ref>{{cite book | title=AI Trends | publisher=DM Data, Incorporated | issue=v. 2–3 | year=1985 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1k8kAQAAMAAJ | access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref> After this change, Raburn had little involvement with Symantec, and in a few years, Eubanks added chairmanship to his other roles.{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}} After a slow start for sales of Q&A in the fall of 1985 and spring of 1986, Rod Turner, a Symantec Sr. Executive, signed up a new advertising agency called Elliott/Dickens, embarked on an aggressive new advertising campaign, and came up with the "Six Pack Program" in which all Symantec employees, regardless of role, went on the road, training and selling nationwide in the United States. Turner named it Six Pack because employees were to work six days a week, see six dealerships per day, train six sales representatives per store and stay with friends free or at [[Motel 6]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Jones | first=C. | title=The Technical and Social History of Software Engineering | publisher=Addison-Wesley | year=2014 | isbn=978-0-321-90342-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BFkXAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA199 | access-date=March 24, 2017 | page=199}}</ref> Simultaneously, a promotion was run jointly with SofSell (which was Symantec's exclusive wholesale distributor in the United States for the first year that Q&A was on the market). This promotion was very successful in encouraging dealers to try Q&A.

During this time, Symantec was advised by its board members Jim Lally and [[John Doerr]] that if it would cut its expenses and grow revenues enough to achieve cash flow break-even, then [[Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers]] would back the company in raising more [[venture capital]]. To accomplish this, the management team worked out a salary reduction schedule where the chairman and the CEO would take zero pay, all vice presidents would take a 50% pay cut, and all other employees' pay was cut by 15%. Two employees were laid off. Eubanks also negotiated a sizable rent reduction on the office space the company had leased in the days of the original Symantec. These expense reductions, combined with strong international sales of Q&A, enabled the company to attain break-even.

The significantly increased traction for Q&A from this re-launch grew Symantec's revenues substantially, along with early success for Q&A in international markets (uniquely a German version was shipped three weeks after the United States version, and it was the first software in the world that supported German Natural Language) following Turner's having emphasized establishing international sales distribution and multiple language versions of Q&A from the initial shipment.

In 1985, Rod Turner negotiated the publishing agreement with David Whitney for Symantec's second product, which Turner named NoteIt (an annotation utility for [[Lotus 1-2-3]]). It was evident to Turner that NoteIt would confuse the dealer channel if it was launched under the Symantec name because Symantec had built up interest by that stage in Q&A (but not yet shipped it), and because the low price for the utility would not be initially attracted to the dealer channel until demand had been built up. Turner felt that the product should be marketed under a unique brand name.

Turner and [[Gordon Eubanks|Gordon E. Eubanks Jr.]], then chairman of Symantec Corporation, agreed to form a new division of Symantec, and Eubanks delegated the choice of name to Turner. Turner chose the name Turner Hall Publishing, to be a new division of Symantec devoted to publishing third-party software and hardware. The objective of the division was to diversify revenues and accelerate the growth of Symantec. Turner chose the name Turner Hall Publishing, using his last name and that of Dottie Hall (Director of Marketing Communications) to convey the sense of a stable, long-established, company.<ref name=computerworld>{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:GaxdaUdMgCIJ:www.cwhonors.org/archives/histories/Eubanks.pdf+%22Turner+Hall+Publishing%22&hl=en&gl=ca&sig=AHIEtbQhf3lmxre17qqPIDDtN8oTAMA5Hw |title=Gordon Eubanks Oral History, Computerworld Honors Program, Daniel S. Morrow, November 8, 2000 |access-date=November 9, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/board-management/7109119-1.html |title=RasterOps-Truevison adds two industry leaders to board of directors; company names Walter W., Tuesday, March 21, 1995 |publisher=Business Wire |access-date=November 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328115712/http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/board-management/7109119-1.html |archive-date=March 28, 2009 }}</ref> Turner Hall Publishing's first offering was Note-It, a notation utility add-in for Lotus 1-2-3, which was developed by David Whitney, and licensed to Symantec.<ref>{{cite web|author=U.S. |url=http://www.answers.com/topic/symantec |title=Symantec |publisher=Answers.com |access-date=November 9, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Symantec-Corporation-Company-History.html |title=Company Histories: Symantec Corporation, Funding Universe |publisher=Fundinguniverse.com |access-date=November 9, 2010}}</ref> Its second product was the Turner Hall Card, which was a 256k RAM, half slot memory card, initially made to inexpensively increase the available memory for Symantec's flagship product, Q&A. The Turner Hall division also marketed the card as a standalone product. Turner Hall's third product, also a 1-2-3 add-in was [[Synex Systems Corporation#SQZ!|SQZ!]] a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet compression utility developed by Chris Graham [[Synex Systems Corporation|Synex Systems]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hendrenet.com/synex.htm |title=Hendren and Associates |publisher=Hendrenet.com |access-date=November 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711162458/http://hendrenet.com/synex.htm |archive-date=July 11, 2011 }}</ref> In the summer of 1986 Eubanks and Turner recruited Tom Byers from [[Digital Research]], to expand the Turner Hall Publishing product family and lead the Turner Hall effort.

By the winter of 1986–87, the Turner Hall Publishing division had achieved success with NoteIt, the Turner Hall Card and SQZ!. The popularity of these products, while contributing a relatively small portion of revenues to Symantec, conveyed the impression that Symantec was already a diversified company, and indeed, many industry participants were under the impression that Symantec had acquired Turner Hall Publishing. In 1987, Byers recruited Ted Schlein into the Turner Hall Product Group to assist in building the product family and in marketing.

{{Anchor|TimeLine}}Revenues from Q&A, and Symantec's early launch into the international marketplace, combined with Turner Hall Publishing, generated the market presence and scale that enabled Symantec to make its first merger/acquisition, in February 1987, that of [[Breakthrough Software]], maker of the TimeLine project management software for DOS. Because this was the first time that Symantec had acquired a business that had revenues, inventory, and customers, Eubanks chose to change nothing at BreakThrough Software for six months, and the actual merger logistics started in the summer of 1987, with Turner being appointed by Eubanks as general manager of the TimeLine business unit, Turner was made responsible for the successful integration of the company into Symantec and ongoing growth of the business, with P&L. There was a heavy emphasis placed on making the minimum disruption by Eubanks and Turner.

Soon after the acquisition of TimeLine/Breakthrough Software, Eubanks reorganized Symantec, structuring the company around product-centric groups, each having its development, quality assurance, technical support, and product marketing functions, and a general manager with profit and loss responsibility. Sales, finance, and operations were centralized functions that were shared. This structure lent itself well to Symantec's further growth through mergers and acquisitions. Eubanks made Turner general manager of the new {{vanchor|TimeLine Product Group}}, and simultaneously of the Q&A Product Group, and made Tom Byers general manager of the Turner Hall Product Group. Turner continued to build and lead the company's international business and marketing for the whole company.

At the TimeLine Product Group, Turner drove strong marketing, promotion and sales programs to accelerate momentum. By 1989 this merger was very successful—product group morale was high, TimeLine development continued apace, and the increased sales and marketing efforts applied built the TimeLine into the clear market lead in PC project management software on [[DOS]]. Both the Q&A and TimeLine product groups were healthily profitable. The profit stream and merger success set the stage for subsequent merger and acquisition activity by the company, and indeed funded the losses of some of the product groups that were subsequently acquired.<ref name=computerworld /> In 1989, Eubanks hired John Laing as VP worldwide sales, and Turner transferred the international division to Laing. Eubanks also recruited Bob Dykes to be executive vice president for operations and finance, in anticipation of the upcoming [[Initial public offering|IPO]]. On June 23, 1989, Symantec had its IPO, opening on [[NASDAQ]] as "SYMC".<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 26, 2002 |title=About Symantec – Corporate Information |url=http://www.symantec.com/corporate/ |access-date=November 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020126161313/http://www.symantec.com/corporate/ |archive-date=January 26, 2002 }}</ref>

===1990 to 1999===
In May 1990, Symantec announced its intent to merge with and acquire [[Peter Norton Computing]], a developer of various utilities for DOS. Turner was appointed as product group manager for the Norton business, and made responsible for the merger, with P&L responsibility. Ted Schlein was made product group manager for the Q&A business.

The Peter Norton group merger logistical effort began immediately while the companies sought approval for the merger, and in August 1990, Symantec concluded the purchase—by this time the combination of the companies was already complete. Symantec's consumer antivirus and data management utilities are still marketed under the [[Norton (Symantec)|Norton]] name. At the time of the merger, Symantec had built upon its Turner Hall Publishing presence in the utility market, by introducing Symantec Antivirus for the Macintosh (SAM), and Symantec Utilities for the Macintosh (SUM). These two products were already market leaders on the Mac, and this success made the Norton merger more strategic. Symantec had already begun the development of a DOS-based antivirus program one year before the merger with Norton. The management team had decided to enter the antivirus market in part because it was felt that the antivirus market entailed a great deal of ongoing work to stay ahead of new viruses. The team felt that Microsoft would be unlikely to find this effort attractive, which would lengthen the viability of the market for Symantec. Turner decided to use the Norton name for obvious reasons, on what became the ''Norton Antivirus'', which Turner and the Norton team launched in 1991. At the time of the merger, Norton revenues were approximately 20 to 25% of the combined entity. By 1993, while being led by Turner, Norton product group revenues had grown to approximately 82% of Symantec's total.

At one time Symantec was also known for its development tools, particularly the THINK [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]], [[THINK C]], Symantec [[C++]], Enterprise Developer and [[Visual Cafe]] packages that were popular on the [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]] and [[IBM PC compatible]] platforms. These product lines resulted from acquisitions made by the company in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These businesses and the Living Videotext acquisition were consistently unprofitable for Symantec, and these losses diverted expenditures away from both the Q&A for Windows and the TimeLine for Windows development efforts during the critical period from 1988 through 1992. Symantec exited this business in the late-1990s as competitors such as [[Metrowerks]], [[Microsoft]] and [[Borland]] gained significant market share.

In 1996, Symantec Corporation was accused of misleading financial statements in violation of [[Generally accepted accounting principles|GAAP]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Class+action+suit+filed+against+Symantec+Corporation+and+its+officers...-a018576660 |title=Class action suit filed against Symantec Corporation and its officers and directors alleging misrepresentations, false financial statements and insider trading. |date=August 14, 1996 |publisher=Business Wire |access-date=July 12, 2013 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517170704/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Class+action+suit+filed+against+Symantec+Corporation+and+its+officers...-a018576660 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===2000 to 2014===
[[File:PLM12 24 Competition Porsche.jpg|thumb|Symantec sponsored [[Porsche 911 GT3|Porsche 997 GT3 Cup]] competing at the [[2012 Petit Le Mans]]]]
From 1999 to April 2009, Symantec was led by CEO [[John W. Thompson]], a former VP at IBM. At the time, Thompson was the only African-American leading a major US technology company. He was succeeded in April 2009 by the company's long-time Symantec executive [[Enrique Salem]].<ref>{{cite web |date= 2012 |url= http://www.symantec.com/about/news/resources/press_kits/detail.jsp?pkid%3Denrique_salem |title= Enrique Salem |access-date= June 11, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121220015950/http://www.symantec.com/about/news/resources/press_kits/detail.jsp?pkid=enrique_salem |archive-date= December 20, 2012 }}</ref> Under Salem, Symantec completed the acquisition of [[Verisign]]'s Certificate Authority business, dramatically increasing their share of that market.

In 2009, Symantec released a list of the then "100 dirtiest websites", which contain the most [[malware]] as detected by [[Norton Safe Web]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parrish |first1=Kevin |title=Symantec Lists 100 ''Dirtiest'' Websites |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/us/Symantec-Dirtiest-Websites-Malware-Exploits,news-4485.html |website=Tom's Guide |language=en |date=August 21, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Barry |title=Symantec reveals the 100 dirtiest sites on the web |url=https://www.alphr.com/news/security/353719/symantec-reveals-the-100-dirtiest-sites-on-the-web |website=Alphr |date=November 30, 2009}}</ref>
[[File:Symantec Headquarters Mountain View.jpg|thumb|Former Symantec headquarters in [[Mountain View, California]]]]

Salem was abruptly fired in 2012 for disappointing earnings performance and replaced by [[Steve Bennett (software entrepreneur)|Steve Bennett]], a former CEO of Intuit and GE executive.<ref>{{cite news |last= Finkle |first= Jim |url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-symantec-ceo-idUSBRE86O13620120725 |title=Symantec fires CEO, successor begins turnaround effort |publisher= Reuters |date= July 25, 2012 |access-date= July 11, 2013}}</ref> In January 2013, Bennett announced a major corporate reorganization, with the goal of reducing costs and improving Symantec's product line. He said that sales and marketing "had been high costs but did not provide quality outcomes". He concluded that "Our system is just broken".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9236174/Symantec_CEO_on_reorg_our_system_is_just_broken_|title=Symantec CEO on reorg: 'our system is just broken'|last=Messmer|first=Ellen|date=January 24, 2013|website=Computerworld|access-date=June 7, 2015|archive-date=May 7, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507110750/http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9236174/Symantec_CEO_on_reorg_our_system_is_just_broken_|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Robert Enderle of CIO.com reviewed the reorganization and noted that Bennett was following the [[General Electric]] model of being product-focused instead of customer-focused. He concluded "Eliminating middle management removes a large number of highly paid employees. This will tactically improve Symantec's bottom line but reduce the skills needed to ensure high-quality products in the long term."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cio.com/article/727598/Symantec_Reorganization_Offers_a_Lesson_on_Knowing_When_to_Leave|title=Symantec Reorganization Offers a Lesson on Knowing When to Leave|last=Enderle|first=Rob|date=January 25, 2013|website=CIO|access-date=June 7, 2015|archive-date=October 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022200341/http://www.cio.com/article/727598/Symantec_Reorganization_Offers_a_Lesson_on_Knowing_When_to_Leave|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In March 2014, Symantec fired Steve Bennett from his CEO position and named [[Michael Brown (corporate executive)|Michael Brown]] as interim president and chief executive. Including the interim CEO, Symantec has had 3 CEOs in less than two years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.informationweek.com/security/security-monitoring/symantec-fires-ceo-in-surprise-move/d/d-id/1127848 |title= Symantec Fires CEO In Surprise Move |work= Dark Reading |date=March 21, 2004 |access-date= June 7, 2015 |first= Mathew |last= Schwartz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Yadron|first1=Danny|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/symantec-fires-ceo-steve-bennett-1395346086|title=Symantec Fires CEO Steve Bennett|date=March 20, 2014|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=April 16, 2017|last2=Lublin|first2=Joann S.|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> On September 25, 2014, Symantec announced the appointment of Michael A. Brown as its president and chief executive officer.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Stynes|first=Tess|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/symantec-appoints-brown-as-ceo-1411677167|title=Symantec Appoints Brown as CEO|date=September 25, 2014|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=May 29, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> Brown had served as the company's interim president and chief executive officer since March 20, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/symantec-ceo-idUSL3N0MH4HZ20140320|title=UPDATE 2-Symantec fires CEO Bennett|date=March 20, 2014|website=Reuters|access-date=May 29, 2017}}</ref> Mr. Brown has served as a member of the company's board of directors since July 2005 following the acquisition of VERITAS Software Corporation. Mr. Brown had served on the VERITAS board of directors since 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/symantec-welcomes-new-ceo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008081416/http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/symantec-welcomes-new-ceo|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 8, 2014|title=Symantec Appoints Michael A. Brown CEO|publisher=Symantec Press Release|access-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref>

==== 2014 information management business spin-off ====
{{main|Veritas Technologies}}

On October 9, 2014, Symantec declared that the company [[Spin-off (business)|would separate]] into two independent publicly traded companies by the end of 2015.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 10, 2014 |title=Symantec latest company to split in two |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29563475 |access-date=February 17, 2015 |work=BBC News}}</ref> Symantec will continue to focus on security, while a new company will be established focusing on information management. Symantec confirmed on January 28, 2015, that the [[information management]] business would be called Veritas Technologies Corporation, marking a return of the [[Veritas Software|Veritas]] name.<ref>{{cite web |last=Brown |first=Michael |title=New Veritas Name Blends our History and Vision for Tomorrow's Data Challenges |url=http://www.symantec.com/connect/announcing-veritas |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129104015/http://www.symantec.com/connect/announcing-veritas |archive-date=January 29, 2015 |access-date=January 28, 2015 |publisher=Symantec}}</ref> In August 2015, Symantec agreed to sell Veritas to a private equity group led by [[The Carlyle Group]] for $8 billion. The sale was completed by February 2016, turning Veritas into a privately owned company.<ref>{{Citation |author=Corporate press release |title=Symantec and Veritas separation |url=http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/enterprise/veritas/other_resources/aug-symantec-separation-update-for-customers-en.pdf |access-date=February 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130170758/http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/enterprise/veritas/other_resources/aug-symantec-separation-update-for-customers-en.pdf |archive-date=November 30, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== 2016 to present ===
In July 2016, Symantec introduced a product to help carmakers protect connected vehicles against zero-day attacks. The Symantec Anomaly Detection for Automotive is an [[Internet of things|IoT]] product for manufacturers and uses machine learning to provide in-vehicle security analytics.<ref>News18.com. "[http://www.news18.com/news/tech/symantec-launches-new-system-to-protect-connected-vehicles-from-hack-attacks-1269348.html Symantec Launches New System to Protect Connected Vehicles From Hack Attacks]." July 14, 2016. July 14, 2016.</ref> [[Greg Clark (businessman)|Greg Clark]] assumed the position of CEO in August 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|first=James|last=Henderson|date=June 13, 2016|url=http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/601551/symantec-fills-security-ceo-gaps-4-6-billion-blue-coat-buyout/|title=Aussie takes charge as Symantec closes in on $4.6 billion Blue Coat buyout|work=ARN|access-date=April 4, 2017}}</ref>

In November 2016, Symantec announced its intent to acquire [[identity theft]] protection company [[LifeLock]] for $2.3 billion.<ref>{{cite news|last=Molina|first=Brett|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/11/21/symantec-acquire-lifelock-23b/94208924|title=Symantec to acquire LifeLock for $2.3B|date=November 21, 2016|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref>

In August 2017, Symantec announced that it had agreed to sell its business unit that verifies the identity of websites to [[Thoma Bravo]]. With this acquisition, Thoma Bravo plans to merge the Symantec business unit with its own web certification company, [[DigiCert]].<ref>Reuters. "[http://fortune.com/2017/08/02/symantec-web-certificates-sale-thoma-bravo/ Symantec Plans to Sell This Business for Nearly $1 Billion]." August 2, 2017. August 29, 2017.</ref>

On January 4, 2018, Symantec and [[BT Group|BT]] (formerly British Telecom) announced their partnership that provides new endpoint security protection.<ref>VanillaPlus. {{cite web
   |url=https://www.vanillaplus.com/2018/01/04/34345-bt-symantec-partner-provide-best-class-endpoint-security-protection
   |title=BT and Symantec partner to provide best-in-class endpoint security protection]
   |work=VanillaPlus - The global voice of Telecoms IT
 |date=January 4, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018
 |last1=Hegde
 |first1=Zenobia
 }}</ref>

In May 2018, Symantec initiated an internal audit to address concerns raised by a former employee,<ref>{{cite web | last=Salinas | first=Sara | title=Symantec suffers worst day in 17 years after news of internal audit | website=CNBC | date=May 11, 2018 | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/11/symantec-symc-loses-a-third-of-its-value-after-news-of-audit.html | access-date=September 13, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Symantec Is Conducting an Mysterious Internal Investigation as shares take a tumble | website=Fortune | date=May 11, 2018 | url=http://fortune.com/2018/05/11/symantec-internal-investigation/ | first=Don|last=Reisinger| access-date=September 13, 2018}}</ref> causing it to delay its annual earnings report.<ref>{{cite web | title=Symantec says annual report may be delayed due to investigation | website=Reuters | date=May 10, 2018 | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-symantec-results/symantec-reports-smaller-quarterly-loss-idUSKBN1IB2VY | access-date=September 13, 2018}}</ref>

In August 2018, Symantec announced that the [[hedge fund]] [[Starboard Value]] had put forward five nominees to stand for election to the Symantec board of directors at Symantec's 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.<ref name="investor.gendigital.com">{{Cite web |title=Gen Investor Relations – Investor Relations |url=https://investor.gendigital.com/overview/default.aspx |access-date=May 9, 2023 |website=investor.gendigital.com}}</ref> This followed a [[Schedule 13D]] [https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/849399/000092189518002357/sc13d06297244_08152018.htm filing] by Starboard showing that it had accumulated a 5.8% stake in Symantec.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 16, 2018 |title=Starboard eyes Symantec board seats after taking stake |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-symantec-starboard-stake-idUSKBN1L10EN |access-date=May 9, 2023}}</ref> In September 2018, Symantec [https://web.archive.org/web/20180918012250/http://investor.symantec.com/About/Investors/press-releases/press-release-details/2018/Symantec-and-Starboard-Announce-Board-Refreshment-Plan-and-Director-Appointments/default.aspx announced] that three nominees of Starboard were joining the Symantec board, two with immediate effect (including Starboard Managing Member [https://www.starboardvalue.com/biographies/peter-feld/ Peter Feld]) and one following the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 17, 2018 |title=Symantec names three Starboard nominees to board |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-symantec-starboard-idUSKCN1LX2IA |access-date=May 9, 2023}}</ref>

On May 9, 2019, Symantec announced that Clark would be stepping down and that board member Rick Hill, previously put forward by Starboard, had been appointed interim president and CEO.<ref name="investor.gendigital.com"/> [[Vincent Pilette]] also joined Symantec as its new CFO.<ref name="investor.gendigital.com"/>

On August 8, 2019, [[Broadcom]] announced they would be acquiring the Enterprise software division of Symantec for $10.7 billion.<ref name="Novet 2019"/> This is after having attempted to purchase the whole company. The Norton family of products will remain in the Symantec portfolio. The sale closed on November 4, 2019, and subsequently, the company adopted the NortonLifeLock name and relocated its headquarters from Mountain View, California to LifeLock's offices in Tempe, Arizona.<ref name="Avalos 2020" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Cybersecurity company, now based in Tempe, pays special $8 billion dividend|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/2020/01/10/tempe-based-company-nortonlifelock-pays-special-8-billion-dividend/4431750002/|last=Wiles|first=Russ|website=azcentral|language=en|access-date=May 23, 2020}}</ref>

In 2021, a [[Cryptominer|crypto-miner]] was added to the [[Norton 360]] product, called Norton Crypto. Once activated by the user, Norton Crypto mines [[Ethereum|Ethereum (ETH)]] using the installed machine's graphics card while idle. The program also creates a secure wallet on the same machine.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Norton 360 Now Comes With a Cryptominer – Krebs on Security|date=January 11, 2022 |url=https://krebsonsecurity.com/2022/01/norton-360-now-comes-with-a-cryptominer/|access-date=January 30, 2022|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Mitchell |title=Here's the truth about the crypto miner that comes with Norton Antivirus |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/7/22869528/norton-crypto-miner-security-software-reaction |website=The Verge |access-date=August 23, 2022 |language=en |date=January 7, 2022}}</ref> Norton announced it was permanently disabling the feature on September 14, 2022, due to the Ethereum merge.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NortonLifeLock to End Antivirus Crypto-Mining Due to Ethereum Merge |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/nortonlifelock-to-end-antivirus-crypto-mining-due-to-ethereum-merge |access-date=September 21, 2022 |website=PCMAG |date=September 8, 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Praha_Nusle_Pikrtova_1a.jpg|thumb|Enterprise Office Center building, Gen Digital co-headquarters in [[Prague]]]]
US-based NortonLifeLock and Avast, an European cybersecurity leader based in Czech Republic founded by [[Eduard Kučera]] and [[Pavel Baudiš]] in 1988<ref name="USA TODAY 2013">{{cite web |date=20 October 2013 |title=Avast emerged from Communism to shine in security |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/10/20/avast-software-mcafee-the-great-czech-startup-story/3002031/ |access-date=8 August 2017 |newspaper=USA Today}}</ref> which was listed on the [[London Stock Exchange]] since its 2018 [[Initial public offering|IPO]] there,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Avast - top five largest tech IPO of all time on London Stock Exchange |url=https://www.lseg.com/en/media-centre/press-releases/2018/avast-top-five-largest-tech-ipo-all-time-london-stock-exchange |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=www.lseg.com |language=en}}</ref> merged in a deal announced in July 2021 and completed in September 2022, forming a new multinational company called Gen Digital. This merger created a larger cybersecurity firm with a broader portfolio of brands and products, including Norton, Avast, LifeLock and others. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority approved the merger in September 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-07 |title=NortonLifeLock Merges With Avast to Form New Company Called 'Gen' |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/nortonlifelock-merges-with-avast-to-form-new-company-called-gen |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}</ref> 

In December 2024, Gen Digital announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MoneyLion.<ref>{{Cite press release |last=Inc |first=Gen Digital |title=Gen Extends its Financial Wellness Offerings with the Acquisition of MoneyLion |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gen-extends-its-financial-wellness-offerings-with-the-acquisition-of-moneylion-302327494.html |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}</ref> In April 2025, Gen Digital completed its acquisition of MoneyLion in a $1 billion all-cash deal.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2025/04/18/gen-digital-acquisition-moneylion.html |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=www.bizjournals.com}}</ref>

In February 2025, Norton's antivirus software added Genie AI functionality for fraud protection.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-24 |title=Norton announces Genie Scam Protection to safeguard your files |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/norton-announces-genie-scam-protection-to-safeguard-your-files/ |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=Digital Trends |language=en-us}}</ref>

==Products==
===Norton===
{{main|Norton (software)}}

Norton product line includes [[Norton AntiVirus]], Norton Small Business, [[Norton Family]], Norton Mobile Security, Norton Online Backup, [[Norton 360]], [[Norton Utilities]] and Norton Computer Tune Up.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} Norton's line also includes [[LifeLock]] and [[ReputationDefender]].

In 2012, [[IAntiVirus|PC Tools iAntiVirus]] was rebranded as a Norton product under the name iAntiVirus, and released to the [[Mac App Store]]. Also in 2012, the Norton Partner Portal was relaunched to support sales to consumers throughout the [[Europe, the Middle East and Africa|EMEA]].{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

===Avast===
{{main|Avast (software)}}

Avast product line includes [[Avast Antivirus]], Avast Premium Security, [[Avast Cleanup]], [[Avast Secure Browser]], and [[Avast SecureLine VPN]]. {{as of|2017|post=,}} it is the most popular antivirus vendor on the market and it had the largest market share.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=99363964|title=AVAST Software s.r.o.: Private Company Information |publisher=Bloomberg |access-date=November 26, 2022}}</ref>

===AVG===
{{main|AVG (software)}}

AVG product line includes [[AVG AntiVirus]], [[AVG Internet Security]], AVG Secure VPN, [[AVG PC TuneUp]], and AVG Driver Updater. Previously a publicly company in February 2012, it was acquired by [[Avast]] in July 2016 for $1.3 billion.<ref>{{cite web | last=McMillan | first=Robert | title=Avast Software to Buy AVG Technologies for $1.3 Billion | website=WSJ | date=July 7, 2016 | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/avast-software-to-buy-avg-technologies-for-1-3-billion-1467896539 | access-date=November 26, 2022}}</ref>

===Avira===
{{main|Avira (software)}}

Avira product line includes Avira Free Security, [[Avira Internet Security]], Avira Prime and Avira Phantom VPN.

===Other===
Other products offered by Gen Digital include [[CCleaner]], [[Recuva]], [[Speccy]], [[Defraggler]], [[HMA (VPN)|HMA]], and [[SONAR (Symantec)|SONAR]].

==Mergers and acquisitions==
{{main|List of mergers and acquisitions by Gen Digital}}

===ACT!===
In 1993, Symantec acquired [[ACT!]] from [[Contact Software International]]. Symantec sold ACT! to [[SalesLogix]] in 1999. At the time it was the world's most popular [[CRM software|CRM]] application for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] and [[Macintosh]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crn.com/news/channel-programs/18811391/symantec-to-sell-act-to-saleslogix.htm;jsessionid=XLUTh0qChZ1yuNbv27M2nw**.ecappj03|title=Symantec To Sell ACT To SalesLogix|last=Darrow|first=Barbara|date=December 7, 1999|website=CRN.com|access-date=March 30, 2011|archive-date=June 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627021326/http://www.crn.com/news/channel-programs/18811391/symantec-to-sell-act-to-saleslogix.htm;jsessionid=XLUTh0qChZ1yuNbv27M2nw**.ecappj03|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Veritas===
On December 16, 2004, [[Veritas Software|Veritas]] and Symantec announced their plans for a merger. With Veritas valued at $13.5 billion, it was the largest software industry merger to date.<ref>{{cite web | last=Lee | first=Dan | title=2004: Symantec to buy Veritas for $13.5 billion | website=The Mercury News | date=August 18, 2014 | url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2014/08/18/2004-symantec-to-buy-veritas-for-13-5-billion/ | access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> Symantec's shareholders voted to approve the merger on June 24, 2005; the deal closed successfully on July 2, 2005.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Flynn|first=Laurie J.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/25/technology/shareholders-approve-symantecveritas-software-merger.html|title=Shareholders Approve Symantec-Veritas Software Merger|date=June 25, 2005|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 25, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> July 5, 2005, was the first day of business for the U.S. offices of the new, combined software company. As a result of this merger, Symantec includes storage- and availability-related products in its portfolio, namely [[Veritas File System]] (VxFS), [[Veritas Volume Manager]] (VxVM), [[Veritas Volume Replicator]] (VVR), [[Veritas Cluster Server]] (VCS), NetBackup (NBU), [[Backup Exec]] (BE) and [[Enterprise Vault]] (EV).{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

On January 29, 2016, Symantec sold Veritas to [[The Carlyle Group]].<ref name="Bray 2015" />

===Sygate===
On August 16, 2005, Symantec acquired [[Sygate]],<ref name="Das 2016">{{cite web | last=Das | first=Sejuti | title=Symantec's on a roll: 15 merger and acquisition deals you need to know | website=ChannelWorld India | date=June 15, 2016 | url=http://www.channelworld.in/features/symantecs-roll-15-merger-and-acquisition-deals-you-need-know | access-date=March 25, 2017 | archive-date=November 15, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115204315/http://www.channelworld.in/features/symantecs-roll-15-merger-and-acquisition-deals-you-need-know | url-status=dead }}</ref> a security software firm based in [[Fremont, California|Fremont]], California, with about 200 staff.<ref>{{cite web | last=Roberts | first=Paul F. | title=Symantec Acquires Endpoint-Security Company Sygate | website=eWEEK | date=August 16, 2005 | url=http://www.eweek.com/security/symantec-acquires-endpoint-security-company-sygate | access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> As of November 30, 2005, all Sygate personal firewall products were discontinued.<ref>{{cite web | last=Savvides | first=Lexy | title=Symantec scraps Sygate consumer firewall | website=CNET | date=November 29, 2005 | url=https://www.cnet.com/uk/news/symantec-scraps-sygate-consumer-firewall/ | access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref>

===Altiris===
On January 29, 2007, Symantec announced plans to acquire [[Altiris]],<ref name="Finkle 2007">{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-symantec-altiris-idUSN2947872520070129|title=Symantec to acquire Altiris in $830 mln deal|last=Finkle|first=Jim|date=January 29, 2007|website=Reuters|access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> and on April 6, 2007, the acquisition was completed.<ref>{{cite web | title=Symantec Completes Acquisition of Altiris | website=PC World (press release) | date=April 10, 2007 | url=http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/182194/symantec_completes_acquisition_altiris/ | access-date=March 25, 2017 | archive-date=December 5, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205142503/https://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/182194/symantec_completes_acquisition_altiris/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> Altiris specializes in service-oriented management software that allows organizations to manage [[Information Technology|IT]] assets.<ref name="Finkle 2007"/> It also provides software for web services, security and systems management products. Established in 1998, Altiris is headquartered in [[Lindon, Utah|Lindon]], [[Utah]].<ref>{{cite book | title=Computerworld | date=February 3, 1997 | publisher=IDG Enterprise | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_ce3R-onBbSAC | language=de | access-date=May 29, 2017 | page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_ce3R-onBbSAC/page/n68 69]}}</ref>

===Vontu===
On November 5, 2007, Symantec announced its acquisition of Vontu, a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) company, for $350 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/vontu-symantec-idUSN0531206820071105|title=UPDATE 1-Symantec says to acquire Vontu for $350 million|date=November 5, 2007|website=Reuters|access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref>

===Application Performance Management business===
On January 17, 2008, Symantec announced<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.symantec.com/about/news/release/article.jsp?prid=20080117_01 |title=Symantec to Sell Application Performance Management Business to Vector Capital |publisher=Symantec.com |access-date=November 9, 2010 |archive-date=December 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230184633/http://www.symantec.com/about/news/release/article.jsp?prid=20080117_01 |url-status=dead }}</ref> that it was spinning off its [[Application Performance Management]] (APM) business and the [[I3 (window manager)|i3]] product line to Vector Capital.<ref>{{cite web | last=Dubie | first=Denise | title=Symantec dumps application performance management business | website=Network World | date=January 18, 2008 | url=http://www.networkworld.com/article/2282443/infrastructure-management/symantec-dumps-application-performance-management-business.html | access-date=April 16, 2017}}</ref> Precise Software Solutions took over development, product management, marketing and sales for the APM business, launching as an independent company on September 17, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.precise.com/news/press/2008-0816_performance.asp |title=The new Precise to redefine application performance management |publisher=precise.com |access-date=April 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928194100/http://precise.com/news/press/2008-0816_performance.asp |archive-date=September 28, 2010 }}</ref>

===PC Tools===
On August 18, 2008, Symantec announced the signing of an agreement to acquire [[PC Tools (company)|PC Tools]]. Under the agreement, PC Tools would maintain separate operations. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. In May 2013, Symantec announced they were discontinuing the PC Tools line of internet security software.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pctools.com/norton-offer/pctEOL/ |title=Download PC Performance & Computer Registry Software &#124; PC Tools by Symantec |publisher=Pctools.com |date=May 18, 2013 |access-date=July 11, 2013}}</ref>

In December 2013, Symantec announced they were discontinuing and retiring the entire PC Tools brand and offering a non-expiring license to PC Tools Performance Toolkit, [[Registry Mechanic|PC Tools Registry Mechanic]], PC Tools File Recover and PC Tools Privacy Guardian users with an active subscription as of December 4, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pctools.com/product-eol/index/faq/utility/|title=Download PC Performance & Computer Registry Software &#124; PC Tools by Symantec |publisher=Pctools.com |date=December 4, 2013 |access-date=January 15, 2014}}</ref>

===AppStream===

On April 18, 2008, Symantec completed the acquisition of [[AppStream]], a nonpublic Palo Alto, California-based provider of endpoint virtualization software. AppStream was acquired to complement Symantec's endpoint management and virtualization portfolio and strategy.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Symantec_(SYMC)/Appstream_Purchase |title=AppStream Purchase for Symantec (SYMC) |access-date=September 18, 2017 |archive-date=September 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911064450/http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Symantec_(SYMC)/Appstream_Purchase |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===MessageLabs===
On October 9, 2008, Symantec announced its intent to acquire Gloucester-based [[MessageLabs]] (spun off from Star Internet in 2007) to boost its [[Software as a Service]] (SaaS) business. Symantec purchased the online messaging and Web security provider for about $695 million in cash.<ref>{{cite web | last=Stafford | first=Philip | title=MessageLabs sold to Symantec for £397m | website=Financial Times | date=October 9, 2008 | url=https://www.ft.com/content/dde2e558-959b-11dd-aedd-000077b07658 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/dde2e558-959b-11dd-aedd-000077b07658 |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> The acquisition closed on November 17, 2008.<ref>{{cite web | title=Symantec Acquires MessageLabs: Bolsters SaaS Messaging Security Offerings | website=Enterprise Management Associates (EMA), an IT analyst firm | date=November 17, 2008 | url=https://enterprisemanagement.com/research/asset.php/1095/Symantec-Acquires-MessageLabs:--Bolsters-SaaS-Messaging-Security-Offerings | access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref>

===PGP and GuardianEdge===
On April 29, 2010, Symantec announced its intent to acquire [[PGP Corporation]] and GuardianEdge.<ref>{{cite web | last=Messmer | first=Ellen | title=Symantec buying PGP Corp., GuardianEdge for $370 million | website=Network World | date=April 29, 2010 | url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/729660/data-center-symantec-buying-pgp-corp-guardianedge-for-370-million.html | access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> The acquisitions closed on June 4, 2010, and provided access to established encryption, key management and technologies to Symantec's customers.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

===Verisign authentication===
On May 19, 2010, Symantec signed a definitive agreement to acquire [[Verisign]]'s authentication business unit, which included the [[SSL certificate|Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate]], [[Public Key Infrastructure]] (PKI), Verisign Trust and [[Verisign Identity Protection]] (VIP) authentication services.<ref>{{cite book | last=Termanini | first=R. | title=The Cognitive Early Warning Predictive System Using the Smart Vaccine: The New Digital Immunity Paradigm for Smart Cities and Critical Infrastructure | publisher=CRC Press | year=2016 | isbn=978-1-4987-2653-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G4lUCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA85 | access-date=March 25, 2017 | page=85}}</ref> The acquisition closed on August 9, 2010. In August 2012, Symantec completed its rebranding of the Verisign SSL Certificate Service by renaming the Verisign Trust Seal the Norton Secured Seal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trustico.com/rebranding/verisign-to-norton-rebranding.php |title=VeriSign Rebrands To Norton – Get Norton Secured Seal For Your Site |publisher=Trustico.com |date=April 15, 2012 |access-date=July 11, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729015126/http://www.trustico.com/rebranding/verisign-to-norton-rebranding.php |archive-date=July 29, 2013 }}</ref> Symantec sold the SSL unit to [[DigiCert]] for US$950 million in mid 2017.<ref name="Sayer 2017">{{Cite web|title=How Symantec solved browser trust issue for its SSL certificates|url=https://www.csoonline.com/article/3213664/symantec-sells-its-problem-ssl-unit-to-digicert-for-1b.html|last=Sayer|first=Peter|date=August 3, 2017|website=CSO Online|language=en|access-date=May 23, 2020}}</ref>

===RuleSpace===
Acquired on October 10, 2010, RuleSpace is a web categorisation product first developed in 1996.<ref>{{cite web | last=Kaplan | first=Dan | title=Symantec buys RuleSpace for URL filtering technology | website=SC Magazine US | date=October 20, 2010 | url=https://www.scmagazine.com/news/symantec-buys-rulespace-for-url-filtering-technology/article/558270/ | access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> The categorisation is, automated using what Symantec refers to as the Automated Categorization System (ACS). It is used as the base for [[content filtering]] [[Web blocking in the United Kingdom#Technologies|by many UK ISP]].{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

===Clearwell Systems===
On May 19, 2011, Symantec announced the acquisition of Clearwell Systems for approximately $390 million.<ref>{{cite web | title=Symantec buys data experts Clearwell for $390 million | website=Reuters | date=May 19, 2011 | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-symantec-idUSTRE74I7D020110519 | access-date=March 25, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326051600/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-symantec-idUSTRE74I7D020110519 |archive-date=March 26, 2017 }}</ref>

===LiveOffice===
On January 17, 2012, Symantec announced the acquisition of cloud email-archiving company LiveOffice. The acquisition price was $115 million.<ref name="Dignan 2012">{{cite web | last=Dignan | first=Larry | title=Symantec picks up LiveOffice for $115 million, bolsters cloud archiving | website=ZDNet | date=January 17, 2012 | url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/symantec-picks-up-liveoffice-for-115-million-bolsters-cloud-archiving/ | access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> Last year,{{ambiguous|date=June 2013}} Symantec joined the cloud storage and backup sector with its Enterprise Vault.cloud and Cloud Storage for Enterprise Vault software, in addition to a cloud messaging software, Symantec Instant Messaging Security cloud (IMS.cloud).{{Citation needed|date=May 2017}} Symantec stated that the acquisition would add to its information governance products,<ref name="Dignan 2012" /><ref>{{cite web | last=Kirk | first=Jeremy | title=Symantec Acquires LiveOffice Cloud-Based Archiving Company | website=CIO | date=January 16, 2012 | url=http://www.cio.com/article/2400460/cloud-infrastructure/symantec-acquires-liveoffice-cloud-based-archiving-company.html | access-date=April 16, 2017 | archive-date=April 17, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417073751/http://www.cio.com/article/2400460/cloud-infrastructure/symantec-acquires-liveoffice-cloud-based-archiving-company.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> allowing customers to store information on-premises, in Symantec's data centers, or both.

===Odyssey Software===
On March 2, 2012, Symantec completed the acquisition of [[Odyssey Software (mobile device management)|Odyssey Software]]. Odyssey Software's main product was Athena, which was device management software that extended [[Microsoft System Center]] software, adding the ability to manage, support and control mobile and embedded devices, such as smartphones and ruggedized handhelds.<ref name="Das 2016" /><ref>{{cite web | last=Howley | first=Daniel P. | title=Symantec Beefs Up Enterprise Mobile Security Offerings | website=Laptop Mag | date=July 17, 2012 | url=http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/symantec-beefs-up-enterprise-mobile-security-offerings | access-date=April 16, 2017}}</ref>

===Nukona===
Symantec completed its acquisition of Nukona, a provider of [[Mobile Application Management]] (MAM), on April 2, 2012.<ref>{{cite web | title=Symantec Completes Acquisition of Nukona | website=Symantec | date=April 16, 2012 | url=https://www.symantec.com/about/newsroom/press-releases/2012/symantec_0416_01 | access-date=March 25, 2017 | archive-date=March 26, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326052011/https://www.symantec.com/about/newsroom/press-releases/2012/symantec_0416_01 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The acquisition agreement between Symantec and Nukona was announced on March 20, 2012.<ref>{{cite web | last=Messmer | first=Ellen | title=Symantec to acquire Nukona to assist in BYOD strategy | website=Network World | date=March 20, 2012 | url=http://www.networkworld.com/article/2186998/smartphones/symantec-to-acquire-nukona-to-assist-in-byod-strategy.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027051816/http://www.networkworld.com/article/2186998/smartphones/symantec-to-acquire-nukona-to-assist-in-byod-strategy.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 27, 2014 | access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref>

===NitroDesk===
In May 2014 Symantec acquired NitroDesk, provider of TouchDown, the market-leading third-party EAS mobile application.<ref>{{cite web | last=Kirk | first=Jeremy | title=Symantec acquires NitroDesk for email security on Android | website=PCWorld | date=May 28, 2014 | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2248060/symantec-acquires-nitrodesk-for-email-security-on-android.html | access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref>

===Blue Coat Systems===
On June 13, 2016, it was announced that Symantec had acquired [[Blue Coat Systems]] for $4.65 billion.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=McMillan|first1=Robert|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/symantec-set-to-buy-blue-coat-systems-in-4-65-billion-deal-1465774721|title=Symantec Set to Buy Blue Coat Systems in $4.65 Billion Deal|date=June 13, 2016|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=June 13, 2016|last2=Cimilluca|first2=Dana|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

=== LifeLock ===
In 2017, Symantec acquired [[LifeLock]],<ref>{{cite news|last1=Molina|first1=Brett|title=Symantec to acquire LifeLock for $2.3B|work=[[USA Today]]|issue=2016–11–21|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/11/21/symantec-acquire-lifelock-23b/94208924|access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Symantec completes acquisition of Tempe's LifeLock for $2.3B|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2017/02/09/symantec-completes-acquisition-of-tempes-lifelock.html|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=November 14, 2019}}</ref> and renamed itself to NortonLifeLock in 2019.

=== Avira ===
NortonLifeLock acquired German security firm [[Avira]] in December 2020 for $360 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid |date=December 7, 2020 |title=NortonLifeLock acquires Avira in $360M all-cash deal, 8 months after Avira was acquired for $180M |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/07/nortonlifelock-acquires-avira-in-360m-all-cash-deal-8-months-after-avira-was-acquired-for-180m/ |access-date=October 24, 2022 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Avast ===
In August 2021, NortonLifelock agreed to merge with Czech cybersecurity software company [[Avast]]. The UK [[Competition and Markets Authority]] formally cleared the $8.1 billion merger on September 2, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sawers |first=Paul |date=September 2, 2022 |title=UK clears $8.1B merger between NortonLifeLock and Avast |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/02/uk-clears-8-1b-merger-between-nortonlifelock-and-avast/ |access-date=September 21, 2022 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> The company subsequently adopted the name Gen Digital.<ref name="Scroxton 2022" />

== Locations around the world ==
Gen Digital has dual headquarters in [[Prague]], [[Czech Republic]] ([[European Union|EU]]) and [[Tempe, Arizona]] ([[United States|USA]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gen {{!}} Digital Skills and Jobs Platform |url=https://digital-skills-jobs.europa.eu/en/community/networking/organisations/gen |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=digital-skills-jobs.europa.eu |language=en}}</ref> It has development centers in India (Pune, Chennai and Bangalore){{fact|date=April 2025}} and also in the United States (Tempe, Arizona) and the Czech Republic (Prague). Additionally, the company has offices in Dublin, Ireland and London, United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Where is Gen Digital's Headquarters? Main Office Location and Global Offices {{!}} Clay |url=https://www.clay.com/dossier/gen-digital-headquarters-office-locations#:~:text=Prague,%20Czech%20Republic:%20Situated%20in%20Pikrtova%201737/1a,,client%20relations%20in%20the%20UK%20and%20beyond. |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=www.clay.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Security concerns and controversies==

===Restatement===
On August 9, 2004, the company announced that it discovered an error in its calculation of deferred revenue, which represented an accumulated adjustment of $20 million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/10/business/technology-briefing-software-symantec-cuts-profit-on-accounting-error.html|title=Technology Briefing {{!}} Software: Symantec Cuts Profit On Accounting Error|date=August 10, 2004|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 16, 2017|agency=Bloomberg News|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=McMillan | first=Robert | title=Symantec lowers earnings results after software glitch | website=Computerworld | date=August 10, 2004 | url=http://www.computerworld.com/article/2566543/security0/symantec-lowers-earnings-results-after-software-glitch.html | access-date=April 16, 2017}}</ref>

===Endpoint bug===
The arrival of the year 2010 triggered a bug in Symantec Endpoint. Symantec reported that malware and intrusion protection updates with "a date greater than December 31, 2009, 11:59 pm [were] considered to be 'out of date.'" The company created and distributed a workaround for the issue.<ref>{{cite web | last=Greene | first=Tim | title=Is It Y2K All Over Again in 2010? | website=PCWorld | date=January 6, 2010 | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/186044/y2k_in_2010.html | access-date=April 16, 2017 | archive-date=April 17, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417070700/http://www.pcworld.com/article/186044/y2k_in_2010.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Scan evasion vulnerability===
In March 2010, it was reported that Symantec AntiVirus and Symantec Client Security were prone to a vulnerability that might allow an attacker to bypass on-demand virus scanning, and permit malicious files to escape detection.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/38219/discuss|title=Symantec AntiVirus Scan Evasion Vulnerability|access-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.symantec.com/security_response/securityupdates/detail.jsp?fid=security_advisory&pvid=security_advisory&year=2010&suid=20100217_00|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116083721/http://www.symantec.com/security_response/securityupdates/detail.jsp?fid=security_advisory&pvid=security_advisory&year=2010&suid=20100217_00|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 16, 2013|title=Security Advisories Relating to Symantec Products – Symantec Event Manipulation Potential Scan Bypass|access-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}}

===Denial-of-service attack vulnerabilities===
In January 2011, multiple vulnerabilities in Symantec products that could be exploited by a [[denial-of-service attack]], and thereby compromise a system, were reported. The products involved were Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition Server and Symantec System Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=10503|title=Multiple vulnerabilities in Symantec products|access-date=June 7, 2015|work=HelpNet Security|date=January 27, 2011}}</ref>

The November 12, 2012, Vulnerability Bulletin of the [[United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team]] (US-CERT) reported the following vulnerability for older versions of Symantec's Antivirus system: "The decomposer engine in Symantec [[Endpoint Protection]] (SEP) 11.0, Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 12.0, Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition (SAVCE) 10.x, and Symantec Scan Engine (SSE) before 5.2.8 does not properly perform bounds checks of the contents of CAB archives, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted file."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/bulletins/SB12-324.html|title=Vulnerability Summary for the Week of November 12, 2012 – US-CERT|publisher=United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team|access-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref>

The problem relates to older versions of the systems and a patch is available. US-CERT rated the seriousness of this vulnerability as a 9.7 on a 10-point scale. The "decomposer engine" is a component of the scanning system that opens [[digital container format|containers]], such as compressed files, so that the scanner can evaluate the files within.{{Citation needed|date=May 2017}}

===Scareware lawsuit===
In January 2012, James Gross filed a lawsuit against Symantec for distributing fake [[scareware]] scanners that purportedly alerted users of issues with their computers. Gross claimed that after the scan, only some of the errors and problems were corrected, and he was prompted by the scanner to purchase a Symantec app to remove the rest. Gross claimed that he bought the app, but it did not speed up his computer or remove the detected viruses. He hired a digital forensics expert to back up this claim. Symantec denied the allegations and said that it would contest the case.<ref>{{cite news|last=Yin |first=Sara |url=http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/none/292826-symantec-sued-for-scareware-tactics |title=Symantec Sued for Scareware Tactics |website=[[PC Magazine]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=January 12, 2012 |access-date=February 10, 2012}}</ref> Symantec settled a $11 million fund (up to $9 to more than 1 million eligible customers representing the overpaid amount for the app) and the case was dismissed in court.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/424823/symantec-inks-11m-deal-ending-claims-it-used-scare-tactics |title=Symantec Inks $11M Deal Ending Claims It Used Scare Tactics |last=McLernon |first=Sean |date=March 18, 2013 |website=Law360 |publisher=Portfolio Media}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/california/candce/3:2012cv00154/250294/49/ |title=Filing 49: Order by Judge Charles R. Breyer granting 38 Motion to Dismiss |last=Breyer |first=Charles R. |date=July 31, 2012 |work=Gross v. Symantec Corporation |via=Justia Dockets & Filings}}</ref>

===Source code theft===
On January 17, 2012, Symantec disclosed that its network had been hacked. A hacker known as "Yama Tough" had obtained the [[source code]] for some Symantec software by hacking an Indian government server.<ref name="Keizer 2012"/> Yama Tough released parts of the code and threatened to release more. According to Chris Paden, a Symantec spokesman, the source code that was taken was for Enterprise products that were between five and six years old.<ref name="Keizer 2012">{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223495/Symantec_backtracks_admits_own_network_hacked.html|title=Symantec backtracks, admits own network hacked|last=Keizer|first=Gregg|date=January 17, 2012|website=Computerworld|access-date=February 10, 2012}}</ref>

On September 25, 2012, an affiliate of the hacker group [[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]] published source code from Norton Utilities.<ref name="Constantin 2012"/> Symantec confirmed that it was part of the code that had been stolen earlier, and that the leak included code for 2006 versions of Norton Utilities, pcAnywhere and Norton Antivirus.<ref name="Constantin 2012">{{cite web | last=Constantin | first=Lucian | title=Symantec: Leaked Norton Utilities 2006 source code already published months ago | website=PCWorld | date=September 25, 2012 | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010584/symantec-leaked-norton-utilities-2006-source-code-already-published-months-ago.html | access-date=April 16, 2017}}</ref>

===Verisign data breach===
In February 2012, it was reported that Verisign's network and data had been hacked repeatedly in 2010, but that the breaches had not been disclosed publicly until they were noted in an [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission|SEC]] filing in October 2011.<ref name="Menn 2012">{{cite web | last=Menn | first=Joseph | title=Key Internet operator VeriSign hit by hackers | website=Reuters | date=February 2, 2012 | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hacking-verisign-idUSTRE8110Z820120202 | access-date=April 16, 2017}}</ref> Verisign did not provide information about whether the breach included its certificate authority business, which was acquired by Symantec in late 2010.<ref name="Menn 2012"/> Oliver Lavery, director of security and research for nCircle, asked rhetorically, "Can we trust any site using Verisign SSL certificates? Without more clarity, the logical answer is no."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/249242/verisign_hacked_what_we_dont_know_might_hurt_us.html|first=Tony|last=Bradley|title=VeriSign Hacked: What We Don't Know Might Hurt Us|date=February 2, 2012|work=PCWorld|access-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2399773,00.asp | work=PC Magazine | title=VeriSign Hacked Multiple Times in 2010|first=Chloe|last=Albanesius}}</ref>

===pcAnywhere exploit===
On February 17, 2012, details of an exploit of pcAnywhere were posted. The exploit would allow attackers to crash pcAnywhere on computers running [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Keizer | first=Gregg | title=pcAnywhere exploit hackers could hijack 200,000 Windows PCs | website=ComputerworldUK | date=February 23, 2012 | url=http://www.computerworlduk.com/it-vendors/pcanywhere-exploit-hackers-could-hijack-200000-windows-pcs-3339638/ | access-date=April 16, 2017}}</ref> Symantec released a hotfix for the issue twelve days later.<ref>{{cite web|title=Claims by Anonymous about Symantec Source Code|url=http://www.symantec.com/theme.jsp?themeid=anonymous-code-claims%7ccc|publisher=Symantec|access-date=September 18, 2013|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924125257/http://www.symantec.com/theme.jsp?themeid=anonymous-code-claims%7ccc|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Hacking of ''The New York Times'' network===
According to [[Mandiant]], Symantec security products used by ''[[The New York Times]]'' detected only one of 45 pieces of malware that were installed by Chinese hackers on the newspaper's network during three months in late 2012.<ref>{{cite news|last=Perlroth|first=Nicole|url=http://cn.nytimes.com/china/20130131/c31hack/en-us/|title=Hackers in China Attacked The Times for Last 4 Months|date=January 31, 2013|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 10, 2013|archive-date=October 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016184715/http://cn.nytimes.com/china/20130131/c31hack/en-us/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Perlroth|first=Nicole|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/technology/chinese-hackers-infiltrate-new-york-times-computers.html|title=Hackers in China Attacked The Times for Last 4 Months|date=January 30, 2013|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 21, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Symantec responded:

<blockquote>"Advanced attacks like the ones the ''New York Times'' described in the following article, <[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/technology/chinese-hackers-infiltrate-new-york-times-computers.html http://nyti.ms/TZtr5z]>, underscore how important it is for companies, countries and consumers to make sure they are using the full capability of security solutions. The advanced capabilities in our [E]ndpoint offerings, including our unique reputation-based technology and behavior-based blocking, specifically target sophisticated attacks. Turning on only the signature-based anti-virus components of [E]ndpoint solutions alone [is] not enough in a world that is changing daily from attacks and threats. We encourage customers to be very aggressive in deploying solutions that offer a combined approach to security. Anti-virus software alone is not enough".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/symantec-statement-regarding-new-york-times-cyber-attack |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130204024257/http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/symantec-statement-regarding-new-york-times-cyber-attack |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |title=Symantec Statement Regarding ''New York Times'' Cyber Attack|work= Symantec Official blog}}</ref></blockquote>

===Intellectual Ventures suit===
In February 2015, Symantec was found guilty of two counts of patent infringement in a suit by [[Intellectual Ventures]] Inc and ordered to pay $17 million in compensation and damages,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scmagazine.com/jury-finds-symantec-guilty-on-two-counts-of-patent-infringement/article/397090/|first=Teri |last=Robinson|title=Symantec to pay $17M in damages for patent violations|work=SC Magazine|date=February 9, 2015 |access-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref> In September 2016, this decision was reversed on appeal by the Federal Circuit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2016/10/03/software-patents/|title=Here's Why Software Patents Are in Peril After the Intellectual Ventures Ruling|last=Roberts|first=Jeff John|date=October 3, 2016|website=Fortune Magazine|access-date=October 5, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://patentlyo.com/patent/2016/10/amendment-finally-reaches.html|title=First Amendment Finally Reaches Patent Law|last=Crouch|first=Dennis|date=October 2, 2016|website=PatentlyO|access-date=October 5, 2016}}</ref>

===Sustaining digital certificate security===
On September 18, 2015, Google notified Symantec that the latter issued 23 test certificates for five organizations, including Google and Opera, without the domain owners' knowledge.<ref>{{cite web | last=Goodin | first=Dan | title=Still fuming over HTTPS mishap, Google makes Symantec an offer it can't refuse | website=Ars Technica | date=October 29, 2015 | url=https://arstechnica.com/security/2015/10/still-fuming-over-https-mishap-google-gives-symantec-an-offer-it-cant-refuse/ | access-date=April 16, 2017}}</ref> Symantec performed another audit and announced that an additional 164 test certificates were mis-issued for 76 domains and 2,458 test certificates were mis-issued for domains that had never been registered. Google requested that Symantec update the public incident report with proven analysis explaining the details on each of the failures.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2999146/encryption/google-threatens-action-against-symantec-issued-certificates-following-botched-investigation.html|title=Google threatens action against Symantec-issued SSL certificates following botched investigation|work=PCWorld|access-date=October 3, 2017|language=en}}</ref>

The company was asked to report all the certificates issued to the Certificate Transparency log henceforth.<ref name="Constantin 2015"/><ref>{{cite web | title=Google slams Symantec over Certificate Transparency trouble | website=SearchSecurity | date=April 16, 2017 | url=http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/news/4500256515/Google-slams-Symantec-over-Certificate-Transparency-trouble | access-date=April 16, 2017}}</ref> Symantec has since reported implementing Certificate Transparency for all its SSL Certificates. Above all, Google has insisted that Symantec execute a security audit by a third party and to maintain tamper-proof security audit logs.<ref name="Constantin 2015">{{cite web | last=Constantin | first=Lucian | title=Google threatens action against Symantec-issued SSL certificates following botched investigation | website=PCWorld | date=October 29, 2015 | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2999146/encryption/google-threatens-action-against-symantec-issued-certificates-following-botched-investigation.html | access-date=April 16, 2017}}</ref>

===Google and Symantec clash on website security checks===
On March 24, 2017, Google stated that it had lost confidence in Symantec, after the latest incident of improper certificate issuance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/3184660/security/to-punish-symantec-google-may-distrust-a-third-of-the-webs-ssl-certificates.html |first=Lucian |last=Constantin|title= To punish Symantec, Google may distrust a third of the web's SSL certificates |work=PC World|date=March 24, 2017 |access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://theusbport.com/symantec-loses-googles-trust-over-fishy-ssl-certificates/26558 |title= Symantec loses Google's trust over fishy SSL Certificates |work=The USB Port|access-date=March 26, 2017|first=Rafael|last=Fariñas|date=March 26, 2017}}</ref> Google says millions of existing Symantec certificates will become untrusted in Google Chrome over the next 12 months. According to Google, Symantec partners issued at least 30,000 certificates of questionable validity over several years, but Symantec disputes that number.<ref>{{cite news | title=To punish Symantec, Google may distrust a third of the web's SSL certificates | website=PC World | url=http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/616592/punish-symantec-google-may-distrust-third-web-ssl-certificates/ | access-date=April 16, 2017 | archive-date=April 17, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417071452/http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/616592/punish-symantec-google-may-distrust-third-web-ssl-certificates/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> Google said Symantec failed to comply with industry standards and could not provide audits showing the necessary documentation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/security/2017/03/google-takes-symantec-to-the-woodshed-for-mis-issuing-30000-https-certs/ |title= Google takes Symantec to the woodshed for mis-issuing 30,000 HTTPS certs |access-date=March 24, 2017|first=Dan|last=Goodin|date=March 24, 2017|publisher=Ars Technica}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-reducing-trust-in-symantec-certificates-following-numerous-slip-ups/ |title= Google Reducing Trust in Symantec Certificates Following Numerous Slip-Ups |access-date=March 24, 2017|first=Catalin|last=Cimpanu|work=Bleeping Computer}}</ref>

Google's Ryan Sleevi said that Symantec partnered with other CAs (CrossCert (Korea Electronic Certificate Authority), [[Certisign|Certisign Certificatadora Digital]], Certsuperior S. de R. L. de C.V., and Certisur S.A.) who did not follow proper verification procedures leading to the misissuance of certificates.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 27, 2017|work=TechCrunch|first=Kate|last=Conger|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/27/google-is-fighting-with-symantec-over-encrypting-the-internet/ |title= Google is fighting with Symantec over encrypting the internet |access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref>

Following discussions in which Google had required that Symantec migrate Symantec-branded certificate issuance operations a non-Symantec-operated "Managed Partner Infrastructure",<ref>{{cite web | author = Fisher, Darin | title = Re: [blink-dev] Intent to Deprecate and Remove: Trust in existing Symantec-issued Certificates | date = July 27, 2017 | url=https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msg/blink-dev/eUAKwjihhBs/El1mH8S6AwAJ | publisher=blink-dev@chromium.org Google Group}}</ref> a deal was announced whereby [[DigiCert]] acquired Symantec's website security business.<ref>{{cite web|date=August 2, 2017 |author=Merrill, John |title=DigiCert to Acquire Symantec's Website Security Business |url=https://www.digicert.com/blog/digicert-to-acquire-symantec-website-security-business/|publisher=DigiCert}}</ref> In September 2017, Google announced that starting with Chrome 66, "Chrome will remove trust in Symantec-issued certificates issued prior to June 1, 2016".<ref name="O'Brien 2017">
{{cite web|url=https://security.googleblog.com/2017/09/chromes-plan-to-distrust-symantec.html|title=Chrome's Plan to Distrust Symantec Certificates|last1=O'Brien|first1=Devon|last2=Sleevi|first2=Ryan|date=September 11, 2017|website=Google Security Blog|last3=Whalley|first3=Andrew}}
</ref> Google further stated that "by December 1, 2017, Symantec will transition issuance and operation of publicly-trusted certificates to DigiCert infrastructure, and certificates issued from the old Symantec infrastructure after this date will not be trusted in Chrome."<ref name="O'Brien 2017" /> Google predicted that toward the end of October 2018, with the release of Chrome 70, the browser would omit all trust in Symantec's old infrastructure and all of the certificates it had issued, affecting most certificates chaining to Symantec roots.<ref name="O'Brien 2017" /> Mozilla Firefox planned to distrust Symantec-issued certificates in Firefox 63 (released on October 23, 2018),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.mozilla.org/security/2018/07/30/update-on-the-distrust-of-symantec-tls-certificates/|title=Update on the Distrust of Symantec TLS Certificates|last=Thayer|first=Wayne|date=July 30, 2018|website=Mozilla Security Blog|language=en-US|access-date=August 15, 2018}}</ref> but delivered the change in Firefox 64 (released on December 11, 2018).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Firefox/Releases/64|title=Firefox 64 for developers|website=MDN Web Docs|language=en-US|access-date=December 11, 2018}}</ref> Apple has also planned to distrust Symantec root certificates.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://support.apple.com/en-hk/HT208860|title=Information for website operators about distrusting Symantec certificate authorities|date=August 1, 2018|website=Apple Support}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.digicert.com/blog/our-latest-symantec-distrust-guidance-apple/ |title=Our Latest Symantec Distrust Guidance |date=June 7, 2018 |website=DigiCert Blog |first=Vincent |last=Lynch}}</ref> Subsequently, Symantec exited the TLS/SSL segment by selling the SSL unit to [[Digicert]] for $950 million in mid 2017.<ref name="Sayer 2017"/>

=== Norton Crypto ===
On July 20, 2021, Norton LifeLock released Norton Crypto, which would've mined [[Ethereum]] in the background in exchange for periodic payments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Introducing Norton Crypto! |url=https://community.norton.com/en/blogs/product-service-announcements/introducing-norton-crypto |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810165556/https://community.norton.com/en/blogs/product-service-announcements/introducing-norton-crypto |archive-date=2021-08-10 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Norton LifeLock}}</ref> This drew criticism from users, as this was installed automatically, and many users reported having diffuculty uninstalling the program.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-11 |title=Norton 360 Now Comes With a Cryptominer – Krebs on Security |url=https://krebsonsecurity.com/2022/01/norton-360-now-comes-with-a-cryptominer/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-04 |title=Once Opted Into Norton Crypto, You Can't Easily Uninstall |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/no-easy-way-to-uninstall-norton-crypto/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Digital Trends |language=en}}</ref>

===Columbia patent-infringement lawsuit===
In May 2022, [[Columbia University]] won $185 million judgement against NortonLifeLock Inc. in a patent-infringement lawsuit.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Valbrun |first1=Marjorie |title=Columbia Awarded $185 Million in Patent-Infringement Lawsuit |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2022/05/04/columbia-awarded-185-million-patent-infringement-lawsuit |access-date=May 7, 2022 |work=[[Inside Higher Ed]] |date=May 4, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The jury found that Norton willfully infringed the patents related to antivirus fighting malware.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yasiejko |first1=Christopher |title=Norton Owes Columbia $185 Million Over Antivirus Patents |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/nortonlifelock-owes-columbia-185-million-over-antivirus-patents |access-date=May 7, 2022 |work=[[Bloomberg Law]] |date=May 2, 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Brittain |first1=Blake |title=Jury says NortonLifeLock owes Columbia U. $185 million over cybersecurity patents |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/jury-says-nortonlifelock-owes-columbia-u-185-million-over-cybersecurity-patents-2022-05-02/ |access-date=May 7, 2022 |work=[[Reuters]] |date=May 2, 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

== Logos ==
<gallery>
File:Symantec Corporation logo 1990.svg|1990-1999
File:Symantec Logo.svg|2001-2010
File:Symantec logo10.svg|2010-2019
File:Logo NortonLifeLock.svg|2019-2022
File:Gen logo.svg|2022-present
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Commons category}}
* [[Comparison of antivirus software]]
* [[Comparison of computer viruses]]
* [[Huawei Symantec]], a joint venture between Huawei and Symantec
* [[Web blocking in the United Kingdom#Technologies|Web blocking in the United Kingdom – Technologies]]
* Symantec behavior analysis technologies [[SONAR (Symantec)|SONAR]] and [[Norton AntiBot|AntiBot]]
* [[Symantec Online Backup]]
{{Portal bar|Companies|San Francisco Bay Area}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|}}
{{Finance links
| name = Gen Digital Inc.
| symbol = GEN
| bloomberg = GEN:US
| reuters = GEN.O
| sec_cik = 849399
| yahoo = GEN
| google = GEN:NASDAQ
}}

{{Gen Digital}}
{{Antivirus}}
{{Authority control|state=expanded}}

[[Category:Gen Digital| ]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Tempe, Arizona]]
[[Category:Companies based in Prague]]
[[Category:Companies listed on the Nasdaq]]
[[Category:Computer security software companies]]
[[Category:Former certificate authorities]]
[[Category:Multinational companies headquartered in the United States]]
[[Category:Software companies established in 1982]]
[[Category:Software companies of the United States]]