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There are many companies that will sell you security - But which do you need ? We selected 16 Security and Antivirus Products through their paces to see how the free packages measure up against commercial offerings.
Fundamentally, all security software is focused on the same job - keeping your data and applications safe from cyber-criminals. But there's a wide selection of software on offer, and a range of different approaches. Finding the ideal security software package means weighing up several variables.
Naturally, the first question to consider is how effectively a given program guards against malware. It should prevent as much malicious software as possible from installing and running on a PC or laptop - but it shouldn't be over-sensitive, producing "false-positive" alarms when a legitimate tool accesses system files or opens a network connection. A security suite that repeatedly asks for permission to run everyday programs is rather intrusive, and is arguably failing to do its job properly.
Another aspect to consider is the impact a package has on your system. Happily, the days when bloated security software could make a PC slow to a crawl appear to be well and truly behind us - we noticed no significant slowdown from any of the packages on test this month. But all security software needs to stay resident in memory, and its RAM footprint can be a significant consideration, especially for older PCs that might be functioning with only 1GB or 2GB of memory.
There are plenty of subjective considerations to factor in as well. When possible danger is detected, some may want a program that handles the threat silently and automatically; others will prefer a security suite that explains the situation clearly and provides options for handling it yourself. When it comes to adjusting a program's settings, a clear and usable interface is a boon - but the precise degree of control you'll want over the program will obviously depend on your personal preference.
Features vary too from package to package. Some security suites are loaded with custom firewalls, anti-spam agents, browser toolbars, password managers, system cleaners and even online backup systems. These features can be useful but in many cases a package that restricts itself to doing a few basic tasks well is all that's required.
At any rate, it's always essential to weigh up the value of a feature before paying extra for it in many cases, similar features can be found in free programs and services, such as the standalone AVG LinkScanner, the LastPass password manager. Piriform's CCleaner tool and the free Dropbox service.
Lastly, but obviously not least in the list of considerations, there's the price to think about. The headline prices for the commercial packages below are based on buying three-PC boxed copies from major online retailers; further options are usually available from publishers, should you need to protect large numbers of PCs in your dwelling.
Fundamentally, all security software is focused on the same job - keeping your data and applications safe from cyber-criminals. But there's a wide selection of software on offer, and a range of different approaches. Finding the ideal security software package means weighing up several variables.
Naturally, the first question to consider is how effectively a given program guards against malware. It should prevent as much malicious software as possible from installing and running on a PC or laptop - but it shouldn't be over-sensitive, producing "false-positive" alarms when a legitimate tool accesses system files or opens a network connection. A security suite that repeatedly asks for permission to run everyday programs is rather intrusive, and is arguably failing to do its job properly.
Another aspect to consider is the impact a package has on your system. Happily, the days when bloated security software could make a PC slow to a crawl appear to be well and truly behind us - we noticed no significant slowdown from any of the packages on test this month. But all security software needs to stay resident in memory, and its RAM footprint can be a significant consideration, especially for older PCs that might be functioning with only 1GB or 2GB of memory.
There are plenty of subjective considerations to factor in as well. When possible danger is detected, some may want a program that handles the threat silently and automatically; others will prefer a security suite that explains the situation clearly and provides options for handling it yourself. When it comes to adjusting a program's settings, a clear and usable interface is a boon - but the precise degree of control you'll want over the program will obviously depend on your personal preference.
Features vary too from package to package. Some security suites are loaded with custom firewalls, anti-spam agents, browser toolbars, password managers, system cleaners and even online backup systems. These features can be useful but in many cases a package that restricts itself to doing a few basic tasks well is all that's required.
At any rate, it's always essential to weigh up the value of a feature before paying extra for it in many cases, similar features can be found in free programs and services, such as the standalone AVG LinkScanner, the LastPass password manager. Piriform's CCleaner tool and the free Dropbox service.
Lastly, but obviously not least in the list of considerations, there's the price to think about. The headline prices for the commercial packages below are based on buying three-PC boxed copies from major online retailers; further options are usually available from publishers, should you need to protect large numbers of PCs in your dwelling.
Comparison
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How we test ?
We award each product a mark out of six across five categories. The Performance score reflects the level of malware protection offered by each package. We test this using a Windows XP system (still the most common OS worldwide) to occess dozens of samples of real malware, served up online exactly as a real malicious site would try to. A package is counted as protecting us if it blocks the malware from reaching our system, or prevents it making changes to our system.
To test for false-positives, we run a range of legitimate but suspicious-looking applications, such as FileZilla FTP server and NirSoft SmartSniff network monitor. We count a false-positive if a package blocks the program outright, or asks us what to do.
The Performance score also factors in how long it takes each package to perform a quick scan, and how much memory it occupies: we quantify this by measuring system RAM usage two minutes after boot on a Windows 7 system.
The Features score reflects the range of features on offer, such as web protection or a gaming mode that suspends intrusive operations. The Ease of Use score reflects how attractive and usable each interface is, how clearly it communicates arising issues, and how easy it is to find and configure advanced settings.
The Value for Money score reflects how affordable each suite is, in light of how usable and effective it is. Where applicable, we base this on the price of a one-year, three-PC package at major online retailers. Naturally, free software can't be beaten on this count, but a commercial suite that offers great protection and useful features at a low annual price can still be a great investment.
Our Overall rating is an average of these scores, although due to rounding it may be slightly higher or lower than expected.
Conclusion :
Of all the suites, we found Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 2012 as our Lab Winner. It is a Simple, Lightweight suite that offers great protection and useful extra features. But if you are looking for a free software, then we recommend AVG Antivirus Free 2012 - Heavyweight Suite, Plastered with Adverts - But great malware detection and web protection make it the best free option.
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