New version of Norton 360 installs a crypto miner on your PC by default

If you are a user of Norton 360 antivirus, then you might want to ditch the software altogether. Ever since last year they've been experimenting with a crypto miner, which now is getting enabled by default. And they're doing this silently.

On social platforms more and more users are starting to complain about the 'new feature' which has absolutely nothing to do with the core functionality of the software suite, being anti-virus software. If you read up on the explanation from Norton, the miner is mining ethereum. Norton claims to store the crypto at their servers, and take a 15% share. Whilst that sounds fair, you need to weigh in that you yourself are paying for your hardware investment and energy used. meaning, Norton gets 15% of your ethereum value by doing ... exactly nothing. 

Unfortunately, this is once again, one of the many examples where a company goes wrong. Meanwhile, end-users are now complaining that they cannot seem to disable the miner.  According to Twitter user Chantelle, users should first navigate to Norton 360's admin settings page and disable Norton Product Tamper Protection. NCrypt.exe can be uninstalled only after it has been disabled.

Norton has explained in a faq that the service is activated only with the user's permission (opt-in). Additionally, users can disable the service through the Norton Crypto dashboard. The corporation makes no explanation in the faq as to why the miner is now installed automatically. if you weigh in energy cost and hardware write-off, the bottom line is that the end-user is at a loss and Norton is making a profit. Despite the mentioned 0.85:0.15 ratio.

Norton does not have to do anything for this and you bear the costs. Our advice, uninstall Norton software and walk away from that brand, and never use their software again. It's the only way that companies will learn that what they are implementing, is wrong.

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