Not many people have heard of premium security software. And that’s no surprise considering the wide range of security programs that exist, and its late entrance into the security software field.

It has come behind other security programs like antispyware, firewall, antivirus, internet security and various other security programs in the industry today. And this can make finding the right one a daunting task, even for the more security savvy PC users.

The reality is these programs aren’t as complicated as you might think. In fact, you can get one package that includes all of them and save yourself a lot of money and stress in the process.

Premium security software goes by many names and they include complete, extreme, ultimate, super-suites, ultra, mega and total. So it includes all consumer-level security software in one, with all the features and tools you’ll need.

But internet security software includes many of the same security programs, features and tools. And you’ll be able to protect your PC from the same threats that a premium security software program is designed for. However, they do have a few differences and before you choose one, we recommend you check out their features and capabilities to make the right choice.

Before we look at their differences, we want to highlight a few of their similarities.

Similarities

Like internet security software, premium security includes antivirus, anti-spam, firewall and antispyware protection. These four protection programs have their own stand-alone versions. And each serves a specific purpose and removes certain types of threats. Combined, they are a formidable force and ensure that your PC is protected on all angles.

Premium and internet security programs also have features that you won’t get in stand-alone programs. Some of these additions include data backup, parental controls, gamer modes and anti-phishing tools.

Differences

One obvious difference between these two suites is price. On average, premium security is about £15 more expensive than internet security software.

There are a few cheaper premium programs like ZoneAlarm Extreme Security who also regularly offer discounts too. But overall internet security is much cheaper and BitDefender is currently retailing at £29.99.

Is the Premium security price justified? Well that depends on the features and tools you’re looking for; Which brings us to the second difference, which is found in the tools they offer.

Premium security has PC Utility Tools which are designed to perform repairs on your PC and clean out temporary internet files. These features are powerful and enhance your overall security.

One of the impressive tools is Speed Up Start which is a series of tweaks that hasten your computer and OS start up time.

Also, all premium security suites include privacy, data backup, online storage, firewall and PC system utilities; whereas a few internet security suites include all these programs and they aren’t as effective.

Summary

It’s true that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and this is evident in premium and internet security packages. The standalone programs also found in these two suites are top-notch, but together they provide excellent protection.

So your choice between the two will depend on your personal need or preferences. We recommend you read the reviews of the leading programs like BitDefender and Kaspersy.

Pros

• Panda Global Protection 2012 comes with great help and support options
• It has effective PC Utility tools
• It has a rescue disc which allows you to scan your computer using an uninfected disc in the event that a virus has affected your boot system

Cons

• All other features are average and don’t have the abilities of some of the competition like Norton 360
• Is a bit heavy on resources during scans

View side-by-side comparison of Premium Security Suites

Panda Global Protection 2012 is one of the leading premium security software suites and it has all the best tools to stop malware (malicious software) threats. It includes such features as 2GB of Online Backup, an effective firewall and excellent antivirus and antispyware protection.

Panda will also protect your personal information as you pay bills online and surf the internet. And the addition of a virtual keyboard ensures that you’re protected from keyloggers.

Antivirus/Antispyware Protection

The most important features of a premium security suite are its anti-virus and anti-spyware protection features. These prevent virus and spyware infection and also protect your PC from other malware threats like Trojans, worms, bots, keyloggers and other emerging threats.

Panda Global Protection scans your computer on a set schedule or you can set manual scans which you run at a preferred time. It runs full system scans which we recommend you run when your PC is idle because of its high resource usage. Or you can run smaller scans on specific sections of your PC.

Firewall Security

Panda has a good firewall which matches the performance of other premium security suites like Norton 360 and BitDefender Total Security. It keeps unwanted entities out of your computer and hackers are always defeated by the firewall.

It monitors all incoming and outgoing information on your PC and ensures that the undesirables are kept out by the stealth mode which hides the entrance portal to your computer.

Internet Security Software

Panda Global Protection has advanced internet security software protection and includes proactive antivirus and antispyware security. It will alert you of websites that are harmful and contain viruses and other malware, and will also alert you of sites that are safe to visit.

It offers protection for all your Instant Messaging communications and this is for MSN Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and AOL Traffic.

It doesn’t just protect against traditional threats, but also takes into account that new malware threats are always emerging and evolving. Therefore, Panda has applied more advanced technologies which include genetic heuristics and the Tru Prevent 2.0 behavioural analysis program.

PC Utility Tools

There are some impressive tools in Panda Global Protection. The rescue disc for example allows you to scan your entire computer using an uninfected disc in the event that a virus has infected your boot system. And there are other features like a file shredder and virtual keyboard which provide added security from malware and hackers as you go online.

It has a good reporting system which shows statistics of threats which have been blocked and what sort of activity is going on in your PC. It also shows you the most vulnerable areas on your PC and helps you to take proactive action to protect it.

Ease of Use

Panda Global protection has many features in its interface to use. For the most part, you’ll find it easy to navigate and configure. And using most of the features won’t be much of a problem.

The tabs are well arranged and the main ones are easy to use and they sub-divide into other sections that you’ll also find easy to use. Some of the sections are a bit confusing though. For example, Automatic Backup Copy doesn’t have clear directions as to how to perform the tasks at hand.

Support

Panda Global Protection has outstanding support features. These include extensive resources like FAQs, user forums, a support blog and more. They also have a tech support link which links you directly to the technical support page and serves as a convenient resource.

Summary

Panda Global Protection is a good premium security suite but it could be a lot better with a little extra strengthening of its features. The features like antivirus and antispyware are good and will be sufficient for the vast majority of PC users.

Pros

• Mcafee Total Protection is above average in ease-of-use and technical support
• All its features are rolled into one interface for easy access
• It comes with SiteAdvisor Plus which assesses each website to determine whether it’s safe or not

Cons

• Its security options are average and you can find a more effective premium security software suite out there
• Mcafee Total Protection can be heavy on system resources causing PC slowdown during scans

View side-by-side comparison of Premium Security Suites

Mcafee Total Protection 2012 is a premium security suite that provides all the traditional internet security features plus PC Utility Tools. Its major rivals are Norton 360 and BitDefender Total Security, and from our review, we were impressed with Mcafee’s performance.

It has the ability to stop all forms of malware (malicious software) threats and has the tools to prevent you falling into the hands of cybercriminals.

Antivirus/Antispyware Protection

Mcafee Total Protection has a good antivirus and antispyware protection combination which ensures your PC is protected from malicious programs. It gives you the option to scan your PC manually in real-time or at a time of your choosing. These scans are effective but still have the same problems that are evident in other Mcafee software products.

PC slowdown is common, making it impossible to use your PC as its being scanned. So it’s best to leave it while the scan is operating because you’ll find programs very slow during use.

Firewall Security

The function of firewall security is to stop malware from infecting your computer. Windows comes with a standard firewall which is capable of stopping many threats, but falls short of providing total online protection.

Mcafee’s firewall program doesn’t disappoint. It still has a few of the problems that plagued it in the past, but this new version has improved significantly and is sufficient to protect your PC from all viruses, worms and Trojans.

My Home Network complements the firewall and monitors the network for any malicious threats. You won’t have any electronic crooks trying to get into your network without your knowledge.

Internet Security

Antivirus software alone is not sufficient to protect you as you surf the internet. You need an internet security package that will notify you of dangerous websites. Mcafee Total Protection has the Site Advisor Plus feature which analyzes each website you visit to determine if they are dangerous. It also notifies you if you reach a malicious site and blocks it from infecting your PC.

Mcafee also has an anti-spam feature which protects your email communications. It eliminates harmful messages before they get to your inbox.

PC Utility Tools

Quickclean is the only PC Utility Tool in Mcafee Total Protection 2011. It wipes out all threats in your PC and keeps it clean from unnecessary files that have a way of slowing down your PC. It’s not the best cleaner we’ve seen in premium security suites, but it definitely does the job of keeping your computer clean.

Ease of Use

Mcafee Total Protection has a simple and straightforward interface that allows you to adjust it to your needs. All the features and buttons are well arranged and even a novice user won’t have any problems using it for the first time.

The only downside with the software is the PC slowdown it causes during scans. It has a habit of slowing down the PC considerably and making it nearly impossible to use during a scan.

Support

Mcafee charge for telephone support and it ranges from $9.95 to $59.95 per incident. If you aren’t up to using a paid service, you can consult their self-help features like FAQs for more information.

Summary

Overall, Mcafee Total Protection is a quality premium security suite. It’s not one of the best we’ve seen, but it will provide a high level of protection for your PC.

Pros

• Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 3 is very easy to use with a simple and straightforward interface
• It will warn you with a popup if you’re about to visit a website which is a threat
• It offers a mobile security feature which protects your mobile phone from online threats and hackers

Cons

• It has average security options
• Some of its features like Backup and PC utility tools are not as good as the top rated programs

View side-by-side comparison of Premium Security Suites

Trend Micro Titanium Security 2012 is a leading premium security suite with a host of outstanding features. It stops all malware threats on your PC and shields you from hackers and cyber criminals.

This new version also includes PC Utility Tools which help remove unnecessary files from your PC and keep it working at maximum efficiency.

And Trend Micro is easy to use. The interface has well arranged tabs and as a new user, you won’t have problems navigating it. You can easily set up automatic scans which run at specific times to clean your PC. Alternatively, running manual scans is a doddle and you run these at any time.

Antivirus/Antispyware Protection

The antivirus and antispyware protection in Trend Micro works to remove all forms of viruses and spyware. Using the latest technologies, your PC will be free from malware and you can safely surf the internet without fear of infection

Anything that gets past the firewall is detected and removed and it alerts you of the outcome.

Firewall Security Software

Firewall software is an important feature of any premium security suite. Its job is to stop all forms of threats from infecting your PC and to stop criminals from getting a hold of your personal information.

Trend Micro Titanium Security has a firewall that has been recognised as one of the best in the industry. You can set it at different security levels and we’ve found all the levels sufficient at stopping threats. The Medium level seems to be the best, as it doesn’t completely stop the flow of traffic, but keeps your PC safe while stopping the potentially dangerous.

Internet Security Software

The biggest threats are online and they swim through the web infecting millions of PCs each day. You need an internet security software features that has the ability to stop even the newest malware threats. Trend Micro has proved it has the ability to stop all online threats like bots, Trojans, worms, viruses, keyloggers and more.

And as you search the internet, Trend Micro will warn you of websites that are involved in phishing scams. It will block these sites and let you know the reason.

PC Utility Tools

Trend Micro Titanium Security has some good PC utility tools that keep your PC free from temporary files and other unnecessary files that slow it down. These tools include:

A security activity dashboard – which reports the areas in your PC that have been scanned and which have malware infections. From here you can take action to remove these threats.

System Tuner – It improves the performance of your system and recommends changes to remedy existing problems.

Ease of Use

Trend Micro has an easy-to-use interface. The home page lists five sections which are clearly labelled and assist you to find whatever tool you’re looking. You’ll have no trouble navigating these tabs and you’ll be able to tweak them to your specific needs.

Like most premium security suites, the status of your PC is presented at the top of the interface. Here you can see what is happening on your PC and what you need to do if there’s a threat. You can also see the last time your PC was scanned or updated and get a summary report.

Help/Support

You can contact Trend Micro in various ways. They have self-help files on their website which include a knowledgebase, FAQs and articles. And you can contact them directly by email and phone to speak to their customer service team. You can find all these details on the home page and the software interface.

Summary

Trend Micro Titanium Security is one of the best premium security suites and it matches the likes of Norton 360 and BitDefender Total Security at malware protection. You’ll find it very easy to use and the customer service team will answer any questions you have.

Pros

• Webroot Internet Security Complete 2012 has all the major features like real-time protection, superior malware removal, identity theft protection and a solid antivirus
• The interface is very easy to understand and tweak to your needs
• It identifies keyloggers more effectively than the competition

Cons

• Webroot has resource-intensive scans
• Its detection rates are not as effective as Norton 360

View side-by-side comparison of Premium Security Suites

Webroot Internet Security Complete 2012 is in the top three list of effective Premium Security Suites. It will protect your PC as you surf the internet and you won’t have to worry about viruses and Trojans and your personal details falling into the hands of cyber criminals.

The software engages its best tools which include antivirus & antispyware protection, firewall security, internet security and PC Utility Tools which clean your PC of annoying files that slow it down.

Webroot doesn’t wait till your PC is infected. It constantly works to keep out malware (malicious software) threats and it has one of the best virus detection rates in the industry.

Although it’s an effective premium security suite, it doesn’t have the virus detection rates of Norton 360; the parental controls of BitDefender Total Security and the comprehensive tools of ZoneAlarm Extreme Security.

Antivirus/Antispyware Protection

Webroot is popular for its spyware removal software which is the best in the industry. It removes all types of spyware and malware and constantly monitors your PC for any new potential threats. And the best part is it doesn’t use up your system resources. It works in the background, updating itself and blocking threats and you don’t have to worry about your PC slowing down or being infected.

The antivirus software in Webroot has a combination of signature-based and heuristic scanning which identify the overwhelming majority of malware floating around the internet. Its high virus detection rate has been recognised by various testing bodies. And it’s designed to detect Trojans, worms, rootkits and other clever malware types.

Firewall Security Software

Webroot Internet Security Complete has a simple firewall which is very easy to use. You choose one of the profiles to protect your PC and you’ll find it easy to tweak to your specific needs. It will learn your internet use and traffic patterns and then provide the level of protection you need to keep out threats.

You can manage it manually, which allows you to use it to your specific needs at a particular time. But this will sacrifice the simple functionality of the preconfigured settings which are adapted for Work, Public and Home use.

Internet Security Software

It’s not enough just to have good antivirus or antispyware protection. You need a complete internet security suite if you go online, that includes a robust firewall that will stop all threats. Webroot Internet Security ensures that you have this protection when you are on the internet.

There are many dangerous sites on the web and Webroot intercepts them before you access them. The threat level of each URL is listed in your web browser. And if you attempt to access it, Webroot will stop you before you proceed and bring up an alert notice.

Webroot has a password manager which enables you to create passwords that are different for each site you log into. Having one password for each site you log into is dangerous and puts you at risk of identity theft. And you won’t have to enter the passwords manually that Webroot creates. Regardless of the browser you are using, it enters them for you when you log on.

PC Utility Tools

Webroot Complete has PC cleanup tools that will optimise your computer’s performance. All unnecessary programs like cached files, cookies, internet history and other annoying software are constantly erased. And it has protection to ensure you don’t accidentally delete important files.

Support

Webroot has good traditional support features like email, chat and phone. And you’ll find good manuals, tutorials and a searchable database of excellent resources. Their standard support is free, but they charge for implementation and installation support

Summary

Webroot Internet Security Complete is a good premium security suite and it will provide the protection that the majority of users will need.

Pros

• BitDefender Total Security includes all the best extra features like Parental controls, backup options and advanced data security tools
• The firewall is very easy to use and configure
• It adjusts its scanning technology according to memory and processing resources availability
• It includes a laptop mode and a gamer mode

Cons

• Search Advisor fails to detect and flag some dangerous websites

View side-by-side comparison of Premium Security Suites

BitDefender Total Security 2012 is a premium security suite that keeps your computer safe in all situations. Malware threats attack from many angles including websites, email, IM communications, removal storage devices and more. And BitDefender has the best internet security and PC Utility Tools at hand to prevent these threats harming your PC.

It does this through its effective heuristic and signature based scanning technologies that are some of the best amongst premium security suites. And from our review, we found only ZoneAlarm Extreme Security able to match its performance.

Some impressive tools in the 2012 version are online backup, parental controls, a superb firewall and Search Advisor.

Antivirus/Antispyware Protection

BitDefender Total Protection Security takes care of all virus and malware threats using its effective anti-virus and anti-spyware combination. It works in the background as you use your PC and stops these threats from infecting your PC.

The 2011 version has the ability to schedule scans or run them on demand, depending on your preferences. And it adjusts its scanning technology behaviour according to memory and resource availability. This means you can surf the internet and continue to use your PC without slowdown, because it scales down its activity and frees up resources for other applications.

Firewall Security

BitDefender has one of the best two-way firewalls we’ve seen amongst premium security suites. It is highly advanced and flexible and adjusts itself to suit your location. And it includes a Wi-Fi monitor that prevents intruders from gaining access to your Wi-Fi network.

It has a new intrusion detection feature which stops intruders infiltrating your PC and adjusting your registry entries and files. This can cause irreversible harm to your PC, and BitDefender throws in all its intrusion detection tools to prevent this. And the software warns you when attacks are attempted involving DLL code injection.

Internet Security

BitDefender Internet security is one of the best internet security software suites. It helps you do all your internet activities without worrying about hackers, virus infections and identity theft. It also blocks all phishing scams and ensures all communication on your PC is secured.

Smart Advisor Technology is a new feature which assigns each URL in the search engine results a green, yellow or red safety rating. It works with the major search engines Google, Yahoo and Bing and we found it to be generally reliable, but misses some high risk sites at times.

PC Utility Tools

BitDefender is packed with PC Utility Tools that help to protect your PC and keep it working at maximum efficiency. Some of the tools included in the 2012 version are:

• Duplicate Finder – which locates a number of unimportant double files and applications and removes them to free up more disc space. But you won’t have to worry about it deleting important files, as BitDefender ensures all important system files are kept.
• Integrated File Encryption Tool – it creates a safe place on your hard drive where you can store important personal or sensitive information and keep them secure
• Bootable CD – BitDefender is packaged on a bootable CD and this rescue disc can be used to start a crashed computer and restore it to a working state.

Ease of Use

The interface has improved from last year’s version and it includes a well presented layout and navigation. And it has an advanced setting that allows you to customize the scale of your protection. There’s little need to tweak the software though, as it’s easy to use and even the most advanced facilities are simple to use.

Summary

BitDefender Total security is a good premium security suite and it has some impressive features that help protect your PC as you surf the internet.

Pros

• ZoneAlarm Extreme Security has the best antivirus, antispyware, firewall combination among Premium security suites
• You can schedule daily, weekly or monthly scans
• It has a two-way firewall which blocks threats and protects you when you’re online
• It offers registry repair

Cons

• ZoneAlarm doesn’t offer telephone support
• It doesn’t provide additional backup and restoration solutions such as the ability to backup the hard drive

View side-by-side comparison of Premium Security Suites

ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2012 allows you to stop using individual security software products and have one complete security solution. It’s one of the best premium security suites we’ve seen in our reviews and it has proved it has the ability to stop all malicious threats.

With ZoneAlarm, you can expect a premium security suite that has the ability to stop the latest viruses, worms and Trojans. And that’s because it combines firewall protection, email filtering, PC Utility Tools and antivirus protection into one neat security software solution.

Antivirus/Antispyware Protection

ZoneAlarm Extreme runs full system scans that check for viruses and spyware that are harmful and regularly plague PC users. You can schedule them to run daily, weekly or monthly and ensure that your PC is protected at all times. However, if you prefer, manual scans are possible, and they allow you to scan at times when you feel your PC has become infected.

ZoneAlarm provides kernel level protection and updates its definitions regularly to keep up with the latest threats.

Firewall Security

There are two firewalls in ZoneAlarm Extreme Security and they combine to bring a premium security suite that’s hard to beat.

It has an OSFirewall that monitors all changes on your PC and stop attacks before they cause any harm. And it has a two-way firewall which blocks threats and makes your PC untouchable when online.

And it combines all this with the software’s multiple layers of advanced protection to provide effective firewall security.

Internet Security Software

ZoneAlarm runs a program called ForceField which protects your PC from keyloggers, scammers, drive-by downloads and trackers. And for extra privacy, it provides a browser tool that erases all cookies, history, passwords and cache.

It also supports a virtual browser that mimics your usual browser, except it is not affected like your regular browser would be if attacked.

And it has a gamer mode which stops all pop-ups and interruptions when you are playing games or watching videos in full-screen mode.

PC Utility Tools

Unfortunately, ZoneAlarm Extreme Security is lacking Diskcleanup, a necessary feature for removing unnecessary files. This feature is common in other top premium security suites like Norton 360 and Mcafee Total Protection and it would certainly have boosted ZoneAlarm if it had been included.

However, it performs registry repairs and cleans out temporary internet files which can be a nuisance and cause PC slowdown. It performs this cleaning automatically and doesn’t wait for you to do it.

Other Features

• Parental Controls – you can set passwords with this feature and set the filtering controls to on or off. This helps to block out sites that aren’t suitable for kids in your household and ensures their safety as they use the internet.
• Identity Protection element – it keeps your personal information private and out of the hands of cyber criminals. And it also provides free access to ZoneAlarm Identity Protection Centre, a service which includes a free year of credit monitoring, email alerts and access to Identity Theft Recovery Support

Ease of Use

From the moment you install ZoneAlarm Extreme Security, you’ll find it very easy to use. It has a range of features that range from medium to high, so you don’t have to manually configure everything.

Support

They offer premium support for $49.95 per incident that will help you with things like virus removal and software installation and configuration. They also offer free email and live chat which should be sufficient for most users

Summary

ZoneAlarm Extreme Security is a good premium security suite that has outstanding features like a registry cleaner and parental controls that many users desire. It also offers excellent virus and spyware removal and a formidable firewall.

Pros

• Norton 360 includes antivirus, internet security, PC Tune up and Backup features

• It provides licences for 3 computers

• It provides wide ranging protection against malware and other online threats which you won’t get in other security packages

Cons

• The sheer range of features in Norton 360 can be daunting for a less experienced user

• Can cause PC slowdown during scans

View side-by-side comparison of Premium Security Suites

Norton 360 is a leading premium security suite with the best features to protect your PC from online threats. Its features include antivirus, antispyware, antispam, antiphising, firewall, rootkit and botnet protection. Simply put, Norton 360 has all the tools to provide total protection and even tools to provide recovery should you lose data.

It revolves around four important segments which include Security, Identity Protection, Backup and PC TuneUp. This combination ensures all malware (malicious software) is kept at bay and your PC is protected from all angles.

The Parental Control features are impressive and ensure that your kids are protected online. Using passwords and rules, you can assign internet allowance to each child and ensure that they are safe as they surf the internet

Norton 360 is so impressive we found no problems with it. It has of course similar issues as other Symantec programs like high resource usage and uninstallation problems. But overall, this software is superb and provides excellent web safety.

Antivirus/ Antispyware Protection

This combination is one of the best we’ve found in our reviews and includes advanced protection from viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware and bots. It protects you from the latest threats in real-time, and even has the capability to protect from unknown threats using the integrated SONAR (Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response) scanning technology.

The antivirus and antispyware protection in Norton 360 is automated, ensuring that little intervention is required, and more protection is provided instantly.

Firewall Security

Norton 360 has a two-way firewall which protects you from malicious files and intruders. It also secures your outgoing communication from hackers trying to steal your personal information. It’s an ideal security for your operating system, applications and internet activities.

Internet Security Protection

Norton 360 includes the new feature, Norton Safe Web which brings a whole new level to your web browsing. From a glance, you can see the security level of each website in your search results. Each result has a quick security verification which you can scroll over for additional information. All the major search engines including Google, Yahoo and Bing incorporate this technology, ensuring your browsing is totally safe.

Symantec have also teamed up with Ask.com to provide a custom search.

PC Utility Tools

The PC Utilities in Norton 360 function to speed up your computer start time, and optimise the overall performance of your PC. Best of all, the utilities run automatically without need for constant tweaking and monitoring.

Ease of Use

Installing Symantec Norton 360 is a quick and straightforward process. All features will be up and running after a few minutes of installation, allowing you to easily tweak the advanced features to your needs.

The interface is not as cluttered and complex as past versions and you’ll find your way around the software easily. It’s now consistent throughout, so you won’t have problems looking for features that you need to use. With this combined ease of use and effective protection, it’s hard to see how a threat could make its way to your PC.

It protects all your incoming and outgoing traffic and the interface will give you all the features you need to provide this high level of protection.

In our Norton 360 review, we were impressed with the speed of scans and backups and other processes which were remarkably quick. The software aims to cover a lot of ground and it delivers on every security aspect.

Norton Insight is another feature that’s easy to use and allows you to scan specific files and not the entire PC. This allows you to save time and resources and provides greater security for your PC. And this feature has now been expanded with the addition of Norton Download, System and File Insight.

Other Features

A backup/restore function is included in Norton 360. It provides 2GB of online storage, more than enough for most PC home users. You can upgrade up to 25GB if you have need more space to store files and images. Additionally, backup is not limited to one location, but you can now backup to your hard drive, USB, CD and DVD drives. It performs backups automatically, and the great part is that it’s simple and it can restore damaged or even deleted files.

The Gamer Mode in Norton 360 is one of the best we’ve seen and it allows you to watch movies and play games in full-screen mode without interruption. So any pop-ups or Norton alerts are blocked to prevent disturbance to your PC use.

Technical Support

Norton provides 24/7 support through phone, email and online chat. The software is so good, you’ll find little need of the support, but it’s always handy when something goes wrong. They also provide support via a searchable knowledgebase which is good for troubleshooting and common error problems.

Summary

Norton 360 is a superb premium internet security product that has all the tools to protect your PC from malware and hackers. It’s very easy to use and despite the high number of features to get accustomed to, it’s still easy to handle and configure.

Pros

• Avira Premium Security scans incoming and outgoing emails
• Has the highest virus detection rate among the leading antivirus packages

Cons

• You have to approve the unknown executables, which can be a lot of hard work
• each time it detects malware, it asks you what to do with it, which can be a chore

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View side-by-side comparison of Premium Security Suites

Avira AntiVir Premium Security is a decent security software suite with some features that impressed us during our review. It has combined antivirus, firewall and antispyware protection to bring a high virus detection rate product. Its protection encompasses all malware (malicious software) including viruses, worms and Trojans.

It does have some disadvantages of course which can’t be overlooked. For example, it irritatingly notifies you each time there’s malware on your PC and asks you what you’d like to do with it. It can of course be a way to prevent deleting important programs, but imagine how annoying it could be if you are giving instructions every time you are using your PC.

Scope of Protection

Avira AntiVir has a solution for each malware threat. The firewall will ward off every DoS attack (Denial of Service attack) and spam to help secure your PC and mailbox. And it will scan all incoming and outgoing email in your mailbox. That way, you’re not only safe from threats in your email, but that you don’t accidentally send out malware in your email communications.

It has antiphishing tools which protect your personal information from hackers. As you surf the internet, Avira AntiVir ensures you are safe from phishing websites which aren’t obvious to the eye. It blocks these websites and notifies you of the result.

Summary

Avira Premium Security is a small software download and this makes it easy to install and use. It doesn’t have some of the capabilities we’ve seen in the top premium security suites, but it is more than capable of providing total online protection for your Home PCs.