Norton | Windows App
Crypto Wallet Protection is a new feature inside the Norton 360 Security Suite. It helps protect installed wallet apps on a PC from unauthorized access by other apps or malware, gives users control over which applications may interact with a wallet, and provides clear visibility into protection status.
The design challenge was to translate complex security behavior into a simple, reassuring flow that matches Norton's visual language and trust posture.
Norton Crypto Wallet Protection flow map
I led end to end product design for Crypto Wallet Protection. I partnered with security architects and platform engineers to understand how wallets are discovered, how access is intercepted, and how rules are applied. I defined the user journey, created wireframes and high fidelity screens, validated interactions through prototypes, and aligned the UI with existing Norton 360 patterns so that the feature feels native inside Protection and Advanced Security. I also collaborated on the Security History details to make past events clear and auditable.
Norton, part of Gen Digital Inc. (NASDAQ: GEN), is one of the world's leading cybersecurity brands, trusted by millions of users across more than 150 countries. Gen Digital is a multi-billion-dollar global company headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, and Prague, with a portfolio that includes other well-known brands like Avast, Avira, and LifeLock. With annual revenues approaching $5 billion, the company is a Fortune 500 leader in consumer digital safety. Norton continues to evolve beyond traditional antivirus protection to deliver advanced, AI-powered solutions that safeguard people's privacy, identity, and devices across all major platforms. Its mission is to empower every individual to live their digital life freely and securely, backed by over 30 years of innovation in cybersecurity.
Consumers increasingly manage digital assets on the same PCs they use for browsing and messaging. Wallet apps can be targeted by malware, clipboard hijacking, rogue browser extensions, and unauthorized process access. People worry about losing seed phrases or granting permissions they do not fully understand. A protection layer inside Norton 360 needed to reduce risk without getting in the way of everyday tasks.
Design a simple and trustworthy way to protect crypto wallet apps on Windows by detecting supported wallets, letting users control app level access, and logging decisions for future review. The solution should match Norton 360 interactions and visuals, and it should scale as new wallets are supported.
Understanding the ecosystem and competitors
We started with technical discovery sessions with security engineers to understand wallet discovery, process level enforcement, and safe defaults. We mapped the states for enabled, disabled, scanning, and not supported.
We reviewed adjacent patterns in security products and browser extensions. Most approaches surfaced raw technical detail or asked users to make complex choices with little guidance. This confirmed our direction to keep Crypto Wallet Protection calm, guided, and consistent with the rest of Norton 360.
We also studied how people manage wallets on desktop. Many users keep more than one wallet app, switch between multiple accounts, and are cautious about pop ups that interrupt signing. Common pain points include fear of losing seed phrases, uncertainty about which apps can touch wallet data, confusion around permissions, and worry about silent background access. These insights shaped the App permissions model and the way we explain protection states.
Discovering wallet apps reliably, handling updates, and intercepting access requests needed tight engineering alignment. The UI had to reflect readiness and outcomes without surfacing unnecessary technical noise.
Crypto Wallet Protection had to look and feel like other Protection modules, including headers, tabs, empty states, and details. Reuse of shared patterns kept the suite coherent.
People handling assets are sensitive to false alarms and vague prompts. We used plain language, soft illustrations, and clear affordances to keep decisions confident and reversible.
Some devices do not meet minimum requirements or run unsupported wallets. We designed transparent messaging that sets expectations, offers next steps, and keeps the app usable without confusion.
We explored different placement options for Crypto Wallet Protection within the Norton 360 suite. Early concepts included a standalone card inside the Protection dashboard, a tabbed detail page, and a section under Advanced Security.
Through sketches and feedback sessions, we identified two primary mental models:
After internal reviews and user testing, we adopted the app-permission model, as it aligns more closely with how users think about control: "Which apps can access my wallets?" rather than "Which wallets are safe from which apps?"
To inform design details, we examined how popular desktop wallets like MetaMask, Exodus, and Electrum handle installation, file storage, and process visibility. This helped us design accurate detection behavior and use familiar app names and icons where possible, improving user recognition and confidence.
Finally, we crafted a calm, guided empty state with a clear Scan Now action for first-time setup. It educates users about what will happen next and sets the tone of reassurance and control that defines the entire experience.
Crypto Wallet Protection appears in Protection with a clear enabled state and a consistent header. Users see protection at a glance and can open details in one step.
The Wallet apps tab lists supported wallets and shows whether each is protected. When no wallets are found, a guided scan explains the process and keeps the tone calm and helpful.
Users can allow, block, or ask me for each application that may access wallet data. Defaults are safe. The Add application dialog mirrors familiar OS file pickers and shows common apps for quick selection.
Two primary modes are offered. Silently block the app, which is recommended for most people, or Ask me to review access. This keeps advanced users in control without overwhelming everyone else.
Every action is logged with time, severity, app name, and wallet context. Users can open details, understand why an action happened, and learn what to do next.
All copy is plain, illustrations are reassuring, and states follow Norton patterns. The result feels like one suite, not a bolt on feature.
We validated four core flows: first run with no wallets, scanning and discovery, managing app permissions, and reviewing events in Security History. Common concerns included whether protection works silently, how to recover from a wrong block decision, and how to know which apps should be allowed.
Changes based on feedback:
Crypto Wallet Protection is designed to extend Norton 360 with a focused experience for managing wallet related risk on desktop. The solution emphasizes clarity over configuration, with safe defaults, simple overrides, and a structure that can surface meaningful event history through Security History. Its information architecture and copy are built to scale as new wallets are added, while giving users a consistent mental model for understanding and managing app access to their digital assets.
