Symantec Macintosh Products Continue to Lead PC Data Top-Seller List.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 27, 2001

Symantec Singled Out as Only Company with Two or More Products

on Top-Selling Business Software Lists Since Mid-1996

Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq:SYMC) today announced that its Macintosh solutions continue to top the latest PC Data Top-Selling Business Software list. Since June 1996, Norton Utilities and Norton AntiVirus have been named to the prestigious list every month. Norton SystemWorks quickly earned a place on the list in November 2000, the same month it debuted in the market, and reached the number one position the following month. In December 2000, Norton Personal Firewall also earned a place on the list shortly after its market introduction. According to PC Data, Symantec is the only company to have two or more software products in the top 10 every month since June 1996.

"The ongoing success of our Macintosh Internet security and problem-solving solutions reflects our ability to deliver real solutions to real world problems that Macintosh users experience," said Steve Cullen, senior vice president of Symantec's Consumer Products Division. "We are pleased that users have chosen Symantec for their Macintosh solutions for nearly half a decade, and we reaffirm our commitment to providing Mac users the most robust and usable tools for ensuring the security of their computers, their information, and their families."

PC Data is the industry standard for providing accurate and timely information about PC software and hardware sales. PC Data's Top-Selling Business Software list is based on sales figures on units sold by 42 retail chains, representing more than 80 percent of the U.S. market. To ensure accuracy, the company uses a meticulous methodology to track the sales of every software, hardware, and video game SKU on the market. The company collects sales data directly from retail chains, mail order firms, and resellers, and combines the numbers into industry totals on a product-by-product basis. As a result, PC Data reports represent the most precise and reliable market research available for virtually every computer-related product sold.

Norton Utilities for Macintosh is the premiere tool for optimizing performance and solving problems on Macintosh computers. Norton Utilities provides disk repair, disk optimization, and data recovery as well as Symantec's exclusive LiveUpdate technology, which makes it easy to keep Norton Utilities up-to-date. Macintosh users can also use Norton Utilities to solve and prevent disk problems, using powerful yet intuitive tools to find and repair weaknesses before they become problems.

Norton AntiVirus for Macintosh is the world's leading anti-virus software for Macintosh systems. It finds and repairs infected files, protecting against Macintosh viruses and macro viruses to keep data safe and secure. Norton AntiVirus also automatically scans incoming e-mail attachments for viruses. LiveUpdate technology provides easy updating of virus definitions over the Internet to keep Mac users prepared for the latest threats from e-mail messages, Internet downloads, file servers, and shared disks. In addition, users of Norton AntiVirus for Macintosh enjoy prompt assistance from the Symantec AntiVirus Research Center (SARC).

Norton SystemWorks for Macintosh is the smartest way to maintain peak performance for Macintosh computers. Norton SystemWorks features Symantec's best-selling Macintosh software products -- Norton Utilities and Norton AntiVirus -- plus Aladdin Spring Cleaning and Dantz Retrospect Express Backup. Aladdin Spring Cleaning safely removes old programs and Internet clutter. Retrospect copies files quickly and easily to a wide range of removable media.

Norton Personal Firewall for Macintosh provides the maximum defense against hackers. It prevents unauthorized access, keeps data private and secure, and is easy to install and use. Norton Personal Firewall monitors all Internet connections to and from a Macintosh, logging and alerting users to attempted intrusions.

About Symantec

Symantec, a world leader in Internet security technology, provides a broad range of content and network security solutions to individuals and enterprises. The company is a leading provider of virus protection, vulnerability assessment, intrusion prevention, Internet content and e-mail filtering, remote management technologies and security services to enterprises around the world. Symantec's Norton brand of consumer security products leads the market in worldwide retail sales and industry awards. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has worldwide operations in 36 countries. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.symantec.com.

Forward Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding future technology and products, that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from results expressed or implied by this press release. Such risk factors include, among others: the risk that the Symantec and AXENT businesses will not be integrated successfully; the costs related to the merger; the difficulty of developing and marketing products that compete effectively with others, new security threats, and other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Symantec's business generally. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in the Risk Factors sections of the Company's previously filed Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 30, 2000.

Note to Editors: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please view the Symantec Press Center at http://www.symantec.com/PressCenter/ on Symantec's Web site. All prices noted are in U.S. dollars and are valid only in the United States.

Symantec, the Symantec logo, AXENT, AXENT Technologies, and the AXENT logo are trademarks or registered trademarks, in the United States and certain other countries, of Symantec Corporation or its subsidiaries. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.