[BUG] Claude desktop app's chrome-native-host.exe fails to execute on Windows 11 / Norton 360 — "Access is denied (os error 5)"

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Environment: Windows 11, Norton 360, Claude Code v2.1.144
Symptoms: Chrome extension reports "not connected" to desktop app. Get-Process chrome-native-host returns empty even when desktop app is running and connector is enabled.
Diagnostics completed:

Manifest at AppData\Roaming\Claude\ChromeNativeHost\com.anthropic.claude_browser_extension.json correct, points to existing binary, allows correct extension IDs
Binary exists, signature valid (signed by Anthropic)
File ACL grants FullControl to user account
Manual execution of binary returns "Access is denied (os error 5)" from both admin and non-admin PowerShell
Disabling Norton Auto-Protect did not resolve
Norton exclusions for the folder added to both Antivirus and Scans exclusion lists
AppLocker not enabled
Standalone CLI (claude --chrome) works correctly — only desktop app's embedded panel fails

What Should Happen?

should be able to connect my claude desktop to google chrome

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

v2.1.144

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

_No response_