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Internet Security Software Suites
On this page you will find important tips, choices, comparative reviews, recommended products, and links to many more security suite vendors and reviews. We also have another page for utility suites.Suites combine multiple features into a single product. There are tradeoffs in using suites. It is convenient to have several features bundled together. Dealing with one vendor may be easier for upgrades and support. If you have 3 home computers, a 3 license suite may save you money and reduce the work to install and maintain your security software. On the other hand, suites may have strong features mixed with weaker ones. They may not have every security and privacy feature that you need or want.
Important Tips
- Just One, Not Two -- Never use two firewall or two anti-virus products (or two suites that include them) at the same time. Completely uninstall one before installing another. Use the vendor's uninstall utility or if not available, use the Windows add/remove software tool in the control panel.
- Patches & Updates -- Most security software is only as effective as its most recent update because it is inherently reactive treating "known" threats. So when you install a security suite, go to the vendor's web site and update the program immediately and then turn on the auto update feature (if it has one).
- Firewall Testing -- After you install a firewall, be sure to check it with an online service like Security Space to make sure that it is configured correctly. Testing your firewall is the only sure way to tell that your computer is really being protected.
- Get Online Protection Too -- Consider using an Internet service provider or email service that includes server side anti-virus and spam email filtering as a first layer of defense.
- Prices -- For current prices, see our custom Internet Security Suites 2011
price list and our Premium Security Suites 2011 price list both powered by Amazon.com or click on one of the product pictures below. We also have a list of vendor discount sale offers.
Choices (alpha order) -- Vendor and review links follow.
- Top Security Suites -- Norton, BitDefender, Kaspersky, and Webroot
- More Security Suites -- Agnitum, AhnLab, Aluria, AVG, Avira, Bullguard, Comodo, Computer Associates, eEye, Eset, Fortinet, f-Secure, G-Data, Iolo, k7, Kingsoft, Laplink, McAfee, MicroWorld, Norman, Online Solutions, Panda, PC Live, PC Tools, Preventon, Quick Heal, Rainbow, Safe`n`Sec, Steganos, Sunbelt VIPRE Premium, Trend Micro, Trustport, VCOM, Virus Buster & ZoneAlarm
Comparative Reviews
The top four out of twenty-seven 2011 Internet security software suites based on our interpretation of five comparative reviews by Top Ten Reviews, PC Mag (with lab results), PC World, CNet, and Mary L. (see sources below) are #1 Norton, #2 Kaspersky, #3 BitDefender, #4 Webroot). Products with zero or only one review were eliminated. See our summary table.
- The Best Security Suites for 2011, Neil J. Rubenking, PC Mag, March 18, 2011 -- editor's choice Norton out of 21 suites see chart and reviews.
- Battle of the Security Superpowers, Robert Vamosi and Christopher Null, PC World, Dec 27, 2010 -- Norton (editor's choice), Kaspersky, BitDefender, PC Tools, G-Data, F-Secure, Trend Micro, Panda, Eset, Avira, Comodo, McAfee, Webroot
- Fall 2010 security suite roundup, Seth Rosenblatt, CNet, Dec 23, 2010
- Best Internet Security Suites for 2011, Mary Landesman, About.com, Nov 10, 2010 -- PC Tools, Norton, F-Secure, G Data, Kaspersky, Avira, Panda, Webroot, Eset
- The Best Security Suites for 2011, Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, Sept. 28, 2010, editor's choice is Norton, runners up are Kaspersky and Webroot, the others include Ad-Aware, Bitdefender, F-Secure, Outpost, Panda, PC Tools, and Trend Micro.
- Internet Security Suites 2011, Top Ten Reviews -- Webroot Internet Security Essentials, BitDefender, Kaspersky, Norton, ESET Smart Security, AVG, Trend Micro Titanium, eScan Internet Security Suite, ZoneAlarm, BullGuard, McAfee, Lavasoft Ad-Aware, Acronis Internet Security Suite, PC Tools, Norman Security Suite, Panda, PC Security Shield, G Data, F-Secure, CA Internet Security Suite, Outpost Security Suite Pro.
- Security for Everyone, Reviews of security solutions for Windows
7, .7tutorials.com, 2009/2010, the reviews are in a standard
format but are not directly comparative:
- "Buy for Grandma": ESET Smart Security 4, Kaspersky Internet Security 2011, BitDefender Internet Security 2011, Webroot Internet Security Essentials 2011, Panda Internet Security 2011, Norton Internet Security 2011, Windows 7 Firewall & Microsoft Security Essentials, AVG Internet Security 9, F-Secure Internet Security 2010, Acronis Internet Security Suite 2010
- "Buy for Geeks": McAfee Internet Security 2010, BullGuard Internet Security 9.0, G Data Internet Security 2011, ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2010, AhnLabs Internet Security 8.0, Avira Premium Security 9, Trend Micro Internet Security 2010, Comodo Internet Security
Top Security Suites
Norton Internet Security 2011
and
Norton 360 from Symantec. Note: Reading through
the comparative and individual reviews, Norton products are the best of the best.
-
Norton Internet Security
- Norton Internet Security 2011, Chuck, .7tutorials, 10/11/2010
- Norton Internet Security 2011, Webuser, Sept 23, 2010
- Good Grief, I Love Norton Internet Security 2011! Steve Bass, technologizer, September 23, 2010
- The security suites to beat [Norton], Seth Rosenblatt, CNet, September 21, 2010
- Norton Internet Security 2011, Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, September 10, 2010 -- editor's choice
-
Norton 360
- Norton 360 Version 5.0, Neil Rubenking, PC Mag, March 1, 2011 -- editor's choice
- Norton 360 Version 5 Enters Beta Testing, Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, October 12, 2010
- BitDefender Internet Security 2011, Chuck, .7tutorials, 9/27/2010
- Review: BitDefender Internet Security 2010, Steve Ragan, The Tech Herald, September 1, 2009
- BitDefender Total Security 2010, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, August 17, 2009
- Kaspersky Internet Security 2011, Chuck, .7tutorials, 8/16/2010
- Kaspersky Internet Security 2011, Webuser, July 1, 2010
- Kaspersky Pure, Webuser, May 20, 2010
Webroot Internet Security Complete
and
Webroot Internet Security Essentials
- Webroot Internet Security Complete, Webuser, Sept 9, 2010
- Webroot Internet Security Essentials 2011, Chuck, .7tutorials, 8/09/2010
More Security Suites (in alpha order)
Acronis
- Acronis Backup and Security 2010, Webuser, June 3, 2010
Agnitum Outpost Pro Security Suite
- See the Agnitum Awards page including testing labs, web sites, and magazine reviews sorted by country.
- Agnitum Outpost Security Suite Pro 7.0, Webuser, July 1, 2010
AhnLab V3 Internet Security 8.0
Aluria Security Center -- Firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-spam. Also available as the Earthlink Protection Control Center.
Avast! (alwil)
- avast! Internet Security 6.0, Neil J. Rubenking , PC Mag, March 11, 2011
- avast! Free version 6.0, Neil Rubenking, PC Mag, March 3, 2011
- Avast! Internet Security 5.0, Chuck, .7tutorials, 8/27/2010
AVG Internet Security (formerly Grisoft)
- AVG Internet Security 2011: A full security toolkit -- with too many extras, Preston Gralla, Computer World, October 13, 2010
- AVG 9.0 security software review, Paul Lester, Pocket-lint, November 5, 2009
Avira AntiVir Premium Security Suite
- Avira builds better free security in AntiVir 9, Seth Rosenblatt, CNet, March 17, 2009
Bullguard Internet Security Suite -- Antivirus, firewall and storage
- BullGuard Internet Security 9.0, Chuck, .7tutorials, 9/20/2010
- BullGuard 9.0, Webuser, March 25, 2010
- Comodo Internet Security Suite 4.0, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, April 30, 2010
Computer Associates Internet Security Suite Plus 2010
- CA Internet Security 2010, Webuser, January 14, 2010
- CA Internet Security Suite Plus 2010, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, October 19, 2009
eEye Digital Security Blink Personal Edition includes firewall, anti-malware, zero-day protection, intrusion prevention, patch tracker...
ESET Smart Security includes firewall, anti-malware & anti-spam.
- ESET Smart Security 4.0, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, March 23, 2009
- ESET Smart Security v3.0, Steve Ragan, The Tech Herald, February 23, 2009
Fortinet free and retail versions
- Fortinet Offers Robust Security Suite, for Free, Mark Hachman, PC Magazine, September 1, 2009
- F-Secure Internet Security Suite 2010, Mary Landesman, About.com, October 8, 2009
- F-Secure Internet Security 2010, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, September 3, 2009
-
G Data Internet Security 2011, Chuck, .7tutorials, 10/18/2010
-
G-Data Internet Security 2010, Robert Vamosi, PC World, May 28, 2009
-
K7 TotalSecurity Version 10.0, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, August 15, 2009
Laplink PCdefense includes real-time protection against spyware and keyloggers, on-demand scanning for malware, disaster recovery, and repair of various system settings.
- Ad-Aware Pro Internet Security 9.0, Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, Dec 8, 2010 -- editor's choice
- Ad-Aware "Free" Internet Security 9.0, Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, Dec 9, 2010 -- editor's choice
- Ad-Aware Free Internet Security 9.0, Seth Rosenblatt, CNet, Dec 06, 2010
McAfee Internet Security -- Personal firewall, anti-virus, surf & chat room for kids, ad blocking, and private information safeguard.
- McAfee Total Protection 2011, Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, October 15, 2010
- McAfee Total Protection 2010, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, February 8, 2010
Microsoft Windows 7 Firewall & Security Suite
- Microsoft releases free Security Essentials 2.0, Lance Whitney, CNet, Dec 17, 2010
- Windows 7 Firewall & Microsoft Security Essentials, Chuck, .7tutorials, 7/02/2010
MicroWorld eScan Internet Security Suite includes antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-adware, parental control, anti-spam, pop up blocker, privacy clean up.
- eScan Internet Security Suite for Home Users Version 10, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, June 15, 2009
Norman Security Suite -- Firewall, antivirus, parental controls...
Online Solutions Security Suite
Panda Platinum Internet Security -- Antivirus, firewall, blocks spam, privacy protection, web content filtering, anti-spyware, PC security diagnosis and repair, and automatic updates.
- Panda Internet Security 2011, Chuck, .7tutorials, 9/08/2010
- PC Tools Internet Security 2011, Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, September 23, 2010
Preventon Secure Internet Desktop -- The standard version includes firewall, antivirus and parental control. The Pro version adds anti-spyware and anti-dialer.
Quick Heal Internet Security 2010
Safe`n`Sec + Antivirus Scanner
SecureIT -- Freeware & retail versions
Steganos Internet Security -- Personal firewall & anti-virus (from Kaspersky Labs), anti-spyware (from Webroot), anti-spam, anti-dialer and more.
Sunbelt VIPRE Antivirus Premium
- Sunbelt Software Vipre Antivirus Premium, Webuser, May 20, 2010
Trend Micro Internet Security -- Personal firewall, antivirus, spyware protection, fraud defense, wireless network monitoring, home network control, vulnerability assessment, parental controls and Trend Secure services.
- Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security 2011, Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, September 8, 2010
- A closer look at Trend Micro Interenet Security 2010, Zeljka Zorz, Help Net Security, December 23, 2009
- Malware Blocking Tests Put Trend Micro on Top, Erik Larkin, PC World, September 21, 2009
- Trend Micro Internet Security Pro (version 3), Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, September 9, 2009
TrustPort PC Security -- Antivirus, antispyware, personal firewall, anti-spam, anti-phishing, site filter, electronic signature, data encryption, data shredding.
- TrustPort PC Security 2009, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, January 30, 2009
VCOM SystemSuite Pro (formerly OnTrack) with AutoUpdate, Fix-It Utilities, NetDefense (Sygate Firewall), VirusScanner Pro (Trend Micro PC-cillin), CrashProof, EasyUninstall, Crisis Center, DataEraser Personal Edition & PowerDesk Pro.
VirusBuster Internet Security Suite
ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite and
ZoneAlarm Extreme Security from Checkpoint
- The Best Tech Products of 2009, PC Magazine, December 6, 2009
- CNet review, Seth Rosenblatt, October 8, 2009
- About.com review, Mary Landesman, October 7, 2009
- PC Magazine review, Neil Rubenking, September 21, 2009
