BitDefender Antivirus 2009

Imagine a world where viruses, spam, worms, and crackers are no more.

(Perhaps this is just a dream, but 'til it's a reality, at least there's BitDefender .)

As you can no doubt tell from BitDefender's impressive score, and at the risk of sounding like fanboys, we really like this software.

Overall, BitDefender is an excellent antivirus program. Like our former Editor's Choice, Kaspersky, BitDefender offers hourly updates and a great bang for your buck.

In fact, we recently re-evaluated our rankings of BitDefender, Kaspersky, and the rest of the antivirus software we rate and decided because of its lower sticker price, BitDefender (with all its great features) was a better value, so it's clearly worthy of being our second choice this year.

BitDefender Antivirus 2009 installs easily, uses minimal PC resources, has an intuitive interface, and protects your computer against all malware tested with a 96% accuracy rate.

NEW - Instant Messaging Encryption
NEW - Laptop mode prolongs battery life
NEW - Family network protection

And if that wasn't enough, it's inexpensive, too! At just $24.95 (and less with our coupon!), it's so inexpensive this software really makes a lot of sense to own.



BitDefender has been one of the best antivirus programs for some time, but they've really stepped up their game in this version.

Editor's Overview

• Solid Anti-Virus Protection
• Strong out-of-the-box settings
• Fast response time to new Internet threats
• Automatic hourly antivirus updates
• Real-time e-mail, file and web scanning
• Prevents rootkits and keyloggers from stealing personal data
• Automatically removes hidden spyware
• Low processor, memory and bandwidth resources required
• Great for instant messaging and WiFi
• Easy-to-create rescue disk instantly restores your system if damaged
• 24/7 phone, email, or chat support at no extra cost
• Automatic self-repair in the event of corruption
• Low cost multi-license option
• Gamer Mode temporarily modifies protection settings to minimize impact on gaming performance

What's so great about BitDefender Antivirus 2009?

BitDefender has been a strong competitor in the antivirus field for some time, but they've really stepped up their game in this version.

It's faster, lighter, stronger, and easier to use than previous versions. The install is easy; only requiring 512MB of RAM and 50MB of hard-drive space.



The interface is as simple as you can get: big green icons display when things are functioning correctly, and big red icons show when something's wrong.

For the most part, this is great. It takes all the guess work out of enabling or disabling settings. The only draw-back of this feature is there aren't many options to set more detailed settings for those who wish to do so.

Antivirus & Antispyware Features

• Protects your PC in real-time from known viruses, spyware and other malware with hourly updates
• Blocks unknown viruses using advanced proactive detection techniques
• Monitors and prevents spyware threats in real-time
• Detects and removes the newest breed of hidden threats known as rootkits
• Provides a smooth gaming experience by reducing the system load to a minimum

Anti-Phishing Features

• Protects against phishing attacks by filtering all accessed web pages for fraud attempts
• Reduces the risk of identity theft by preventing personal information leaks via e-mail or web

Are there any drawbacks to BitDefender Antivirus 2009?

The only down side of BitDefender Antivirus 2009 is that some of the setting choices could use more explanation. For instance, BitDefender's HTTP scan blocks malicious ActiveX and JavaScript, which we're REALLY glad to see, but there's no explanation to help the user determine what this is or if they need it. Another draw back is the Identity Privacy feature.



It's a bold attempt by BitDefender to protect you against phishing attacks and the like.

However, the interface doesn't make it clear how or why you should keep this feature enabled.

It requires you to enter some personal information like your social security number which many people may not be comfortable with, especially if they aren't perfectly clear on how the feature works.

For the record, here's how it does: You enter the personal information you want protected, and BitDefender keeps an "eye" out for you, monitoring to help ensure your private information stays private.


Support

24/7 email, phone, or chat at no extra cost. You can't get any better than that.


Conclusion

Last year, BitDefender came in second to Kaspersky, but with the newest offering, BitDefender now takes the spot just behind VIPRE: it's powerful, light-running, and easy to use antivirus software.

And with its low price and even lower multi-license options, you really can't go wrong. On top of that, their anti-phishing and anti-spyware features are a welcome bonus to an already robust application.

Other manufacturers would be well-served to take a page from the BitDefender playbook and make their own antivirus offerings as complete and as well-priced as BitDefender.

Our hats are off to the folks at BitDefender--well done!


*System Requirements

Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (32/64 bit) or higher

• 800 MHz or higher processor
• 256 MB of RAM Memory (512 MB recommended)
• 300 MB available hard disk space

Windows Vista (32/64 bit) and Windows Vista SP1

• 800 MHz or higher processor
• 512 MB of RAM Memory (1 GB recommended)
• 300 MB available hard disk space

Windows Home Server

• 800 MHz or higher processor
• 512 MB of RAM Memory (1 GB recommended)
• 300 MB available hard disk space

Internet Explorer 6.0 (or higher)
.NET Framework 1.1 (also available in the installer kit)

Supported IM Software (for IM encryption)
Yahoo! Messenger v8
Windows Live Messenger v8.5

$24.95