Virus and other online threats have escalated over the last 5 years and leaving a PC unprotected is no longer an option. Internet security suites have all the tools needed to shield your PC from viruses, spam, malware, phishing and many other threats.

The main things to look out for when searching for an internet security suite are: ease of use; ease of installation/setup; firewall, antivirus and antispyware capabilities; and Help/Support provided.

There are numerous security packages to choose from, but we will focus on 4 of the major suites: Norton IS 2011; Kaspersky IS 2011; BitDefender IS 2011; and AVG IS 2011.

Norton Internet Security 2011

Norton is back with its quality security software which has protected countless PCs over the years. It has made some major improvements including the addition of parental controls and free 24/7 phone email and chat.

One of the standout features of this new version is the password protection tool which keeps you secure as you login to your favourite sites. A new welcome feature is Safe Web, a browser-based system giving trust ratings to commercial websites, based on user reports and third-party business intelligence.
Pros

• 24/7 phone, email and chat support
• It provides gaming and movie viewer modes to prevent disruption while using these features
• New parental controls area and improved privacy and identity theft features

Cons

• Compared to other security packages like Kaspersky and Mcafee, NIS 2011 has a low malware detection rate.
• The layout is a little confusing, with too many links and sub-panes, which can be a challenge for the novice user.
• Very troublesome to uninstall, and some options are hard to find and adjust.

Kaspersky Internet Security 2011

Kaspersky Internet security is one of the best security suites in the market, with a robust list of features and utilities suited to the gaming types. It scores high on malware detection, interface design and protection from a myriad of viruses, malware, and spyware. It includes a virus scanner, firewall, popup blocker, email scanner, registry protection capabilities and more.

Kaspersky has always been known for its ease of use, ease of installation, reliable antivirus solution, and the new version does not disappoint. It performs better than many of its rivals and will destroy any virus that is thrown at it.

It has an easy to use interface which is not intimidating, and includes a left pane navigation and right pane navigation with the various options.

Pros

• Its impact on system performance is minimal and beats all other security packages we reviewed.
• A rootkit scanner is included and offered as a separate scan or as part of the full scan (rootkits are programs or combinations of programs that take control of a computer without the owner’s permission)
• It has a unique parental control feature with three different levels of access that can be customized and allow the user to set time restrictions in the setup screen.
• Kaspersky also features reports that many other security suites exclude. Reports are available to show you when tests were run and what type of issues were detected.

Cons

• Kaspersky is so good in many areas it is hard to find any negatives, although scan speeds are a bit slow and could do with a little improving.

BitDefender Internet Security 2011

Bitdefender Internet security is one of the best security packages in the industry and boasts an impressive set of features to protect and secure your PC. The new version includes an army of tools to protect from viruses, spyware, phishing, spam and other online threats.

The antispyware tool is equipped to protect from adware, Trojans, keyloggers, and even browser hijacks. New intrusion detection tools block attacks made by DLL code injection and stop unauthorized attempts to change your system files and registry keys, access your memory, or attempt to kill bitdefender processes.

It also features a flexible 2-way firewall that automatically adjusts its settings to most appropriately suit your location; whether in the office, home or on the road.

Pros

• Very easy to uninstall
• One of the cheapest in the market
• No need to disable firewall when playing games, as it comes with a gamer mode ensuring continual protection while gaming.
• It had problems in the past with system slowdown, but has made impressive strides to improve speed and performance, making it one of the best in the market for these features.

Cons

• Spam detection rates can be slow and it lags behind other security packages.
• Phone, chat, and email support are all available; however, the phone numbers aren’t toll-free and they can be hard to find.

AVG Internet Security 2011

AVG Internet security offers one of the best free antivirus packages and their reputation among PC users is nearly flawless. It provides identity theft protection and includes LinkScanner which can scan web pages before they are clicked on.

The Antispyware included with AVG Internet security is one of the most effective, and there are others which can match its capabilities, but none are better.

The antivirus software has a range of certifications including ICSA, W.C.L. and VB100%, and these are uncommon in the industry and show a commitment to creating an excellent product.

Pros

• It provides a safe gaming mode, to ensure uninterruption during gaming.
• It has a free unlimited robust antivirus program, which allows you to test it before purchasing.

Cons

• It can create significant slowdown of system at installation
• Its firewall is good, but still needs some work. It doesn’t have much of a default configuration to speak of.

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