This post was written by Tammy Giovanni
Lavasoft - Ad-Aware 2008 has features that this gratis package lacks, such as real-time monitoring and virus protection. However, the thrifty user can always rely on Ad-Aware Free for spyware duty, backed up by a free anti-virus program. Not only does Ad-Aware Free provide a commendable scan time performance, it also runs smoothly and doesn’t hog too much in the way of system resources. It’s free, it does the job and it does it fairly quickly. Couple this with AVG and it makes for a pretty secure and extremely budget-friendly security solution.
Agnitum’s Outpost Security Suite Pro 2009 is far cheaper than most rivals. Each individual component of the package carries a similar theme. When set to ‘expert view’, a range of additional settings and activity logs are enabled on the main screen, which, along with the detailed application control, means that there’s a wide array of options for fine-tuning. Things do get a bit complicated if you’re looking to fine-tune the various components, but as an unobtrusive solution for beginners or a flexible tool for more advanced users it represents excellent value for money.
Kaspersky is graced with a fast and efficient virus scanner along with a thorough range of online security options. It goes above and beyond the average remit, including the likes of security wizards that pick up on potential problems that other suites could miss. What was equally impressive was the thoroughness of the virus scan, with Kaspersky picking up on a few vulnerabilities that had previously been missed. Trusted programs are detected during the installation process and you’re warned when any other applications attempt to make any incoming or outgoing connections.
BitDefender Total Security 2009 takes on the best in the business by offering effective anti-virus and anti-malware tools, a capable firewall and optimisation and backup for an all-in-one solution. While scans took a little longer than average, this is a small price to pay considering the advantages on offer. When you combine this with a straightforward approach that makes it ideal for beginners, and with little impact on system performance, it makes BitDefender’s latest effort one of the best around.
Spyware Doctor with Antivirus 6 combines spyware and malware scanning tools with the PCTools IntelliGuard engine to offer you peace of mind when browsing the Internet. The software has all that’s needed to shore up the remaining holes in your system security. Installation is straightforward but those with slower connections may be in for a bit of a wait as Spyware Doctor requires you to update definitions using the Smart Update tool before it boots for the first time, and some of these are quite large in size.
Symantec Norton Internet Security 2009 easy to use, well featured, light on system resources and it has some innovative touches such as the intelligent Insight scanning system and pulse updates. On the performance front, a meter ensconced on the main menu shows Norton’s CPU usage; and it’s impressively low. Even definition updates complete with seeming alacrity. Alongside the anti-virus module, Norton also offers the obligatory firewall, anti-spam and browser protection features. Symantec has made considerable strides forward with this year’s Norton.