<PAGE>   1
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2001
                                                     Registration No.  333-_____

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
              -----------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

<TABLE>
<S>                                                                     <C>
        Delaware                                                              77-0181864
-------------------------                                               ------------------------
    (State or Other                                                         (I.R.S. Employer
    Jurisdiction of                                                        Identification No.)
    Incorporation or
     Organization)
</TABLE>

                          20330 Stevens Creek Boulevard
                           Cupertino, California 95014
           ----------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                 Symantec Corporation 2001 Non-Qualified Equity
                                 Incentive Plan
            Symantec Corporation 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan,
                                   as amended
           ---------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                John W. Thompson
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                          20330 Stevens Creek Boulevard
                           Cupertino, California 95014
          -----------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and Address of Agent For Service)

                                 (408) 253-9600
              ---------------------------------------------------
                (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent
                                  For Service)

                                    Copy to:
                                Richard A. Peers
                       Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP
                              275 Middlefield Road
                       Menlo Park, California 94025-3506
                            Telephone: (650) 324-7025
                            Facsimile: (650) 324-0638

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
====================================================================================================================
                                                                   Proposed          Proposed
                                                                   Maximum           Maximum
                                                 Amount            Offering         Aggregate         Amount of
            Title of Securities                  to be              Price            Offering       Registration
              to be Registered                Registered(1)      per Share(2)         Price              Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                             <C>                 <C>             <C>                <C>
  Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share       3,759,745           $45.50          $171,068,398       $42,767.10
====================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  Pursuant to Rule 416(a), this registration statement also covers any
     additional securities that may be offered or issued in connection with any
     stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction. Includes 3,000,000
     shares to be registered pursuant to the Symantec Corporation 2001
     Non-Qualified Equity Incentive Plan and 759,745 shares to be registered
     pursuant to the Symantec Corporation 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as
     amended.

(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of registration
     fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
     based on the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's Common
     Stock reported on the Nasdaq National Market on March 9, 2001.

<PAGE>   2

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     The following documents, which have been filed by Symantec Corporation (the
"Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"),
are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

     (a)  Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          March 31, 2000;

     (b)  Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods
          ended June 30, 2000, September 29, 2000 and December 29, 2000;

     (c)  Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 14, 2000,
          July 28, 2000, December 4, 2000, January 9, 2001 and March 5, 2001;
          and

     (d)  The description of Registrant's Common Stock contained in the
          Registrant's Registration Statement filed with the Commission under
          Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report
          filed for the purpose of updating such description.

     All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment to this registration statement which indicates that all securities
offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration
statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     Not applicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

     Not applicable.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to
award, or a corporation's board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors
and officers in terms sufficiently broad to permit such indemnification under
certain circumstances for liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses
incurred) arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
Act").

     As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law,
Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that eliminates
the personal liability of its directors for monetary damages for breach of
fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability:

     -    for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to Registrant or its
          stockholders;

     -    for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional
          misconduct or a knowing violation of the law;

                                      II-1

<PAGE>   3

     -    under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law regarding
          unlawful dividends and stock purchases; and

     -    for any transaction from which the director derived an improper
          personal benefit.

     As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, Registrant's bylaws
provide that:

     -    Registrant is required to indemnify its directors and officers to the
          fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law,
          subject to limited exceptions;

     -    Registrant may indemnify its other employees and agents to the extent
          that it indemnifies its officers and directors, unless otherwise
          required by law, its certificate of incorporation, its bylaws or
          agreements to which it is a party;

     -    Registrant is required to advance expenses, as incurred, to its
          directors and officers in connection with a legal proceeding to the
          fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law,
          subject to limited exceptions; and

     -    the rights conferred in the Bylaws are not exclusive.

     Registrant has entered into Indemnity Agreements with each of its current
directors and officers to give such directors and officers additional
contractual assurances regarding the scope of the indemnification set forth in
Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation and to provide additional procedural
protections. At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving
a director, officer or employee of Registrant regarding which indemnification is
sought, nor is Registrant aware of any threatened litigation that may result in
claims for indemnification.

     Registrant maintains directors' and officers' liability insurance and
intends to extend that coverage for public securities matters.

     See also the undertakings set out in response to Item 9.

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

     Not applicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
    Item
    No.                                     Description of Item
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>         <C>
  5.1       Opinion of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP

 23.1       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

 23.2       Consent of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP (filed as part of Exhibit 5.1)

 24.1       Power of Attorney (See page II-4)

 99.1       Symantec Corporation 2001 Non-Qualified Equity Incentive Plan

 99.2       Symantec Corporation 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Incorporated
            by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8
            filed on December 19, 2000 (No. 333-52200))
</TABLE>

                                      II-2

<PAGE>   4

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS

     A.   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement;

               (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

               (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration
statement; and

               (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided,
however, that paragraphs A(1)(i) and A(1)(ii) do not apply if the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration
statement.

          (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

     B.   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     C.   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                      II-3

<PAGE>   5


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the city of Cupertino, State of California, on this 12th day of
March, 2001.

                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION



                                       By: /s/ John W. Thompson
                                          ------------------------------------
                                          John W. Thompson
                                          Chairman of the Board, President and
                                          Chief Executive Officer


                       POWER OF ATTORNEY TO SIGN AMENDMENT

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below does hereby constitute and appoint John W. Thompson, Greg Myers and Art
Courville, and each of them, with full power of substitution, such person's true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents for such person in such person's name,
place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement on Form S-8
and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises in order to effectuate the same as fully, to all intents and purposes,
as he or such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.


                                      II-4

<PAGE>   6

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement on Form S-8 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities
and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              Signature                                      Capacity                             Date
--------------------------------------     ----------------------------------------------     -------------
<S>                                        <C>                                                <C>

/s/ John W. Thompson                       Chairman of the Board of Directors,                March 12, 2001
------------------------------------       President and Chief Executive Officer
John W. Thompson


/s/ Greg Myers                             Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting       March 12, 2001
------------------------------------       Officer
Greg Myers


/s/ Tania Amochaev                         Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Tania Amochaev


/s/ Charles M. Boesenberg                  Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Charles M. Boesenberg


                                           Director
------------------------------------
George Reyes


/s/ Per-Kristian Halvorsen                 Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Per-Kristian Halvorsen


/s/ Robert S. Miller                       Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Robert S. Miller


/s/ Bill Owens                             Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Bill Owens


/s/ Daniel H. Schulman                     Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Daniel H. Schulman
</TABLE>

                                      II-5

<PAGE>   7





                                Index to Exhibits


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
    Item
    No.                                     Description of Item
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>         <C>
  5.1       Opinion of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP

 23.1       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

 23.2       Consent of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP (filed as part of Exhibit 5.1)

 24.1       Power of Attorney (See page II-4)

 99.1       Symantec Corporation 2001 Non-Qualified Equity Incentive Plan

 99.2       Symantec Corporation 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Incorporated
            by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8
            filed on December 19, 2000 (No. 333-52200))
</TABLE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "f69906ors-8.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 18572}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SYMANTEC CORP", "cik": "0000849399", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "770181864", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0402"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-56874", "film-number": "1566293"}, "business-address": {"street1": "20330 STEVENS CREEK BLVD", "city": "CUPERTINO", "state": "CA", "zip": "95014", "phone": "4082539600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "20330 STEVENS CREEK BLVD", "city": "CUPERTINO", "state": "CA", "zip": "95014"}}
1
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2001
                                                     Registration No.  333-_____

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
              -----------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware                                                              77-0181864
-------------------------                                               ------------------------
    (State or Other                                                         (I.R.S. Employer
    Jurisdiction of                                                        Identification No.)
    Incorporation or
     Organization)
20330 Stevens Creek Boulevard
                           Cupertino, California 95014
           ----------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                 Symantec Corporation 2001 Non-Qualified Equity
                                 Incentive Plan
            Symantec Corporation 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan,
                                   as amended
           ---------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                John W. Thompson
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                          20330 Stevens Creek Boulevard
                           Cupertino, California 95014
          -----------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and Address of Agent For Service)

                                 (408) 253-9600
              ---------------------------------------------------
                (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent
                                  For Service)

                                    Copy to:
                                Richard A. Peers
                       Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP
                              275 Middlefield Road
                       Menlo Park, California 94025-3506
                            Telephone: (650) 324-7025
                            Facsimile: (650) 324-0638

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
====================================================================================================================
                                                                   Proposed          Proposed
                                                                   Maximum           Maximum
                                                 Amount            Offering         Aggregate         Amount of
            Title of Securities                  to be              Price            Offering       Registration
              to be Registered                Registered(1)      per Share(2)         Price              Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share       3,759,745           $45.50          $171,068,398       $42,767.10
====================================================================================================================
(1)  Pursuant to Rule 416(a), this registration statement also covers any
     additional securities that may be offered or issued in connection with any
     stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction. Includes 3,000,000
     shares to be registered pursuant to the Symantec Corporation 2001
     Non-Qualified Equity Incentive Plan and 759,745 shares to be registered
     pursuant to the Symantec Corporation 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as
     amended.

(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of registration
     fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
     based on the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's Common
     Stock reported on the Nasdaq National Market on March 9, 2001.
2

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     The following documents, which have been filed by Symantec Corporation (the
"Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"),
are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

     (a)  Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          March 31, 2000;

     (b)  Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods
          ended June 30, 2000, September 29, 2000 and December 29, 2000;

     (c)  Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 14, 2000,
          July 28, 2000, December 4, 2000, January 9, 2001 and March 5, 2001;
          and

     (d)  The description of Registrant's Common Stock contained in the
          Registrant's Registration Statement filed with the Commission under
          Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report
          filed for the purpose of updating such description.

     All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment to this registration statement which indicates that all securities
offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration
statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     Not applicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

     Not applicable.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to
award, or a corporation's board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors
and officers in terms sufficiently broad to permit such indemnification under
certain circumstances for liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses
incurred) arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
Act").

     As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law,
Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that eliminates
the personal liability of its directors for monetary damages for breach of
fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability:

     -    for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to Registrant or its
          stockholders;

     -    for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional
          misconduct or a knowing violation of the law;

                                      II-1
3

     -    under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law regarding
          unlawful dividends and stock purchases; and

     -    for any transaction from which the director derived an improper
          personal benefit.

     As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, Registrant's bylaws
provide that:

     -    Registrant is required to indemnify its directors and officers to the
          fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law,
          subject to limited exceptions;

     -    Registrant may indemnify its other employees and agents to the extent
          that it indemnifies its officers and directors, unless otherwise
          required by law, its certificate of incorporation, its bylaws or
          agreements to which it is a party;

     -    Registrant is required to advance expenses, as incurred, to its
          directors and officers in connection with a legal proceeding to the
          fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law,
          subject to limited exceptions; and

     -    the rights conferred in the Bylaws are not exclusive.

     Registrant has entered into Indemnity Agreements with each of its current
directors and officers to give such directors and officers additional
contractual assurances regarding the scope of the indemnification set forth in
Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation and to provide additional procedural
protections. At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving
a director, officer or employee of Registrant regarding which indemnification is
sought, nor is Registrant aware of any threatened litigation that may result in
claims for indemnification.

     Registrant maintains directors' and officers' liability insurance and
intends to extend that coverage for public securities matters.

     See also the undertakings set out in response to Item 9.

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

     Not applicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS
Item
    No.                                     Description of Item
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.1       Opinion of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP

 23.1       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

 23.2       Consent of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP (filed as part of Exhibit 5.1)

 24.1       Power of Attorney (See page II-4)

 99.1       Symantec Corporation 2001 Non-Qualified Equity Incentive Plan

 99.2       Symantec Corporation 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Incorporated
            by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8
            filed on December 19, 2000 (No. 333-52200))
II-2
4

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS

     A.   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement;

               (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

               (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration
statement; and

               (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided,
however, that paragraphs A(1)(i) and A(1)(ii) do not apply if the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration
statement.

          (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

     B.   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     C.   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      II-3
5

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the city of Cupertino, State of California, on this 12th day of
March, 2001.

                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION

                                       By: /s/ John W. Thompson
                                          ------------------------------------
                                          John W. Thompson
                                          Chairman of the Board, President and
                                          Chief Executive Officer

                       POWER OF ATTORNEY TO SIGN AMENDMENT

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below does hereby constitute and appoint John W. Thompson, Greg Myers and Art
Courville, and each of them, with full power of substitution, such person's true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents for such person in such person's name,
place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement on Form S-8
and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises in order to effectuate the same as fully, to all intents and purposes,
as he or such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.

                                      II-4
6

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement on Form S-8 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities
and on the dates indicated.
Signature                                      Capacity                             Date
--------------------------------------     ----------------------------------------------     -------------
/s/ John W. Thompson                       Chairman of the Board of Directors,                March 12, 2001
------------------------------------       President and Chief Executive Officer
John W. Thompson

/s/ Greg Myers                             Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting       March 12, 2001
------------------------------------       Officer
Greg Myers

/s/ Tania Amochaev                         Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Tania Amochaev

/s/ Charles M. Boesenberg                  Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Charles M. Boesenberg

                                           Director
------------------------------------
George Reyes

/s/ Per-Kristian Halvorsen                 Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Per-Kristian Halvorsen

/s/ Robert S. Miller                       Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Robert S. Miller

/s/ Bill Owens                             Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Bill Owens

/s/ Daniel H. Schulman                     Director                                           March 12, 2001
------------------------------------
Daniel H. Schulman
II-5
7

                                Index to Exhibits
Item
    No.                                     Description of Item
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.1       Opinion of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP

 23.1       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

 23.2       Consent of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP (filed as part of Exhibit 5.1)

 24.1       Power of Attorney (See page II-4)

 99.1       Symantec Corporation 2001 Non-Qualified Equity Incentive Plan

 99.2       Symantec Corporation 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Incorporated
            by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8
            filed on December 19, 2000 (No. 333-52200))