Best internet security suite of 2009

Whereas antivirus software provides a basic level of protection for your system, full internet security expands on capabilities such as scanning files and software, activity monitoring and vulnerability search with features tailored for Internet use. These might include a firewall, anti-spam controls, ad blockers, webcam protection, keylogger protection, parental controls and credit card safeguards.

There might also be additional protection against web-specific types of malware such as spyware and adware. However running so many different types of program might mean that internet security suites use more of your system resources than conventional AV. There are many advantages to purchasing a premium internet security suite from a trusted vendor, but it is perfectly possible to create your own modular suite by picking the most suitable free products.

While this might mean you save money, it does mean you have to do much of the work yourself. You will have to identify the best components, whether its virus protection, firewall or backup software, and fix any problems yourself. The more components you introduce will increase complexity and system resource use. You will also suffer from the pitfalls of using free services such as frequent adverts urging you to upgrade. Using a premium internet security suite means the vendor integrates several services into a single package that can be managed from a single interface.

If you do want to build out your own suite, then you can pick the best of individual components in the following advice guides:. All of the products on this list offer effective capabilities, so the difference is in additional capabilities. If there is a particular type of threat that concerns you, such as ransomware or phishing, check to see if there are specific protections included.

Banking safeguards, firewalls and parental controls are also areas you should consider — especially if there are multiple users on your computer. And of course, you should consider whether you need protection across multiple devices, such as smartphones. Finally, think about usability and the impact on system performance.

Do you want a high level of customization or do you want an easy-to-use interface and do you want a program that is capable of fast scans or one that requires minimal system resources? He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in North America.

If you're looking for an antivirus that goes above and beyond simply protecting your computer from malware, Trojans and scammers, then a full-on internet security suite may be a better choice.

Bitdefender Total Security. Beefy protection across all fronts with great protection and features. Maximum devices covered: Stand out features: Safepay online banking protection, high-quality ransomware defenses, web protection module. Reasons to avoid - PC maintenance tools are basic.

In addition to recognizing and blocking ransomware, it prevents all unauthorized access to personal files and starts securely backing them up if it detects any suspicious behavior. The password manager, VPN, and parental controls are also very good — during my tests, the password manager accurately auto-filled logins and forms, the VPN provided me with encrypted access to multiple servers around the world, and the parental controls allowed me to limit device usage, filter content, monitor apps, and even set up location tracking.

Bitdefender is one of the easiest and most intuitive internet security packages out there. Bitdefender Premium Security is one of the more advanced cybersecurity packages you can get.

The cloud-based antivirus scanner is excellent, and the full-suite package includes a ton of top-quality internet security tools — like a password manager, parental controls, and a VPN. Bitdefender is backed up by a risk-free day money-back guarantee. Learn More — Bitdefender Premium Security.

During my tests, I was able to securely stream content and download torrents using servers from around the world with almost zero slowdown. TotalAV Total Security offers easy-to-use antivirus protection and comes with some pretty good internet security tools.

The antivirus engine is fast, lightweight, and highly secure, and the included VPN is comparable in speed to some of the top names in the VPN industry.

McAfee Total Protection is a well-rounded internet security package — it has everything you need to build and maintain a strong online defense in And there are also some great extra features. My favorite feature is Home Network Security which gives you full control over all the devices connecting to your Wi-Fi network and it also reinforces your firewall against malware attacks.

McAfee Total Protection is an excellent antivirus package that is particularly great at securing Wi-Fi networks. The Family plan is one of the best value family antiviruses on the market, covering lots of devices for a low price. And all McAfee plans are protected by a day money-back guarantee. BullGuard includes extras like parental controls, a firewall, anti-phishing protection, identity theft protections, and cloud backup.

In addition to optimizing and improving gameplay, BullGuard has helpful cybersecurity protections, like a firewall, anti-phishing protection, and identity theft protection. Avira also has an excellent Safe Shopping browser extension which identified and blocked more phishing sites in my tests than most competitors. The extension is also very useful because it also blocks browser tracking, preventing companies from tracking your online activity and delivering ads based on your browsing habits.

This seems very old-school--even McAfee has updated its interface to contain all activities within one window--and shows that the security tools are not integrated well. The downsides are that the suite takes up more system resources and that you will have several open windows on your desktop.

Should you decide to uninstall the product, there is an uninstall option in the All Programs listing. After a reboot, however, we found more than a few residual files. Features In addition to the basics of antivirus, antispam, antispyware, antiphishing, and a personal firewall, CA Internet Security Suite Plus includes Parental Controls and few extras. For example, with the plus edition, there's also backup and recover utilities. New this year are safeguards to protect your operating system Registry.

This is a late feature to add, as most consumer Internet Security suites have offered that for a while now. The same can be said with customizing alerts and a gaming mode. ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite has these features already. Also new this year is a Home Network Monitor. Later tiers bring in additional layers of defense including identity theft protection and financial coverage should you become the victim of identity fraud, while the top package offers coverage for unlimited devices and k monitoring to keep your retirement investments safe.

The only real mark against it is that a lot of the parental controls are locked behind the more pricey option, Kaspersky Total Security, but even this is very reasonably priced. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We love Avast because it makes us feel like pirates whenever we say it, but beyond that it also offers a compelling choice for those looking for free antivirus software. You get the standard antivirus and firewall protection along with a nifty tool that lets you run suspicious apps and programs in a walled-off sandbox to test it before letting it loose on your computer, but the features set is a little anemic beyond that.

VPN access is walled off behind Avast Ultimate, the most expensive option. Parental controls are nowhere to be found, locked away in Avast Omni, a home internet security solution that requires the installation of a specific device. McAfee Total Protection is the only internet security software that it offers and while there are a few pricing options depending on the number of devices you need to cover, the core software is the same. Those are good numbers, but they do lag behind other options on the market.

Considering none of the competition has this limitation, McAfee is a difficult sell. As such you get a very powerful antivirus program at the heart of this package. That means protection from malware, spyware, phishing schemes and more. Beyond that you also get multi-device coverage including support for iOS and Android. This even lets you remotely control your device so as to secure your data should you misplace your phone or have it stolen. F-Secure SAFE is a light running system which means it's good for older machines too, since it can be fast to operate and won't put a strain on system processing resources.

Trend Micro Antivirus Plus offers very powerful protection from its excellent antivirus software. This specializes in malware protection with anti spam, anti ransomware and anti phishing protection that stands out. The addition of a folder shield, to specifically protect certain folders, is a really nice touch. Everything is very easy to use making this a good option for those that either want it simple or are new to this type of software. Either way protection is strong and the inclusion of a day free trial makes it a great way to try out this type of cover.

Some cases of this offering false positives and being a little resource intensive have been reported but they weren't issues found in our testing experience. By this we mean it doesn't use many system resources. This means it won't slow down your machine noticeably so you can run scans in the background without any sacrifice required to what you're doing.

Protection is strong with a powerful antivirus that offers great malware cover, spyware stopping and removal of any threats that are found. It even scans programs in use so that it can find any attacks the instant they arise.