Norton Launches AI Agent Protection in Norton 360, Securing Autonomous AI in Real Time

In a world where AI agents act autonomously, Norton becomes the first consumer cyber safety brand to deliver trust and safety for people using AI agents

SAN FRANCISCO, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As AI agents rapidly move from experimentation to everyday use, Norton, part of Gen (NASDAQ:GEN), today announced the beta launch of Norton AI Agent Protection in Norton 360, a new security capability designed to help people safely use AI tools that can take action on their behalf.

AI agents are becoming embedded in how people work and manage their digital lives, automating tasks, executing commands, and operating with deep access to personal data and devices. The benefits are real, but so are the risks. Unlike the malware threats of the early internet, a compromised AI agent does not just infect a file. It makes decisions and takes action, meaning a single manipulated instruction can have immediate real-world consequences.

Norton AI Agent Protection introduces a new model: one where people stay in control without second guessing what their AI is doing.

"People are giving AI agents significant access to their machines, accounts and personal information because that's what makes them powerful," said Travis Witteveen, Head of Products and Portfolios at Gen. "But until now, there's been no way to verify what those agents are about to do and the potential harm they could cause with one bad decision or click. Norton AI Agent Protection addresses that missing trust layer, so people can use these tools with confidence, not guesswork."

Introducing Safe AI Execution

Norton AI Agent Protection delivers real-time oversight of every action an AI agent takes, creating a checkpoint between decision and execution. With Norton's AI Agent Protection:

• Safe actions proceed without interruption
• Confirmed threats are blocked automatically
• Suspicious actions are paused for user review

This gives people what has been missing in the agentic era until now: the ability to let AI act, while staying firmly in control.

Gen's Threat Labs underscores the urgency, identifying approximately hundreds of malicious skills in public agent registries. Even well-intentioned agents can expose credentials, introduce compromised dependencies, and execute destructive commands; acting quickly and autonomously, with unchecked access to sensitive data. By the time someone notices, it is often too late.

Traditional security tools protects devices. Norton and its flagship product, Norton360, has been centered around user-centric security. Today Norton AI Agent Protection extends that perimeter to cover AI agents from a growing number of platforms.

Advancing Gen's Agent Trust Layer

Norton AI Agent Protection was developed by Gen Threat Labs and Gen AI Foundry, the innovation team building and scaling the next generation of the company's AI-powered products. This launch marks an important step toward the Agent Trust Layer and Gen's ambition to secure AI systems from verification through execution.

By introducing real-time enforcement at the moment of agent action, Norton brings that vision to life, giving people a way to trust AI systems that can act independently on their behalf.

Built for How People Use AI Agents

Norton AI Agent Protection works across tools like Claude Code, Cursor, and OpenClaw. It's currently available to customers of Norton 360 on Windows, with support for Mac coming soon. To learn more see the AI Agent Protection FAQs.

About Norton 

Norton is a leader in Cyber Safety, and part of Gen (NASDAQ:GEN), a global company dedicated to powering Digital Freedom with a family of trusted consumer brands. Norton empowers millions of individuals and families with award-winning protection for their devices, online privacy, and identity. Norton products and services are certified by independent testing organizations including AV-TEST, AV Comparatives, and SE Labs. Norton is a founding member of the Coalition Against Stalkerware. Learn more at https://us.norton.com.

About Gen AI Foundry

Rooted in Gen's commitment to safety and transparency, the Gen AI Foundry is the engine behind its most recent AI innovations, from AI-powered security experiences to autonomous financial helpers and identity agents. It also serves as the place where core trust infrastructure is developed and operationalized, including the Agent Trust Hub, extending protection across the agent lifecycle from verification to execution. Here, Gen's AI strategy becomes real through visible ventures, prototypes, working products, partnerships and an open ecosystem designed to shape and secure the AI era with and for both people and agents.

Brittany Posey

Gen

[email protected] 

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SOURCE Gen Digital Inc.