The Shield

Panda

Kaspersky

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Trend Micro

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Kaspersky Antivirus

Editor's Choice:

Kaspersky Internet Security 2007

The name Kaspersky may not be widely recognized to most consumers when it comes to software, but their antivirus software has long ago established itself in the tech community.

Founded in 1997, the company has mainly been involved in antivirus solutions for home and business users.

Their antivirus scan engine can be found in over 50 software security products from different manufacturers, so they're no slouches when it comes to virus protection.

Technical support is via email 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. Despite its relatively high cost, overall this product is an excellent performer with plenty of features.

PROS  $69.95
Excellent antivirus engine
Hourly antivirus updates
Bi-directional firewall
Protection from spam & phishing attacks
Spyware blocking
24/7/365 tech support via email
Low demand on system resources


CONS
No Wi-Fi protection
No warning window for potentially dangerous websites
Expensive
Panda Internet Security

Panda Internet Security 2007

We give Panda Internet Security 2008 a high five for including Wi-Fi intruder blocking in their latest version.

With the increasing popularity of wireless networks this is a great new feature. Panda's award winning security suite has a lot going for it with easy setup and operation and a full feature set of security guards.

Daily updates of new viruses are done automatically so you don't have to worry about your pc being vulnerable to the latest threats.

PROS  $69.95
Wi-Fi security
Support 24/7/365
Automatic daily virus updates
Preventive alerts for high risk internet infection
Firewall is bi-directional
Full email protection-incoming & outgoing
Low system resource usage


CONS
Somewhat expensive
Support by email only
Security Shield 2007

Security Shield 2007

Although not as well-known as Norton, McAfee, or some of the other major antivirus programs, Security Shield 2007 is worth considering as a full-featured Internet security suite.

This product has a fairly complete set of features to protect your PC from the bad guys: Virus protection, mail monitoring, and hacker blocking for starters.

And, even though it's not toll-free, Security Shield has free telephone technical support, too, which we're big believers in.

None of us ever want to have to rely on technical support, but it's important to know it's there if you need it.

PROS  $39.99
Affordable
Easy user interface
Email protection
Firewall is bi-directional
Low system resource demand
Low cost for antivirus subscription renewal


CONS
No Wi-Fi protection
Weekly updates only on new virus threats
Live tech support has limited hours
CA eTrust

CA Internet Security Suite Plus 2007

CA's Internet Security Suite 2007 comes with a full complement of features to safeguard you and your computer from all kinds of malicious threats while you're surfing the web.

This new version has an easier to navigate interface to aid you in accessing its various security components.

Each of these parts performs a specific function. For instance "Blue Coat K-9 Web Protection Parental Control" lets parents block access to objectionable content; "PestPatrol Anti-Spyware" detects and removes spyware.

There's also the required antivirus function and a bi-directional firewall. The antivirus provides scanning as expected; however, it's performance isn't as great as some of its competitors.

PROS  $48.99
Automatic email scanning
Stealth mode provides invisibility while online
Easy setup
Fully automatic updates
Firewall is bi-directional
Low demand on system resources


CONS
No Wi-Fi protection
Expensive telephone support
Long response time to inquiries
Blue-Coat K-9 has to be installed separately for full protection
Norton

Norton Internet Security 2007

Norton Internet Security 2007 combines in one package: Norton AntiVirus, Norton Personal Firewall, Norton Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam, and Norton Parental Control.

Working in unison they cover just about all your PC's Internet security software needs.

A new feature in this, their latest version, provides automatic detection and blocking of dangerous spyware and adware program before they can install themselves on your computer.

If your running Windows 2000 or Windows XP two other new features are included: a check of your computer for security holes with one click and the detection and removal of spyware, keystroke loggers and monitoring software.

PROS  $59.99
Automatically removes viruses, Trojans and worms
Scans email and IM attachments for viruses
On demand or scheduled virus scanning
Automatic updates
Bi-directional firewall
Hides your computer from hackers


CONS
No Wi-Fi protection
Heavy demand on system resources when scanning
Expensive telephone support
Subscription renewal overpriced
Trend Micro

Trend Micro Internet Security 2007

Trend Micro Internet Security 2007 is an affordable, full featured security package designed to protect against viruses, hackers and other Internet threats such as phishing, pharming, malware, and Trojans.

It's one of the few Internet security suites with Wi-Fi intrusion detection and makes it possible to halt Internet traffic immediately if you receive warning of a threat (notification is in the form of popup window).

We're glad to see Trend Micro provides free telephone support (via a toll free number), no less, which is very rare even with more expensive products.

Support hours are 5 AM-5 PM PST, Mon-Fri. Email support is also available.

PROS  $49.95
Wi-Fi intrusion detection
Free telephone support via toll free number
Automatic updates
Bi-directional firewall
Real-time virus alerts
Moderately priced


CONS
No real-time adware/spyware alerts
Unnecessary alerts for minor functions
Hard to locate and delete threats
McAfee

McAfee Total Protection

The most complete Internet security suite from McAfee offers 10 in 1 protection that's intended to provide security against any of the various threats you may encounter online.

Aside from the security aspect of the software, it also includes PC tune-up tools meant to keep your computer running smoothly.

It's all managed from the McAfee Security Center, which provides what's meant to be a single central interface for managing each of the components of the software.

While well-intended, the end result is unfortunately features that really seem to be too much for the average pc user. We wonder how many people will actually use all this firepower--let alone understand it.

PROS  $59.99
Highly rated antivirus engine
Wi-Fi protection
Bi-directional firewall
Automatic daily virus updates
Easy user interface


CONS
Heavy demand on system resources
Too many features for average users
Antispyware sometimes causes system crashes
Underdeveloped-needs to have bugs worked out
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