| 2009 Anti-Virus Security Suite Reviews |
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Every day there are nearly 15,000 new viruses released on the internet. Really. That's over 5 million a year. With this type of virus activity, it is imperative that all computer users who access the internet have anti-virus software installed on their system. But which one is the right one, or more importantly, the right one for you and your system? Anti-virus software, up until recently, has been cumbersome, resource consuming, difficult to manage, and just a plain pain to put it nicely. Fortunately, recent advancements and pruning have led to some very good, borderline great, programs that are now available to the consumer market. We looked at 5 different anti-virus programs for this review. We found a favorite, a runner up, a most disliked, and 2 worth mentioning. Here's the line-up:
All of these programs are inclusive of anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, and firewall protection, and some have parental controls which I will not be testing. For this review, we focused only on the anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and firewall protection capabilities, as these are the most crucial components to a good anti-virus program. For the record, I am not a huge fan of all in one packages. I feel that ala-carte programs form a better overall package. For convenience purposes though, an all in one program fits the bill (I will be reviewing stand alone programs in my next article and offer a free and paid for option for total protection). (For a second opinion and more in-depth look at all the capabilities of these 5 programs and several more, check out PC Mag's article Security Suites 2008). I would like to say that I, single handedly, ranked every aspect of every component available in each of the security suites tested. Alas, I am but 1 tester, therefore I rely on the fact that all of these programs have been tested by independent testing labs such as AV-Test, ICSA Labs, and Virus Bulletin. I only looked at and considered programs in which obtained certifications in virus detection and removal tests. Once I had my candidates, I loaded them on individual machines and tested performance. The results are in... My #1 pick is the Smart Security offering by ESET ($59.99). It is a simple to install, easy to operate solution. What really captivates me is the system resources used, or lack thereof. It has very little impact on system performance. In fact, I notice no discernible performance degradation after installation. The interface is simple if not a little plain. As far as protection, it hit a 100% mark in finding all viruses and malware I loaded on my system. It did lack a little in non-threat cases, such as passive adware. This is one area that could be improved upon and I am hoping ESET gets it right in the 2009 edition. Aside from this minor issue (which a free program like AdAware could handle) it gets 2 thumbs up for it's ability to offer such a high level of true threat detection and deletion while consuming near zilch in system resources. I personally use ESET's NOD 32 (39.99) which is the same anti-virus and anti-spyware offered in the Smart Security package but without the firewall. The NOD32 product combined with a high quality firewall and a second malware program is by far the best protection you can get and I will outline my eact set-up in next weeks article... On to #2 - 360 by Norton ($79.99). This revolutionary new option offered by Norton is what not-so-computer-savvy people around the world have been waiting for. Imagine never having to interact with the protection of your system and still being 100% protected. In a nut shell that is what Norton's 360 offers. Now, I am not a previous fan of Norton's products. But when Norton took the technicality out of PC security, I had to take a look. Being a highly experienced PC user, I would not use the Norton 360 product... BUT... This truly is an excellent all in one product for those less technically inclined. The beauty of Norton 360 is that the software handles many tasks on it's own, without user input. It has a built in chat feature right in the interface that allows communication with a product specialist at Norton should you ever have a technical issue. For the technically inclined it is actually a bit of a pain (go figure, it's too simple). It simplifies things so much that when you want to get down and dirty with it, it's like pulling teeth. And like most Norton products before it, it consumes a good deal of resources and adds precious time to system start-ups. Oh and uhh,... Un-Installing this is just as difficult as Norton products before it... I think they may have taken some pointers from AOL???The firewall is rock solid and the anti-virus, spam, and spyware features are above average. If you are over 70, or can't find the power button, this one is for you. #3 - Panda Internet Security 2008 ($69.95). First let me say when it comes to malware/spyware detection and removal, there is none better. Panda hit the nail on the head with this aspect of Internet Security 2008. It passed all anti-virus and anti-spyware tests with flying colors. This would actually be my second choice in an anti-virus program even though I rated Norton 360 as #2. The Panda offering is much more in tune with the needs of a moderate to expert computer user. Some of the other features offered as companion services in this products offerings left you wanting more like the Wi-Fi protection. This issue however is trivial. But there were a few things that need some work. Installation was easy but it took a bit of time to get my configuration settings set-up. The interface is a bit confusing at first glance. And system resource usage was a bit more than ESET's, but seemed to be half of Norton's 360. The anti-spam feature leaves allot to be desired. It blocked only about half of my attempts to spoof it. The firewall is an easy set it once and forget it, reminiscent of the built in firewall of XP/Vista. All in all the security suite by Panda is a excellent option. Trailering at #4 - Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2008 ($69.95). Trend Micro is one of those companies that have come a long way. Compared to the product offering at their roots, this new offering in 2008 is one of their best examples yet. For starters, the anti-spyware features were second only to Panda's. It removed all instances I had on the system and what's more, it did not allow ANY attempts to put spyware on the system. The anti-virus portion of the software is right in line with all those tested. It alerted me properly with every attempt I made and was able to effectively clean all instances of the viruses I had loaded, though it was on the second go around. Installation was fairly straight forward. The firewall blocked every leak test I threw at it, but I am concerned over reviews that it can be remotely disabled. Spam protection? I am not sure as it never seemed to work, but did detect viruses in emails right away. The interface is still a bit sub par as well. Over-all it is a decent set-up for the price and you would be well protected where it counts as long as you are not interested in spam protection. And the loser is - McAfee Total Protection ($79.95). Does over priced garbage mean anything to you? This suite was only able to block about half of the malware install attempts I made and cleaned only about 68% of the ones I had installed. It failed miserable in anti-virus attempts, leaving my system crippled until I installed Panda's suite to bail it out. The firewall was the strongest portion of the suite, failing only 1 leak test. The rest of the suites performance enhancing features were as good or better than the rest of the competitors, and offered more of them. But what good are companion features when the ones that count don't work? Conclusion: Take a stab at ESET or Panda if you are a fairly avid computer user and simple tasks don't leave you scratching your head. Over 70, can't find the power button, not sure what a computer is? Look at the Norton 360 product. Like the name Trend Micro or don't need spam protection? Well then by all means give their suite a go around. Want to have a friendly On-Site in home technician come to your house to fix your PC? If so, the McAfee product is right for you. I hope this helps and as always, feel free to contact On-Site Computer Repair at 1-888-725-4509 if you have any questions of comments. |