Norton Power Eraser (NPE) is a small

portable executable The Portable Executable (PE) format is a file format for executables, object code, DLLs and others used in 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows operating systems. The PE format is a data structure that encapsulates the information necessary fo ...

which uses

Norton Insight Norton Insight whitelists files based on reputation. Norton-branded antivirus software then leverages the data to skip known files during virus scans. Symantec claims quicker scans and more accurate detection with the use of the technology. De ...

in-the-cloud application ratings to scan a computer system. The

program Program, programme, programmer, or programming may refer to: Business and management * Program management, the process of managing several related projects * Time management * Program, a part of planning Arts and entertainment Audio * Progra ...

matches an application found on the user's computer with a list of trusted and malicious applications. If it's in the list of trusted applications, Power Eraser leaves it on the system. If it is in the list of bad applications, it is marked for deletion. If it is unknown and not in any list, it is reported as suspicious but not marked for removal. Instead, the program recommends a "remote scan", which will upload the file to Symantec's servers to check it with virus definitions.

Effectiveness

Power Eraser is very aggressive against unknown threats that are not

whitelist A whitelist, allowlist, or passlist is a mechanism which explicitly allows some identified entities to access a particular privilege, service, mobility, or recognition i.e. it is a list of things allowed when everything is denied by default. It is ...

ed and are instead marked for removal or sent for analysis. The tool also features

rootkit A rootkit is a collection of computer software, typically malicious, designed to enable access to a computer or an area of its software that is not otherwise allowed (for example, to an unauthorized user) and often masks its existence or the exis ...

scanning, which requires a system restart. Threat removal is also performed after restart, on the next boot, to avoid the self-protection of

virus A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Since Dmitri Ivanovsk ...

es and

trojans Trojan or Trojans may refer to: * Of or from the ancient city of Troy * Trojan language, the language of the historical Trojans Arts and entertainment Music * '' Les Troyens'' ('The Trojans'), an opera by Berlioz, premiered part 1863, part 189 ...

References

{{Gen Digital Power Eraser Gen Digital software Antivirus software Proprietary software