Internet Security’s Big Four

Rather than just jump right into smaller options you may never have heard of, let’s start with a quick overview of the big hitters that you’re likely already aware of in the internet security world. To be able to make your own, informed decision, you have to have information about all the options that are available to you. Click to read more about each product.

Norton from Symantec

Norton has gained a notoriously bad reputation with many computer experts. Previous incarnations of Norton’s protection suite were resource intensive, slow, and not very robust. Symantec has been working to improve this, and newer versions of Norton have a much smaller footprint. Norton’s Internet Security 2014 has a 4 star rating from the CNET editors, and a 3 star user rating. Users on Amazon.com give Norton Internet Security 2014 an average of 4.3 stars.

Pros

Many users that left reviews state that Norton worked great for them, blocking virus, malware, and trojan infections, and protecting their computer with no issues. Many veteran Norton users commented in their reviews about the makeover that Internet Security 2014 got, and how much faster it runs than previous version.

Cons

One major drawback to Norton Internet Security 2014 that is mentioned over and over in user reviews is the lack of support. If Norton fails for any reason, Norton is not going to give you an easy refund or provide support for removing the virus. In fact, many users report being victims of what seems to be a support scam where they are transferred to a 3rd party support by a Norton representative, or are contacted by a 3rd party support on behalf of Norton that uses shady techniques for obtaining your consent to purchase.

You may also find that even though the program has undergone some major renovations, to ensure that you are getting peak performance from your computer, Norton often requires in depth tweaks - tweaks that are often outside the ability of your average computer user.

Conclusion

Symantec is definitely improving its products, and is still a dominate force in the internet security world, but if you’re looking for a product that runs without much oversight and with proven support, this is not the one for you.

Kaspersky

Kaspersky’s reputation has been growing steadily in the last few years. Kaspersky’s Internet Security 2015 is regularly showing up on top 10 internet security program lists, often coming in at 1 or 2. CNET editors give it a spectacular 5 star rating, while users give it 3 ½ stars. Amazon.com reviews give it slightly more at 3.9 stars.

Pros

Users that love Kaspersky spend a lot of time talking about how easy it is to install. There have been some reported problems with invalid keys for the 2015 version, but if you call tech support, they should be able to help. The 2015 version has seen some major renovations, offering new protection options, such as webcam protection and Wi-Fi security scanner.

One professional review gave Kaspersky great reviews, as it blocked 100% of the threats they tested against it, and all without the need for user interaction with the software. They also noted that it didn’t block any legitimate software, and was one of the most unobtrusive security suites they tested.

Cons

Kaspersky is another major internet security company that outsources its support to other countries. Kaspersky won’t support any issue you have if you purchased their software through a 3rd party vendor, so if you’re going to opt for Kaspersky, buy from Amazon or directly from Kaspersky’s website. Even so, other than installation problems, there are many issues Kaspersky won’t support for free. If you end up with a virus, expect to pay for assistance.

Conclusion

Kaspersky makes a solid product, but only if you don’t get a virus infection. Getting support will likely result in a confusing process, scare tactics, and extra fees.

McAfee

McAfee has been around for a long time, and has a fairly solid reputation for good security products. Many new computers come with McAfee free trials. CNET editors only give it a 3 ½ star rating, while users give it a 3 star rating. Amazon.com users give it a bit higher rating of 4.2 stars.

Pros

Many users notice that McAfee tends to run faster than other major competitors, and often finds virus/malware that the competitor programs didn’t find. In the newest incarnations of McAfee’s Total Protection, the software has undergone major renovations to run faster and more efficiently than ever before. McAfee is a fairly robust product that aims to be as user friendly as possible.

Cons

One of the biggest drawbacks to McAfee is the difficulty it takes to uninstall the program. If you’ve decided to go with a different product, or you got a free trial with a new computer, you may find that the program just doesn’t want to uninstall. In fact, many users likened McAfee’s unwillingness to allow you to uninstall it to a virus.

Many users also report that when the trial is expired, it blocks or inhibits internet access until you renew the subscription. When you couple that behavior with the inability to uninstall the program, you end up with a program that is holding your computer hostage.

One professional review gave McAfee fairly bad ratings. It was unable to block all the threats that were tested against it, and it tried to block legitimate programs too. Overall, the review found McAfee lacking.

Conclusion

McAfee is a big name in internet security, and from most user reviews, it runs fairly well. Many IT professionals, though, don’t like it, for a variety of reasons - the least of which the difficulty it takes to uninstall the program. If McAfee is so desperate to keep their program installed on your computer that it behaves like a virus, you have to wonder why.

Trend Micro

Trend Micro is another of the internet security giants that has been around for a long time. The product updates don’t seem to have made a lot of major changes recently. CNET’s editors give Trend Micro’s Maximum Security 4 stars, and users give it a whopping 5 stars! Amazon.com users give it 4.4 stars.

Pros

One of the biggest pros that most users note is its ease of use. Trend Micro is a very user-friendly program, and many of its users are loyal, long time users. Trend Micro is not only able to find and then remove or quarantine nearly any infection you might have, it’s also very good at blocking infections from occurring in the first place.

Cons

The biggest complaint that users have with Trend Micro is that support is not free, and is, in fact, quite expensive, even within a week of purchasing the software. The money back guarantee is only honored if you purchase directly from Trend Micro. Many users that had issues also note that both support and customer service are difficult to deal with.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a program you paid for that you have to operate yourself, with no support included, Trend Micro is perfect for you. If you expect at least basic support for the software, avoid Trend Micro like the plague. It’s a very user-friendly program, but if it stops being friendly to you, you’re on your own unless you shell out more money for support.

Less Well Known Internet Security Programs

Big names aren’t always the way to go. Many smaller name companies have great products, some of which are even free. My personal recommendation is to chose one of these products if you are unsure which internet security suite is best for you.

Comodo Internet Security

Comodo is by far my favorite internet security suite. I recommend it to my friends and family. It’s a robust, powerful protection suite. And the best part about it: it’s free! CNET editor’s give it an outstanding 4 ½ stars, while users give it 4 stars. While Comodo products are available on Amazon.com, these are all paid versions of the software, so I won’t include them here.

Pros

Unlike many programs that offer both free and paid versions of the software, Comodo’s free version is fully functional. You will not need to upgrade to the paid version just to get the software to protect you properly.

One of the most unique features of Comodo is its ‘sandbox’ feature. This protects you by running any untrusted programs in a virtual system, keeping any changes it makes separate from your computer until the program is identified as safe; this keeps potentially malicious programs from having free access to your computer without your knowledge. The sandbox creates a ‘virtual’ file system and registry, so any malicious programs don’t have access to your actual computer. Any program that runs in the sandbox is send to Comodo labs to be verified; once it is found to be a legit program, the sandbox automatically releases it to run as it was intended. If it is determined to be malicious, the program will be added to Comodo’s database, and will be deleted from your computer as a virus. This entire process will happen in the background, allowing you to continue on with your day. Programs that are running in the sandbox will still operate properly for you, even though they have "limited" access to your computer.

With the free version, Comodo offers a full av/fw suite. It is fully functional, and you will not need to pay for the program itself to run properly. If you need any support or assistance removing viruses, though, you will have to pay for further support.

The paid version, Comodo Internet Security Complete 7, provides the same great protection, as well as live expert support. Comodo is so certain that it can keep your computer virus free, the paid version will remove any infection your computer gets - for free. And, if they are unable to remove any infection and your computer and your computer sustains damage, they will give you $500 to pay for the repair of your computer!

Cons

While Comodo’s free version is fully functional, and is the same version you will use if you opt for the paid version, no support is offered. While the interface is fairly user-friendly, some users may find the program somewhat complicated. It is possible to accidentally block access to the internet of programs you use, and inexperienced users are not likely to be able to unblock these programs without assistance.

Free versions of Comodo’s security suite will include ads and suggestions to upgrade or pay for GeekBuddy, which is Comodo’s live expert assistance. Comodo offers so many different ways to buy the same service, deciding which option is best, and getting the most for your money, can be difficult.

Conclusion

If you’re a computer savvy user, looking for a great product that won’t cost you a penny, Comodo is for you. You get a fully functional internet security program, for free. You just don’t get support.

If you’re not so computer savvy, but you’re willing to spend a little bit of money, Comodo’s paid version is for you. The paid version of Comodo’s software is the same fully functional internet security program that you get for free, but it includes live 24/7 support and virus removal, as well as a $500 guarantee. Just be careful you don’t get lost in the jungle of options they provide when you’re buying the software.

ZoneAlarm

ZoneAlarm has long been the standard by which we measure all other free options. ZoneAlarm’s current free product is a firewall only program, but ZoneAlarm does offer two paid security suite options. ZoneAlarm is rated a 3.5 by both CNET editors and users.

Pros

All ZoneAlarm versions boast their two-way firewall, which doesn’t let unauthorized connections in or out of your computer, as well as a smart technology that monitors your computer for suspicious activity. All ZoneAlarm versions also offer a Privacy and Security Toolbar, as well as Identity Protection. That is where the free version stops.

Both paid versions offer antivirus protection - using a cloud-based antivirus solution, allowing all the virus signatures to be stored and accessed from the cloud instead of your computer - enhanced browser protection, parental controls and live 24/7 chat support. The Extreme version offers additional features like threat emulation, ‘find my laptop’, and PC Tune-up.

Cons

ZoneAlarm avoids a lot of the bells and whistles that other security suites use. This can be both good or bad. The free version requires to you to opt for an IE toolbar and search providers - allowing the firewall to be free. You can easily uninstall the toolbar, but it is necessary to install. With ZoneAlarm you will also experience a higher-than-average number of pop ups asking for you to provide permissions to programs.

Conclusion

ZoneAlarm free firewall would be a great option paired with a free standalone antivirus program if you’re looking for something that won’t cost you anything. If you’re looking for a firewall that offers good protection with little oversight, this is not the option for you.

BitDefender

BitDefender is an up-and-coming internet security suite. The company has been around for a while, but they are slowly making a solid name for their product. BitDefender’s antivirus protection has passed testing by nearly all independent tests with flying colors. CNET editors give it a 3 ½ starts, while users only give it 3. Amazon.com users give it even less at 2.3 stars.

Pros

BitDefender offers fast, thorough scans, but that’s not it’s best feature. BitDefender’s best feature is arguably the BitDefender Wallet function, allowing you to know your financial information is stored safely, and is automatically entered when you need it. BitDefender also offers a Vulnerability scan, that can help you find programs and drivers that need to be updated.

Cons

The firewall does not measure up as well, but it does provide adequate protection. BitDefender will also automatically uninstall any existing av/fw programs in an attempt to ensure there are no conflicts.

Conclusion

While BitDefender performs great, if you want to use any other av/fw or spyware solutions, this is not the solution for you. If you’re looking for a singular solution that has great results from independent testing done against it, this is the solution for you.

Good Standalone Antivirus Software For Free

If you are more concerned with viruses than you are with potential intrusions, a standalone antivirus software may be the right choice for you. Using the default protection (like Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials) that is included with your computer is not enough.

Avast!

Avast! is another av company that has been around a while, but is still relatively unknown in the average household. It is an easy to use product, and both CNET editors and users give it a 4.5 rating.

Pros

Avast! offers a user-friendly interface and includes easy to read protection statuses. The scans are quick, with even a full scan only taking 10-15 minutes in most cases. Avast! is a very robust antivirus program, protecting against 98% of the threats tested against it.

Cons

Avast! is not the most lightweight av solution you can use. It’s going to require 3.5 MB RAM, even at idle, so if you’re not running a 64 bit system, it will make your computer nearly unusable.

Conclusion

If you have a computer with plenty of available resources, and you’re looking for a robust standalone antivirus, Avast! is for you. If you are using an older version of Windows, or have limited RAM, this is not the solution you’re looking for.

Panda Security

Panda is a cloud-based antivirus program, making it a lightweight and efficient AV software. Panda has consistently caught 100% of the viruses it was tested against. CNET editors give Panda 4.5 stars, while users only give it a 3.5 star rating.

Pros

Panda is simple to install - in fact it installs in as little as two clicks. It runs from the cloud, so there is no lengthy virus signature updates that have to be downloaded to your computer. Panda protects it against viruses, blocks sites known to host malware, protects against phishing, and even disables USB Autoplay to keep viruses from spreading via USB.

Cons

The installer, by default, will set Yahoo as your default search provider and change your homepage to Yahoo’s MyStart. Panda gets a kickback from this, which allows it to be free to you, but you can opt out of that option and still use the product for free.

Conclusion

Panda is an excellent choice if you don’t want to use a full security suite, but you need something more than the free protection your computer came with by default. You won’t see any performance impact from Panda, and it is efficient at protecting your computer.

No matter what sort of solution you’re looking for, the right av/fw is out there. If it’s not one of the ones listed above (and again, my recommendation is Comodo!), don’t stop looking. Every computer should have some sort of protection before it braves the wild world of the internet.