Question

Tylerdowner - Thank you for you very quick reply. At the moment, I have re-installed FireFox 14. Checked the Norton site. They claim to have an upgrade available. Tomorrow I will download the upgrade. Again, thank you.

My error message after updating to Firefox 15 indicated that I am vulnerable to phishing because I have to have Firefox 1.5 or higher. I had just installed 15. I updated Norton for MACs on Comcast and it still didn't work. Then I spent an hour with Comcast chat where he lead me around the mulberry bush and then suggested I contact Firefox - after I had suggested it 45 minutes earlier. Do you know for sure that Norton is updating tomorrow. I risked using Firefox because I had to register to reply to this post. I'm feeling really dumb!

Norton has already pushed the update, so if you check for updates in norton it should update automatically. As I said before though, norton toolbar does little to nothing to actually protect you, so using it is no more insecure than browsing without.

Thank you so much. Your help has provided me tremendous relief.

to: Tylerdowner. I guess I should have asked you the following. If I download and use the Norton upgrade, will the FireFox anti-phishing software still work. Thus, will I then be protected by both Firefox and Norton at the same time? Thanks for your help

Yes it will, however, it is mainly redundant, and disabling Norton will probably speed up Firefox anyway. However it's all up to you :)

Tylerdowner: Thank you so much for your prompt reply. I plan to download the Norton upgrade. That way I will be doubly protected, so if one doesn't work, then the other might. I am willing, at least for a while, to accept the potential slowdown.

Jane7491: Please notice my response to Tylerdowner. I inquired whether downloading the Norton upgrade would interfere with the Firefox anti-phishing software. He assures me that this would not be a problem, although there might be some degradation in computer speed. I am now going to download the Norton upgrade and then the Firefox upgrade.

The message I received says "

This version of Firefox is not supported by Norton Confidential. You will not be protected while browsing the Web. Norton Confidential cannot protect you while you use this version of Firefox. Phishing Protection requires Firefox 1.5 or later."

I am using Firefox 15.0!!!! isn't that "later" than 1.5? In any case, it says I am not protected. Off to Safari I go!

This is an issue with Norton not properly updating their wording on what versions of Firefox you need. But if you run live update, it will update norton and it'll work just fine in Firefox.

Thank you!

Thanks for your comments.

This is not good. I downloaded all the Norton updates. Continued to receive the Notice after opening Firefox. I then re-installed the entire Norton package. Still received the Notice. Have I made it clear that i am using Mac 10.6? Is this an issue? Who is issuing this Notice - Norton or Firefox? What is this business about Firefox 1.5? At this point, I am switching back to Safari. Let me know when Firefox upgrades.

I also just clicked on Norton, updated everything. Turned off and then restarted Firefox. And...got the exact same message about my computer not being protected. Updating didn't do squat.

Is there no way to actually reach someone at Firefox? Or is posting on a board where consumers try to help each other, but no Firefox employee reads the messages, our only hope?

I'm using Safari exclusively until someone from Firefox presents a solution.

I'm a Mozilla Employee, and this is our official Firefox Support website :)

Just for clarification, Norton is the organization that needs to update their products to support Firefox 15, Mozilla can't do anything about that. As I posted earlier, Norton says they support Firefox 15. https://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-Toolbar-Norton-Identity/Firefox-15-Support-for-Norton-Toolbar/td-p/791174. Now, if you are still having issues, you should try to contact Norton (it seems like their Mac edition of Norton is not updating properly).

Also, as I previously stated, updating Firefox and disabling the Norton toolbar is not going to affect your computer's security. Your Actual Anti-virus does not run in the browser, it runs on the computer even if Firefox isn't open. The Norton toolbar basically just duplicates features that Firefox already has built in (phishing, etc.). If you want to use it, it's fine, but it doesn't increase your security very much (if at all).

to Tylerdowner: I must apologize concerning the issue of which company wrote the warning notice You did indeed write about it earlier and I just forgot. I was so angry this morning about the whole situation. I have spent a lot of time trying get everything working and have totally failed. I cannot stand having a warning appear every time I open Firefox. I will just use Safari or Opera until Firefox or Norton get this straightened out. I thank you for your assistance.

I have some updated information about Norton Confidential.

It appears this is an old product that Norton killed off, which explains the out dated messages about Firefox 1.5. It has been replaced by Norton Identity Safe. https://identitysafe.norton.com/

If you wish to continue using the Norton Confidential, you will have to uninstall Norton Confidential, and install Norton Identity Safe.

to SwitchingToSafari: As best as I can tell, somehow Norton seems to be lagging behind Firefox in this issue. At least as concerns the Mac. I think I will try upgrading my PC to see if things are any better there. I just don'f feel like putting in the effort. I cannot accept having a Notice come up every time I start Firefox, so I plan to use Safari or Opera until some upgrade appears.

Tylerdowner: thanks for clarifying that you are an employee of Mozilla. I guess I'm used to going to help chat rooms where the moderators from the company are ID'd as such :) I appreciate your comments. Like others here, though, I think I'll just stay switched to another browser, Safari in my case as I'm using a Mac. I don't have time to try to figure it all out -- I'm at work. And it's disconcerting to see a warning about my protection pop up every time I open Firefox. Mozilla and Norton will have to figure it out between them, business to business, and then perhaps email Norton customers with links to quickly and easily update. I'm just the consumer, and I'm swamped with my own work.

to Tylerdowner: Thank you for the information. This sounds reasonable and does explain what is happening. Perhaps if a few Mac user contact Norton, we can get something to happen. At the moment, I am going to go back to Safari. Firefox is unquestionably the best browser available, but I cannot handle having that little Notice pop-up every day.

I am experiencing the same problem with Firefox 15 on my Mac. I've run LiveUpdate and continue to get the error message. I also downloaded the latest version of Norton from Comcast, and that made no difference either. I saw that Norton posted an upgrade for Windows, but will there be one for Mac?

to smsteeter: Our only hope is for enough people to contact Norton and tell them to get their act together.

If you use Norton via Comcast's download, then we also have to pressure Comcast to release the latest upgrade to Norton Internet Security 5 for their customers. I called and did the entire routine described by SwitchingToSafari. In the end Comcast doesn't take calls related to problems with Norton and the Norton rep I spoke to on the phone said he didn't know when Comcast would release version 5. Since Firefox 15 was released, I've also switched to Safari and run the Live Update at least twice a day. I might switch back to FF 14. Lastest version of Norton for Mac: http://us.norton.com/macintosh-internet-security/. The Comcast download is Norton for mac version 4: http://security.comcast.net/norton/resi/mac/download/

I spoke eith Comcast who ultimately said I needed to talk to Norton, and Norton says Comcast needs to offer the current version. No surprise. I don't have this problem on my Windows machine. I think the problem is Comcast not providing equal sopport or opportunity for Mac users. Since FF has anti-phishing components anyway, can we just uninstall Norton Confidential?

to smsteeter and to FF-mac-user: Our little group of malcontents appears to be growing. Invite all your friends to participate and maybe we can make something happen. I, also, am in the group that is using Norton Confidential via Comcast.

First, let me say that I would NEVER recommend deleting Norton, or similar computer protection software - NEVER. Tylerdowner claims that FF will provide the necessary anti-phishing capability. So it is reasonable to consider running FF and Norton simultaneously for the best protection.

The blame, if there is blame, appears to be two-fold. Norton provides an update for IE, but not for Mac. Has Norton noticed that Mac is now a substantial part of the computer market. Then we have Comcast attempting to attract customers by providing out-of-date protection software. Thanks a lot, Comcast. Somewhere we will have to decide when the Comcast offer actually puts our computers at risk. Let's keep bugging these two companies.

smsteer, yes, you can just uninstall Norton Confidential. Firefox's anti-phishing is just as good as Norton's (and since norton confidential is out of date anyway, it isn't doing you any good). So yes, disabling Norton is your best bet, especially since the future of confidential is in doubt.

@Tylerdowner In Firefox 15 the Norton Confidential toolbar for Firefox 1.4.4f3 is grayed out and disabled but every time I start Firefox 15 it tells me that this Version doesn't Support it, so FX15 still has it somehow as enabled. I did the Live Update for NAV11Mac 10 times and still no remedy as it states to be on 11.2.2 (3) latest Comcast for Mac. OK I would like to disable that add on in FX15 but how? And in NAV11 I can only disable Phishing Protection and Vulnerability Protection in Norton Confidential Manager 1.4.4 (3) the other 2 are already set for disabled. So still confused what to disable to stop annoying error message at FX15 start.

to oro12 and to Tylerdowner: Very good question. Never occurred to me. If FF can enable user suppression of the alert message, then we can simply continue as in the past. I would continue using FF if I did not have to contend with that alert every time I open the app. Definitely works for me.

to oro12: I should have included that the best hope I see is to bug Norton about why they support this version FF for Windows but not for Mac. Doesn't sound right to me.

@j5567 In the meantime I did turn off all 4 options in Norton Confidential Manager 1.4.4 (3) and so far FX15 seems not to complain about the missing NAV11 add on. But it still shows as a installed and grayed out plugin which I really would like to remove in order to make sure my FX15 starts as quick as possible.

If Norton Confidential is greyed out and disabled, it is the same as removed, so you should be set.

I have the same problem (upgrade to Firefox 15 - pop-up from Norton that Norton Confidential doesn't support this version of Firefox.) I understand from your response that I don't need Norton Confidential for phishing protection. However, the Norton Confidential that is included in the package Comcast sent me, claims to have 4 parts: "Phishing Protection"; "File Guard"; "Information Guard"; and "Vulnerability Protection." In addition to Norton Confidential, the Norton package includes "Norton Antivirus" and "Norton Firewall." The package is not in the form of a Firefox add-on or toolbar. It runs independently of Firefox.

So my question is should I just disable the "Phishing Protection" part of Norton Confidential or the whole thing? (I hope your answer is yes, I don't need any of it. I'd like to get rid of all of Norton Confidential because it uses a lot of my computer resources, as it seems to be constantly scanning for problems that might be due to a virus not yet in the virus definition catalog that "Norton Antivirus" uses.)

I read (but can't seem to find again) a separate Q&A in this forum that said Norton has replaced Norton Confidential with something newer, and that Comcast is to blame for supplying its Mac customers with an obsolete version of Norton. Yet Norton continues to send automatic updates to the package Comcast sent. Very confusing, especially for someone like me who is not real knowledgeable about internet stuff.

How do I add my name to your group unhappy with the Comcast-Norton approach to Mac customers using Firefox?

to nrcbtm1: Looks like you are two messages ahead of me. I would NEVER recommend removing your Norton software. I see no problem just running both the FF and the Norton. You may get a bit more protection.

How contact Norton/Comcast - damn it I have had any success. Norton diverts you to some robot response that supplies a standard answer. There does not appear to be a way to actually reach a human. Comcast support is useless. However it may help to just try to convince Comcast to upgrade.

Just wasted an hour with Norton support. It appears their best position is that Norton is working on the problem. The rep does say that a patch will be released soon. I urge everyone to contact Norton to make them aware that there is a BIG problem. Here is the chat.

me: Okay, I am running Mac 10.6 and using Norton Confidential provided by Comcast. I get an error Notice from Norton after installing Firefox 15. What happening?

Norton: The Firefox 15 is not compatible with the Norton Confidential. Firefox 15 was released recently and we are working on it and a fix will be released soon.

me: I understand that Norton is compatible with FF in Windows, why not the Mac?

Norton: The Firefox 15 will be made compatible soon in MAC.

me: Does Norton recommend a product that will work with Mac 10.6 or are we being left with no protection?

Norton: I'm sorry for the difficulties you have recently encountered.

me: That is no help, solves nothing and does not answer my question.

Norton: A patch will be released for both the updating error and Firefox 15.0 compatibility with Norton Confidential.

On 11 Sept 2012 Ryan McGann Principal Software Engineer Macintosh Products & Solutions at Symantec said at http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-for-Mac/Firefox-Norton-Confidential-and-Phishing-protection/td-p/794420/page/2 :- Norton Internet Security 5 is on version 5.3, and has received around 7 updates since it was released about a year ago. The problem is that this issue affects Norton Internet Security 4, which is an older product. It's unfeasible for us to support older products when the newer version already exists, simply due to limited resources.

I understand that some of you are still using this product, and I feel your pain, but at the moment our efforts are focused on Norton Internet Security 5. When looking back, there are many software vendors who are forced to make the same decision...we use Office here at work, and there are lots of bugs in Microsoft Office 2008 I'd like to see Microsoft fix, but Office 2008 hasn't had an update since July 2009 (except for security vulneraiblities).

We are currently evaluating our options for our older customers running Norton Internet Security 4 and I don't have anything I can say at this time, other than we are looking into what options we have. I strongly encourage those of you who are running Norton Internet Security 4 on 10.7 to upgrade to Norton internet Security 5, as that product does not have this issue.

For those of who are still using Mac OS X 10.6.8, I cannot give an answer at this time, except to re-download Firefox 3.6 from this location: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all-older.html

Your valid Norton Internet Security subscription entitles you to product definitions product updates, but it does not guarantee you that the product will work in perpetuity. If you have a valid subscription you are entitled to Norton Internet Security 5 for free, and support will gladly give you a copy of that product. If you cannot run Norton Internet Security 5, you can either download Firefox 3.6.8, or turn off the Phishing Protection feature as instructed above. (Here, "above" refers to the NortonCommunity discussion as per the link at the top of this post.)

Refund requests are handled by Customer Support and should be sent there.

Mozilla's claims regarding Firefox's inbuilt phishing protection may be found at:-

http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/phishing-protection/firefox2/

Just so everyone knows, Norton's suggestion to downgrade to Firefox 3.6 should not be followed, as Firefox 3.6 is insecure and unsupported.

Norton 5 supports Firefox 15. The prroblmem is that Comcast only offers an old outdated version. Comcast can fix the problem by uograding their offering. I don't know how willing they are to do this. BTW, Netflix does not work with FF 15 either. What is there about version 15 that makes it hard ti support?

Why even use that crap from Comcast?
Those clowns seem to change their "free" AV stuff every 2 or 3 years, forcing their users to learn about the new application every time they provide an application from a different vendor.

If free is your primary criterion for using that application from Comcast, why not find a different free (for personal use) application or your own choice? Or purchase a reasonably priced application which does what you want?

Okay, I believe I am beginning to understand the situation. Over the weekend, I contacted support at Comcast, Firefox, Norton, Apple to discuss this problem. First let me state that I am astonished about the lack of information about this situation at both Comcast and Norton. Since this is affecting thousand of users, it is reasonable to expect these two support groups to show sufficient interest to be aware of the situation.

Second let me state that I feel Comcast is blameless in this matter. Here Comcast is a customer, the same as I am. Comcast made an arrangement with Norton to attempt to protect our computers up through 11/2013. Now it appears that Norton has simply, arbitrarily, decided to abandon their word.

Finally I must wonder if Firefox has instituted these changes to create a problem for Norton. Firefox could have worked with Norton to ensure that we would continue to be protected, but chose to abandon their customers. Why? Things here that I have no idea about.

Apple's position is that Macs don't get virsuses, so why worry? I checked the Norton site with the intention of purchasing one of the Norton packages for the Mac. Surprise! Norton offers a range of products for Windows, but just one package for the Mac - the same one that Comcast offers

So I un-installed my current Norton software and re-installed the latest Norton software from the Comcast site. It may not be necessary to uninstall, but I was having some problems downloading updates. This cured my problems and I am now set up for the coming year. I plan to survey the other computer protection sites (MacAfee, whatever) over the coming months to see if there is something better than the Norton I am now using.

I will continue using FF 14 for a while, with the hope that FF and Norton will find some way to resolve the current incompatibility problem. Have fun!

to the-edmeister: Any recommendations about which package you might choose. Based upon the number of answers ascribed to you, are you a Firefox employee?

I do not work for Firefox. I think I was one of the original people asking about the problem, so it seems like I am educated. I assure you, I am not! Just was frustrated. Whenever I boot up, I just ignore the warning and follow the advice of the real Firefox recommendation. It's just one click, so I don't find it that annoying. Beats messing with all the other options.

@j5567 after reading all posts again it seems COMCAST did bundle a deal with Symantec (Norton) but not one which includes Version Updates, only Life Updates and Software updates on same Product Version. It seems that they want be able to tell their Customers that we have covered your back when offering free Internet Security for their Customers. I am a COMCAST Customer and can tell I pay a lot every month for my service and nothing here is free it's all already included in my bill. For me it also seems that on Mac everybody now want sell a protection solution and I'm wondering what this product really can do beside slowing down your Mac and messing up your stuff like we have seen in all these reply's. Or does Symantec, Comcast or Firefox really care about it?

to Jane7491: Is your post , about working for FF, in response to my question about that issue to" the-edmeister". If it was in response, please accept my apology since it appears something got messed up. The question was not intended for you. I had noticed the-edmeister was credited for 2505 solutions and 20156 answers. This tells me that he/she puts a lot of time in to this forum and probably gets paid for doing this. In such a situation, it is only proper to define one's self as being an employee of FF and not just a plain old hack like the rest of us, stumbling around trying to understand what is happening.

BTW, I believe you were either the second or third person to respond to my original post. This is from my rather faulty memory and not from any records. Tylerdowner was definitely the first respondent with his right-on explanation.

Also BTW, I do agree with your choice to just use FF 15 and do the one click-a-day thing. It does make sense. My choice is to wait a while and let FF work out any problems with FF 15.

to oro12: I, too, am a Comcast customer and I, too, pay a ridiculous amount each month for TV/internet service. Since I pay, in my monthly bill, for the Norton software, it does seem reasonable to use it. However I am prepared to purchase software from Norton, MacAfee, whomever to protect my computer. As I wrote in my earlier note, it appears that no one really cares. The software writers seem focused on Windows, with very little interest in Mac.

I have used Norton since it was first introduced (1992??) and have found it an excellent product. I was playing with it on my Windows system last night and it seems to do a much more complete job on Windows than on Mac.

My feelings at the moment is that FF has done us a huge disservice by not co-dordinating its release with Norton. As I claimed, I think there is much more involved than we, as users, realize.

@j5567 I'm an old PC User too, and started with DOS and used to love all Norton Products my favorite was always Norton Commander, today I use Total Commander (Greetings to CG) and Path Finder on Mac. (Would love DiskOrder more but is just not stable, and Total Finder I still have to figure out) Unfortunately some Norton Products have been washed out to be more user friendly and now you can control less and less. I wished they would have done something more like HandsOff! for Mac or LittleSnitch for the Firewall part of their Internet Protection Suite. After a short Google search on toptenreviews.com NIS for Mac rank 2 but 1 is Intego X6. OK they never really include all solutions so I can not say they are fair either. But what I can say is that after I have been let down by who ever I rather give a another one a chance on my next purchase.

oro12: Interesting, thanks for the info. Actually, over the weekend I called tech service at Mac Outfitters in Doylestown, Pa about protection software. They are selling Intego. Since I have never heard of this, it is on my list of things to do. I shall check this out. I hate to leave Norton, but maybe the time has come. Since Comcast is charging me for Norton, how do I get that money back? Lot's of luck!

to oro12: Okay, this is probably my last posting on the subject. I tend to accept that Comcast may have had a limited agreement with Norton. Did not consider that aspect. Sounds nutty.

I am taking your advice and plan to purchase Intego X6, sometime within the next few weeks. I would click Solution on your post, but cannot figure out how to do it.

I have a better picture of my Firefox 15 and the Norton incompatibility information - as my Norton was just updated and it still (Norton tool bar) will not work. I want my Norton back (please).

The 2013.2.3.1 is for Firefox 18.0 support. http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-Toolbar-Norton-Identity/Firefox-18-Support-for-Norton-Toolbar/td-p/886714

Norton no longer supports the old (and insecure) Firefox 15.0 and older versions. http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-Toolbar-Norton-Identity/Attention-Firefox-3-through-15-users/td-p/706331

Solael,

If you have an issue, please ask a new question. This will insure your issue gets the attention it deserves.