virus

AutoPilot and more in Bitdefender Internet Security 2012

The bottom line: Bitdefender Internet Security 2012 makes a convincing pitch as an easy Windows security option. It's got an enormous selection of features, but the best one means you'll never see another security notification again unless you get infected. And the price is competitive, striking a good balance between value-added features and cost.

Review: Bitdefender Internet Security 2012 presents a convincing alternative to its better-known competitors. It's a strong program, with all the major tools that users expect, and some additional useful tricks in its arsenal. When it comes to efficacy, Bitdefender isn't the best … Read more

Trend Micro Titanium AntiVirus Plus 2012

The bottom line: Following on last year's big overhaul, Trend Micro makes a series of smaller changes to this year's Titanium security suites. AntiVirus Plus contains the core features, but it's really on a level with free competitors--and that's a hard sell.

Review: Last year was a headliner for Trend Micro's security suites. Overhauled with a lightweight interface and cloud-based detection, and rebranded as Trend Micro Titanium, the changes made the suite competitive again. The 2012 version builds on those improvements, so this year doesn't have a lot of big changes. Still, there are … Read more

Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 2012

The bottom line: Following on last year's big overhaul, Trend Micro makes a series of smaller changes to this year's Titanium security suites. Four differences make this version $10 cheaper than Titanium Maximum Security, but for many those will be must-haves.

Kaspersky 2012 offers solid but slow protection

The bottom line: The new Kaspersky Anti-Virus for 2012 introduces a dual cloud-and-local security system bundled under an overhauled interface that's both easy to use and familiar. The suite's scans aren't the fastest, but it definitely will protect you.

Review: Kaspersky Anti-Virus continues to provide users with a high level of protection that includes security tools not offered by many competitors. The 2012 version won't change the face of personal computer security, although this particular package of security options has attracted enough devotees to make it a best-selling program, both in and out of the security … Read more

Performance, security, and features come together in Norton 2012

The bottom line: Low-impact performance, strong security, and useful features are the hallmarks of Norton AntiVirus 2012, one of the best antivirus suites available.

Review: Editors' note: Portions of this review are based on CNET's review of Norton Internet Security 2012.

Over the past few years, Symantec has completed a course reversal for its Norton consumer Internet security suites. The massive package of security tools works better than it ever has before, with an impressive set of features, some useful new tools including remote management and download stability analysis, and third-party security efficacy benchmarks that are at the top … Read more

AVG defends mobile app after removal by Microsoft

AVG is sticking by its new antivirus software for Windows Phone despite a flurry of complaints and a decision by Microsoft to remove the app from the Marketplace.

Launched a week ago, the app by AVG was designed to detect and remove viruses on Windows Phone devices. But after a couple of external experts noted that there are presently no viruses on Windows Phone and that the software seemed to violate guidelines by capturing certain private data, Microsoft pulled the app from its online store late last week.

Responding to Microsoft's move, AVG's Chief Technology Officer Yuval Ben-Itzhak … Read more

Performance, security, and features come together in Norton 2012

The bottom line: Low-impact performance, strong security, and useful features are the hallmarks of Norton Internet Security 2012, one of the best security suites available.

Review: Editors' note: Portions of this review are based on CNET's review of Norton Internet Security 2011.

ClamWin AntiVirus offers free protection

ClamWin Antivirus is a free antivirus solution for Windows PCs. This open-source freeware integrates with Windows Explorer and Microsoft Outlook, schedules scans, and automatically updates virus definitions. It offers good, basic protection without the bells and whistles of premium antivirus packages.

ClamWin's installer let us choose to integrate the program with Explorer and install the Outlook module, both of which we selected. Right-clicking the program's system-tray icon let us configure and update ClamWin as well as schedule scans, display reports, manually check for updates, and attend to other matters. The program's main interface is utterly basic but … Read more

Performance targeted in AVG Free 2012

The bottom line: AVG Free 2012's renewed focus on performance keeps scans zippy, but struggles with slowing down your boot time and too many false positives.

Review: The never-ending mantra chanted by security suite vendors sounds a lot like "faster scans, easier to use, better performance," and AVG has released a new version that it says accomplishes all three. Certainly, the scans are faster, it does install more quickly, and some tweaks to the interface have made it easier to view. Two new core security changes will make you safer, too.

Editors' note: Portions of this review … Read more

Titanium's sharper this year, still can be honed further

The bottom line: Following on last year's big overhaul, Trend Micro makes a series of smaller changes to this year's Titanium security suites. While we loved the baked-in mobile support, free storage, and file encryption, inconsistent benchmarks hold the suites back.