Group test: what's the best security software?

Internet security suites group test

By | PC Advisor | 28 May 13

We've exhaustively tested every major internet security suite. Here we present the top 5.

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Security Advisor

Security software reviews

5. Kaspersky Internet Security 2013

Kaspersky Internet Security 2013
  • Reviewed on: 4 September 12
  • RRP: £105 (5-device, 2-year licence), £50 (3-device, 1-year licence)
  • Rating: Rated 9 out of 10

Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 covers all the bases well. With a full complement of protection modules at its disposal, it adds in some useful extras. In particular, it guards against the possibility of drive-by malware lifting financial passwords or details when you're dealing with your accounts. Rated highly for its core protection and repair capabilities, it's a little expensive, but may well be discounted, now it's widely available.

4. Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security

Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security
  • Reviewed on: 1 February 13
  • RRP: £60 for 1 year/3 PCs
  • Rating: Rated 9 out of 10

Overall, Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security is a great choice. This security suite boasts excellent performance, a quick installation process, a user-friendly interface, and speedy scans. Its settings pane is a tad confusing, but that’s a minor issue considering the protection you’ll be getting.

3. Bitdefender Internet Security 2013

Bitdefender Internet Security 2013
  • Reviewed on: 31 January 13
  • RRP: £39
  • Rating: Rated 9 out of 10

Overall, Bitdefender's 2013 Internet security suite is an excellent, user-friendly program. It does have some mild scanning-speed issues, but otherwise it's an easy-to-use suite that gives you several nice extra services.

2. Symantec Norton Internet Security 2013

Symantec Norton Internet Security 2013
  • Reviewed on: 18 October 12
  • RRP: £50 (3-device, 1-year); £80 (5-device, 1-year)
  • Rating: Rated 8 out of 10

As we've now come to expect from Symantec, Norton Internet Security is a solid, professional piece of software, doing what it does thoroughly and with a minimum of interruption. There doesn't seem a whole lot new in the 2013 version and there are other products which include extra modules for the same money, but the core requirements of an IS product are well covered here.

1. F-Secure Internet Security 2013

F-Secure Internet Security 2013
  • Reviewed on: 25 February 13
  • RRP: £42 inc. VAT
  • Rating: Rated 8 out of 10

With excellent protection and a user-friendly interface, F-Secure is definitely worth a look. This security package adds a little extra weight to your system, but if you can get past those performance issues, it's a great program.

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Comments

shallotman said: Strange how three of them where almost identical price

chris_esp2go said: Beside decent antivirus and firewall software or a suite is the need to ensure your system is patched and up to date Using something like secunia will help and running windows updateThe other thing to realise is that no av securitysoftware is 100 Therefore a muti-layer approach is best By this I mean using a primary software with real time protection and a secondary layer to checkwithout real time protection to avoid conflicts etc such asan online scan or other software Best of all avoid trying to get things forfree on the net as they usually come with a price and most importantlythe old rightclick syndrome This is usuallywhere mostsecurity softwarefails as it presents an unintelligbleoption toa user who justgets fed up and goesclickety click oh my pc is infected how did that happen Or as I often say to someone whos pc I frequently have to fix you seem to have a PIBKC error - person in between keyboard and chair

Hussain_alqursan said: AntiVir sucks really

Hussain_ronaldo said: Bitdefender is the clearly No12- Norton3-Kaspersky and ESET

Matt Egan said: It is especially in this space You cant skimp on testing security software It has to be done properly or not at all

PCsearcher said: A lot can happen in a year - it must be difficult to keep your software reviews uptodate for the latest versions of software Having been overloaded with AVG s system heavy suite - i found the trial of the newest Webroot lightsmart and very fast - but is it doing the job reviews say yes but yours is over a year old

Matt Egan said: Yeah well be updating the test as soon as weve had chance to properly test all the 2012 versions As Im sure youll appreciate its the most involved testing process of them all but it has to be done properly or its not worth the ink

Stewe Woran said: This test is fairly old Do you plan any new onecomingsoon I wouldsuggestto add more products in to the test G-Data K7 Computing

Peter Davidson said: An excellent subject to cover It is very important to ALL computer uses whether light or heavy uses Pleased to see Norton came out on top I have been using it for several years Well worth upgrading to their Premier edition

Matt Egan - Editor said: Hi Peter If a product has 45 stars you can be assured that it will protect your PC to the required level We did consider artificially reducing some scores to create a greater spread but that would be unfair and really pointless Our Antivir review is here bitlydReI0S 35 stars

Peter said: Now how does this rating help me All have 45 Stars and where is Antivir The best Anti-Virus is an updated one - Also budgets with slower Computers needs to be taken into consideration and the Platform what they running on Commercial License vs Personal use

Rosemary Hattersley, associate said: Good point CraigThe other products tested were Comodo Internet Security 2011 Complete review McAfee Internet Security 2011 and Webroot Internet Security Essentials 2011

craig kensek said: A number of security internet security suites werent in the top 10 What other internet security suites were testsd

Stuart said: I have never been a fan of big bloated security programs like Norton although i do read the reviews and it looks like they may have finally got their act togetherI always found Avast free edition and Malwarebytes has always done the job with little intrusion to let me get on with using my pcMost infections i have fixed in the past came from people who didnt know how to set their AV properly or dont understand what to avoid on the netThis is where companies like Norton will make a killingthrough peoples laziness

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