<PAGE>   1

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 2000
                                                   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 Jurisdiction                         (I.R.S. Employer
    of Incorporation or Organization)                     Identification No.)

                          20330 STEVENS CREEK BOULEVARD
                           CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA 95014
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

                              1999 ACQUISITION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plans)

                                JOHN W. THOMPSON
                      PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
                          20330 STEVENS CREEK BOULEVARD
                           CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA 95014
                                 (408) 253-9600
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent For Service)

                                   COPIES TO:

                            Gordon K. Davidson, Esq.
                               David A. Bell, Esq.
                               Thomas T. Kim, Esq.
                               Fenwick & West LLP
                              Two Palo Alto Square
                           Palo Alto, California 94306

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                    CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              PROPOSED             PROPOSED
                                            AMOUNT             MAXIMUM              MAXIMUM            AMOUNT OF
                                             TO BE        OFFERING PRICE PER   AGGREGATE OFFERING     REGISTRATION
TITLE OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED      REGISTERED (1)       SHARE (2)             PRICE                 FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                       <C>             <C>                  <C>                    <C>
Option to Purchase Common Stock             500,000          $69.59375           $34,796,875.00          $9,187
and Common Stock, $0.01 par
value
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            TOTAL                           500,000                              $34,796,875.00          $9,187
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1) Represents 500,000 shares of Common Stock to be registered under 1999
Acquisition Plan.
(2) Calculated as of March 1, 2000 pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities
Act solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee, based on the
average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's common stock as reported
by the Nasdaq National Market on February 25, 2000.


<PAGE>   2



                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

        The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated herein by reference:

        (a) Registrant's Form 10-K filed pursuant to 13(a) or 15(d) of the
            Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
            which contains audited financial statements of Registrant as of
            March 31, 1998 and 1999 and for each of the years in the three-year
            period ended March 31, 1999.

        (b) Registrants Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on
            January 14, 2000.

        (c) Registrant's Form 10-Q filed pursuant to 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange
            Act for the quarterly periods ended July 2, 1999, October 1, 1999
            and December 31, 1999.

        (d) The description of the 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.

        (e) The description of Registrant's preferred stock purchase rights
            under the caption "Description of Registrant's Securities to be
            Registered" on pages 2 through 5 of the Registrant's Form 8-A filed
            on August 19, 1998, and any amendment or report filed for the
            purpose of updating such description.

        All documents subsequently filed by Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities registered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date
of the 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 AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

        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;


                                       1
<PAGE>   3

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

        Reference is also made to the following documents filed as exhibits to
this registration statement regarding relevant indemnification provisions
described above and elsewhere herein:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

               EXHIBIT DOCUMENT                                                      NUMBER
               ----------------                                                      ------

<S>                                                                                  <C>
Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by                  4.01
reference to Annex G filed with the Registrant's Joint Management Information
Circular and Proxy Statement (No. 000-17781) dated October 17, 1995.)

Registrant's Bylaws, as amended and restated effective August 11, 1998.               4.02
(Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with the Registrant's Current
Report 8-K filed August 19, 1998.)
</TABLE>


ITEM 7.    EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

           Not applicable.


                                       2
<PAGE>   4



ITEM 8.    EXHIBITS.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

EXHIBIT                                          EXHIBIT
NUMBER                                            TITLE
------                                            -----


<S>       <C>
   4.01   Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation.  (Incorporated by reference to
          Annex G filed with the Registrant's Joint Management Information Circular and Proxy
          Statement (No. 000-17781) dated October 17, 1995.)

   4.02   Registrant's Bylaws, as amended and restated effective August 11,
          1998. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with the
          Registrant's Current Report 8-K filed August 19, 1998.)

   4.03   Symantec Corporation 1999 Acquisition Plan.

   5.01   Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP regarding legality of the securities being
          registered.

  23.01   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors.

  24.01   Power of Attorney (see the signature page to this Registration Statement).
</TABLE>


ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

        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:

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

           (b) 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

           (c) 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 (1)(a) and (1)(b) above do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission by Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 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.

        (4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
Act, each filing of Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange
Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities


                                       3
<PAGE>   5


offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (5) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of Registrant pursuant to the provisions discussed in Item 6 hereof, or
otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the 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 Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of 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 hereby, 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.


                                       4
<PAGE>   6


                                   SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 29th day of
February, 2000.
                                    SYMANTEC CORPORATION

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

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

    KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints John W. Thompson, Greg Myers and Derek
Witte, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with
full power of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and
all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments) to this registration statement on Form S-8, and to file the same
with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and
agent, and each of them, 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, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and
agent, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

             Signature                             Title                       Date
             ---------                             -----                       ----
<S>                                   <C>                               <C>
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER:


/s/ JOHN W. THOMPSON                  Chairman of the Board,            February 29, 2000
-----------------------------         President and Chief Executive
John W. Thompson                      Officer


PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER AND
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER

/s/ GREG MYERS                        Chief Financial Officer, Vice     February 29, 2000
-----------------------------         President of Finance
Greg Myers


ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS

/s/ CARL D. CARMAN                    Director                          February 29, 2000
-----------------------------
Carl D. Carman


/s/ WALTER W. BREGMAN                 Director                          February 29, 2000
-----------------------------
Walter W. Bregman


/s/ ROBERT S. MILLER                  Director                          February 29, 2000
-----------------------------
Robert S. Miller


/s/ CHARLES M. BOESENBERG             Director                          February 29, 2000
-----------------------------
Charles M. Boesenberg


/s/ ROBERT R. B. DYKES                Director                          February 29, 2000
-----------------------------
Robert R. B. Dykes
</TABLE>


                                       5
<PAGE>   7



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

EXHIBIT                                      EXHIBIT
NUMBER                                        TITLE
------                                        -----


<S>         <C>
   4.01     Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation.  (Incorporated by reference
            to Annex G filed with the Registrant's Joint Management Information Circular and
            Proxy Statement (No. 000-17781) dated October 17, 1995.)

   4.02     Registrant's Bylaws, as amended and restated effective August 11,
            1998. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with the
            Registrant's Current Report 8-K filed August 19, 1998.)

   4.03     Symantec Corporation 1999 Acquisition Plan.

   5.01     Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP regarding legality of the securities being
            registered.

  23.01     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors.

  24.01     Power of Attorney (see the signature page to this Registration Statement).
</TABLE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19267}]
{"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": "333-31526", "film-number": "560124"}, "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 1, 2000
                                                   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 Jurisdiction                         (I.R.S. Employer
    of Incorporation or Organization)                     Identification No.)

                          20330 STEVENS CREEK BOULEVARD
                           CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA 95014
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

                              1999 ACQUISITION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plans)

                                JOHN W. THOMPSON
                      PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
                          20330 STEVENS CREEK BOULEVARD
                           CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA 95014
                                 (408) 253-9600
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent For Service)

                                   COPIES TO:

                            Gordon K. Davidson, Esq.
                               David A. Bell, Esq.
                               Thomas T. Kim, Esq.
                               Fenwick & West LLP
                              Two Palo Alto Square
                           Palo Alto, California 94306
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              PROPOSED             PROPOSED
                                            AMOUNT             MAXIMUM              MAXIMUM            AMOUNT OF
                                             TO BE        OFFERING PRICE PER   AGGREGATE OFFERING     REGISTRATION
TITLE OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED      REGISTERED (1)       SHARE (2)             PRICE                 FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Option to Purchase Common Stock             500,000          $69.59375           $34,796,875.00          $9,187
and Common Stock, $0.01 par
value
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            TOTAL                           500,000                              $34,796,875.00          $9,187
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Represents 500,000 shares of Common Stock to be registered under 1999
Acquisition Plan.
(2) Calculated as of March 1, 2000 pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities
Act solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee, based on the
average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's common stock as reported
by the Nasdaq National Market on February 25, 2000.
2

                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

        The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated herein by reference:

        (a) Registrant's Form 10-K filed pursuant to 13(a) or 15(d) of the
            Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
            which contains audited financial statements of Registrant as of
            March 31, 1998 and 1999 and for each of the years in the three-year
            period ended March 31, 1999.

        (b) Registrants Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on
            January 14, 2000.

        (c) Registrant's Form 10-Q filed pursuant to 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange
            Act for the quarterly periods ended July 2, 1999, October 1, 1999
            and December 31, 1999.

        (d) The description of the 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.

        (e) The description of Registrant's preferred stock purchase rights
            under the caption "Description of Registrant's Securities to be
            Registered" on pages 2 through 5 of the Registrant's Form 8-A filed
            on August 19, 1998, and any amendment or report filed for the
            purpose of updating such description.

        All documents subsequently filed by Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities registered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date
of the 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 AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

        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;

                                       1
3

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

        Reference is also made to the following documents filed as exhibits to
this registration statement regarding relevant indemnification provisions
described above and elsewhere herein:
EXHIBIT DOCUMENT                                                      NUMBER
               ----------------                                                      ------
Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by                  4.01
reference to Annex G filed with the Registrant's Joint Management Information
Circular and Proxy Statement (No. 000-17781) dated October 17, 1995.)

Registrant's Bylaws, as amended and restated effective August 11, 1998.               4.02
(Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with the Registrant's Current
Report 8-K filed August 19, 1998.)
ITEM 7.    EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

           Not applicable.

                                       2
4

ITEM 8.    EXHIBITS.
EXHIBIT                                          EXHIBIT
NUMBER                                            TITLE
------                                            -----
4.01   Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation.  (Incorporated by reference to
          Annex G filed with the Registrant's Joint Management Information Circular and Proxy
          Statement (No. 000-17781) dated October 17, 1995.)

   4.02   Registrant's Bylaws, as amended and restated effective August 11,
          1998. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with the
          Registrant's Current Report 8-K filed August 19, 1998.)

   4.03   Symantec Corporation 1999 Acquisition Plan.

   5.01   Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP regarding legality of the securities being
          registered.

  23.01   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors.

  24.01   Power of Attorney (see the signature page to this Registration Statement).
ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

        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:

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

           (b) 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

           (c) 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 (1)(a) and (1)(b) above do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission by Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 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.

        (4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
Act, each filing of Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange
Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities

                                       3
5

offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (5) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of Registrant pursuant to the provisions discussed in Item 6 hereof, or
otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the 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 Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of 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 hereby, 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.

                                       4
6

                                   SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 29th day of
February, 2000.
                                    SYMANTEC CORPORATION

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

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

    KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints John W. Thompson, Greg Myers and Derek
Witte, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with
full power of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and
all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments) to this registration statement on Form S-8, and to file the same
with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and
agent, and each of them, 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, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and
agent, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                             Title                       Date
             ---------                             -----                       ----
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER:

/s/ JOHN W. THOMPSON                  Chairman of the Board,            February 29, 2000
-----------------------------         President and Chief Executive
John W. Thompson                      Officer

PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER AND
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER

/s/ GREG MYERS                        Chief Financial Officer, Vice     February 29, 2000
-----------------------------         President of Finance
Greg Myers

ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS

/s/ CARL D. CARMAN                    Director                          February 29, 2000
-----------------------------
Carl D. Carman

/s/ WALTER W. BREGMAN                 Director                          February 29, 2000
-----------------------------
Walter W. Bregman

/s/ ROBERT S. MILLER                  Director                          February 29, 2000
-----------------------------
Robert S. Miller

/s/ CHARLES M. BOESENBERG             Director                          February 29, 2000
-----------------------------
Charles M. Boesenberg

/s/ ROBERT R. B. DYKES                Director                          February 29, 2000
-----------------------------
Robert R. B. Dykes
5
7

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT                                      EXHIBIT
NUMBER                                        TITLE
------                                        -----
4.01     Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation.  (Incorporated by reference
            to Annex G filed with the Registrant's Joint Management Information Circular and
            Proxy Statement (No. 000-17781) dated October 17, 1995.)

   4.02     Registrant's Bylaws, as amended and restated effective August 11,
            1998. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with the
            Registrant's Current Report 8-K filed August 19, 1998.)

   4.03     Symantec Corporation 1999 Acquisition Plan.

   5.01     Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP regarding legality of the securities being
            registered.

  23.01     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors.

  24.01     Power of Attorney (see the signature page to this Registration Statement).