Norton Security Scan

If you need to know the state your PC is in regarding viruses, identity thefts, and other safety-related issues, you can rely on Norton Security Scan to check your computer for a large number of threats quickly and at no cost. This small free utility offers to scan your system in barely a few seconds in order to detect any possible security breaches that may harm your PC or threaten your identity.

Its one-window interface requires neither any previous experience nor any interaction on your part. As soon as the program has completed its installation, it launches the scan process right away. First, it looks for any updates the program itself may require to work properly, and from there it starts checking all your files and directories looking for security threats and system protection issues simultaneously.

Once the scan is over, you’ll be presented with the results. If your system happens to be infected by some virus or if the program detects any breach in your PC’s security, you’ll be offered to purchase other Norton tools designed to get rid of all those threats in a professional way. Thus, think of Norton Security Scan as a free entry door to Norton’s catalog, rather than a tool to fix any security threats or to prevent them from happening. The program also offers you a direct link to LifeLock web page, where you can check if your e-mail addresses have been hacked and are being used without your consent for illicit purposes.

If what you need is but a quick check of your PC’s status regarding security, this free tool will surely do the trick. I expected to get some false positives to lure me to buy some Norton tool, but I didn’t, which makes me believe that, despite its limitations, Norton Security Scan is more than just an ad for their products.