NortonLifeLock ends antivirus encryption due to Ethereum merger

NortonLifeLock shuts down a cryptocurrency miner running on its antivirus product.

The company cites Ethereum’s switch to a “Proof-of-Stake” model, which will phase out GPU-based mining for the cryptocurrency. The upcoming transition, also known as the merger, is slated to happen as soon as Thursday, September 15.

“As a result of the upcoming Ethereum merger(Opens in a new window) changes how Ether can be mined, GPU mining will no longer be possible, which is why Norton/Avira Crypto mining will be disabled on our platform on September 14th at 9 a.m. EST, a company spokesperson told PCMag.

The spokesperson added: “Customers who mined with us can continue to access all the balances they have earned with Norton/Avira Crypto through their wallet and they can withdraw it to their Coinbase account at any time. Although mining will no longer be possible, Wallet will still be supported.”

The company introduced the mining feature to its Norton360 product a year ago to help customers capitalize on the then soaring cryptocurrency market. NortonLifeLock also claimed that the miner served a security purpose, pointing to how many users had downloaded uncontrolled and potentially malicious crypto-mining programs onto their PCs.

The mining function utilized a PC’s discrete graphics to generate Ethereum. In return, NortonLifeLock charged a fee for the mining. The company also brought the same mining feature to Avira’s own antivirus tools, which NortonLifeLock acquired in 2020.

However, the decision to offer the miner over the antivirus programs received some backlash from consumers and security experts due to concerns that the company saddled users with non-removable bloatware. In its defense, NortonLifeLock said the mining tool was opt-in only.

The company is now deactivating the miner, but the shutdown may be temporary. A company spokesperson said NortonLifeLock is “exploring” expanding mining operations to another cryptocurrency.

“We are always evaluating new technology and innovation. We listen to our customers about their interests and needs for future offerings,” the spokesperson added.