Norton Core Review – For when you’re REALLY worried about internet security

The Norton Core is a product you might not have considered before in your home but for those serious about security, it may just be the solution you’ve been looking for. It’s is a router and home internet solution packaged into one ultra-modern styled device. They’re calling it a ‘secure’ Wi-Fi router.

The good

• The Core passes as a beautiful, modern home ornament.
• It has good network and parental controls.
• The deep-packet inspection is essentially the whole sale point and works well.

The bad

• The subscription model is (relatively) expensive – further on this below.

The verdict

Look, if you’re really serious about internet security and want to make sure you’re covered on every avenue – the Norton Core is a product you should consider. However if you consider yourself competent with technology and can identify viruses, malware and dangerous websites – you can’t justify the price tag. $399 is a whole lot of cash.

CONCEPTUALLY

A big reason to consider a product like this is the ‘Internet of Things’. It refers to all of the devices in your home that are connected to the internet but aren’t exactly a computer or phone. These are things like your smart TV, air conditioner, toaster, etc. They’re often abbreviated as ‘IoT’ – so now you know.

Anyway, the argument for a router such as the Norton Core is that that network level of protection will secure the devices that you can’t install software on. You can’t download the latest anti-virus onto your toaster… but you can monitor your network traffic and filter malicious connections.

The question that needs to be asked is how much of a threat you believe these IoT hacks are. As a cyber security student and long time security geek, I can tell you they’re incredibly rare and almost never personal attacks – rather they’re hacks that use your device in collaboration with many others to actually carry out large scale attacks. If this got too nerdy, disregard it entirely… Ultimately if you don’t know or care, it’s hard to justify the price for this router even at a conceptual level.

PRACTICALITY

Summary; effective, yet expensive. Setting up the Norton Core was VERY easy, it syncs up to the Norton Core app and has exceptional parental and general network controls.

If your consideration of the Norton Core is less in regards to IoT concerns and more along the lines of not trusting your kids, room mates or partner – then you’re in luck. However as is the consistent theme with this brilliant piece of technology, you’re paying a good chuck of money for it. The parental controls allow for individual device control, content filtering levels, daily time limits and bedtimes.

The protection included in the Core will actively monitor and restrict web traffic to known sites, disallow connections between devices within your network that shouldn’t be occurring and will be sure to alert you through the app of all potential risks. The app actually keeps a security score, complete with records of what and when it protected against as well as tips on better increasing security.

You’ve also got the ability to create a guest network in order to keep visitors out of your main network – which as someone with a lot of smart home devices I found really nice and neat.

MISC

A lot of the cash spent on this bad boy is the initial cost, by that I mean you’re forking out $399 for the actual device and the included first year of Norton Core Security Plus, but each month after that year will set you back $9.90. If you don’t pay you still have a router, minus the active security features.

You don’t need me to tell you how gorgeous this thing is. The beautiful shape and style of the Norton Core means that it can really be placed anywhere in your home and will make for a stunning ornament.

If this sounds like the device for you, it can be picked up exclusively in-store or online from Harvey Norman. However if you have any further questions or concerns about it, please feel free to email me; john@eftm.com