Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009

Although at NZ$55* for a downloaded version it is one of the most expensive standalone antivirus programs on sale in New Zealand, Kaspersky is the most effective. The company is also quickest off the mark when it comes to delivering updates to protect customers against the latest emerging threats. The program is one of the easiest to use with a polished user interface and clearly labelled options – though you’ll have to set up its scheduled scan yourself. I’ve not tested Kaspersky’s Internet Security 2009.

* When I visited the online store points New Zealand customers to an Australian site where the download price is A$55.

http://www.kasperskyanz.com.au/

Symantec Norton Internet Security 2009

The best-known name in PC security combines a first-rate antivirus program that also pounces on spyware with a solid firewall in its security suite.

All the security functions are accessible from a control centre which clearly shows when something’s wrong – clicking this will normally fix things in a jiffy. If you run a home network, you can inspect the security settings of all computers from a single screen.

Norton Internet Security 2009 will slow your machine a tad, but in practice I find it far less disruptive than McAfee’s products and a noticeable improvement on earlier versions of the Norton software. Norton also stays out-of-the-way when you are working. At A$99 or NZ$99 to protect three home computers the price is good too.

http://www.symantec.com

Trend Micro HouseCall

If you’ve been slack with your computer security and suddenly feel under threat Trend Micro’s Housecall (http://housecall.trendmicro.com) is a free web-based antivirus and spyware service that can check your system for problems and then fix them. It works with both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, you simply download some code and then set it to work in your browser while you get on with other tasks. It works just like any other antispyware product and is at least as good at finding nasty software. While using HouseCall isn’t as safe as having security software running on your machine, it is a great quick fix.

Kaspersky offers an alternative online scanner at http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner. It works fine, but can be  tricky if you’re running Windows Vista as you have to open your browser in administrator mode. That’s a non-trivial road block.

McAfee Total Protection 2009

In the past McAfee’s security tools haven’t been the best. I’ve found them to deliver less than first-rate protection while slowing down my computer and getting in the way of everyday work. What’s more, the company seems heavy-handed about extracting money from customers with pop-ups and constant email reminders.

And to cap it all, McAfee’s products are expensive. Total Protection 2009 costs A$130 in Australia and NZ$130 for customers buying direct from the web site. Computer stores often sell it for less but the rival programs are cheaper and have a better track record so why risk it? While I haven’t had the chance to test McAfee Total Protection 2009 personally, the marketing blurb says its simpler to user and uses fewer resources. It’s not the product I’d choose, but there are people who swear by McAfee.

http://au.mcafee.com/

Avast Antivirus

Avast is free for home users. It’s a price you can’t argue with. Business users are expect to pay, but prices are low in comparison to other antivirus options. It’s a light program and uses hardly any computer resources which means it won’t slow you down. It’s also simple enough for non-technical people to use without being bamboozled. You’ll get regular automatic updates as required too.

http://www.avast.com/

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.0

As the name suggests, the price tag on AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.0 is a big fat zero. Unlike Avast, AVG makes the free version harder to find on its web site and goes to great lengths to persuade you the paid for products make more sense, but in reality it’s a good anti-virus tool at keen price.

http://www.avg.com.au

Comodo Firewall

Don’t be lured into a false sense of security by the firewalls built into Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows XP, you need better protection. The paid-for internet security suites all include robust firewalls, Comodo is widely regarded as the best free option. You might find it a bit annoying at first when it keeps asking you about programs, but after a while it’ll settle down and keep the worst malware at bay.

http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

Security Software Shopping Tips

Go for the suite spot

You’ll need antivirus, firewall and antispyware software to keep your PCs safe from most threats. While some expert users manage to run individual products from different vendors, the applications may not play nicely together. You may even cause your system to crash. Suites are designed so that applications dovetail smoothly. They also give you a single interface to control everything. What’s more, suites are priced to be much cheaper than the sum of their components. You may need to find separate spam filtering, anti-phishing and adware software.

Check the extras

Security suites often go beyond the basics offering features like parental controls, spam filtering and tools to stop private information like passwords, account details or telephone numbers from being transmitted.

Don’t double up

It’s tempting to think that running two firewalls or antivirus programs will make your system doubly secure – it won’t. Overlapping security tools can create havoc, slowing your computer and making it hard to troubleshoot problems. Stick with one of everything, it’ll be safer not to mention cheaper.

Watch the calendar

Many commercial security software products come as one or more applications coupled with online links to an automatic updating service. Typically when you buy the product one year’s worth of updates come as part of the deal. When the year is up you’ll be given an option to pay a fee to get a further year’s worth of updates.

That’s convenient, but typically the cost of an extra year’s subscription is more or less the same as what you’d pay for new versions of the applications. As security vendors are constantly updating their technology and adding more features to their products – buying a fresh product is often the better option. What’s more, avoiding the subscription gives you an opportunity to avoid lock-in and move to a rival company’s offering.

Also, watch out for arrangements where a security software company takes your credit card details and automatically invoices for updates. They try to tell you this is a service to make life easier for you. In fact, they do it because they make a lot more money that way.

See also:

Computer security guide: 1 introduction
Computer security guide: 2 what are the main threats?
Computer security guide: 3 defensive software
Computer security guide: 5 what to buy or download for free

Related articles by Zemanta

• Norton 2010 Beta security software available to try for free (shankee.com)
• Malware – Hate to be Correct (chris.pirillo.com)
• How to Choose a Security Software a confusing story (espreson.com)
• Microsoft’s new free anti-malware solution gets closer: a new name for Morro? (liveside.net)

A whole range of security products can help protect your computer. Some are traditional packaged software others are online services. Here’s a list of the types of security software applications you are most likely to need:

Anti-virus

Designed to keep your PC free of infection, anti-virus programs generally use two different approaches. First, they use large databases – known as signatures – which are matched against incoming files to identify potential threats and block them.

Although signature files are updated regularly, with some vendors running daily updates, while others updating signatures every hour or so, this isn’t always enough. Virus writers are engaged in a constant battle of wits against antivirus specialists and aim to ‘fly under the radar’ with fresh malware.

The worst code can often spread faster than distribution of signature updates. So most antivirus programs now include tools designed to identify suspicious virus-like behaviour from unknown files. These files are then flagged as potential threats and treated accordingly.

Anti-virus is a misleading name these days. Almost every anti-virus program provides protection from a range of different mal-wares.

Firewalls:

Firewalls control the flow of internet traffic to and from your computer. They can be hardware devices – if you use a router it may have a built-in firewall – but in most home set-ups they tend to be software.

Firewalls have two main functions. They act as a gate, stopping unwanted traffic from entering your system. At the same time, they should stop unapproved traffic from leaving your system. For example, if there’s a spyware program on your computer monitoring your activities, a properly configured firewall will stop that information from being sent. Equally, if you are infected by, say, a worm, a firewall won’t let it get out and infect others.

Be warned that the firewall in Windows XP only stops incoming traffic; it will only protect you up to a point. You should invest in a commercial firewall product – they are all bi-directional.

Unlike antivirus programs, which can be installed and forgotten, firewalls can be complex to operate. If you set things up incorrectly, you may leave your computer vulnerable. Alternatively, you may hinder legitimate traffic – this can be especially difficult if you operate a home network. The best firewalls will automatically configure themselves, but they tend to err on the side of caution blocking any unusual application.

Anti-spyware

Also known as spyware blockers. There’s a thin line between antivirus and antispyware tools – in fact some commercial security products now combine the two functions in a single application. Good antispyware products will detect and remove both spyware and adware from your computer. It should also block this kind of software from being installed. Some spyware will be detected by a firewall when it first attempts to send data back to base.

Spam Filters

A program designed to stop, or at least drastically reduce, the amount of spam turning up in your email in-box. Spam filters can save you time and money sorting through rubbish emails but most home and small business computer users don’t need to worry about filtering spam. That’s because many ISPs and web-mail providers now use anti-spam filters to check mail before it is downloaded to your computer or read in your web browser. Also, modern email programs, like Microsoft Outlook 2007, have built-in spam detection tools.

See also:

Computer security guide: 1 introduction
Computer security guide: 2 what are the main threats?
Computer security guide: 4 how to buy security tools
Computer security guide: 5 what to buy or download for free

Related articles by Zemanta

• Antivirus on Linux and Macs (lockergnome.com)
• Top 10 Signs, You Have Viruses or Spyware (computer-realm.net)

It’s not a question of whether the virus-writers, phishers, spam merchants and other assorted online nuisances are targeting your PC, your money and your privacy, it’s a question of how successful they will be.

Your computer and your data are potentially vulnerable from the moment you hit the on button. The threats multiply when you go online. While there’s no sure way to make your system safe, there’s plenty you can do to minimise the risks.

The Big Picture
The risks are real. At the less worrying end of the spectrum, unscrupulous neighbours might hop onto to your wireless router so they can surf the web on your ISP account or pranksters may load your PC with troublesome viruses.

There are people, including in some cases seemingly respectable companies, who want to spy on your online activities. More seriously, there are crooks who’d like to control your computer so they can suck money from your bank accounts.

Others want to hijack your machine so they carry out their crimes or even terrorist acts at arm’s length leaving a trail that investigators may track to your front door.

Getting Started
It sounds scary and it can be, but a whole industry has evolved to help keep you safe. These days you need a variety of tools to fight a complex range of security threats (see the next post: Computer security guide: 2 what are the main threats).

At the minimum you should be looking at using an antivirus program, a firewall and some antispyware tools.

This may sound complicated and expensive, but all-in-one security suites can make life considerably easier and help you sleep at night.

These can be particularly helpful if you’re not a security expert because the separate tools in security suites are designed to interact smoothly with each other and provide overlapping protection from today’s nastiest threats which can use a blend of techniques to probe your defences.

Further reading:
Computer security guide: What are the main threats?
Computer security guide: Defensive software
Computer security guide: How to buy security tools
Computer security guide: What to buy or download for free

Related articles by Zemanta

• Free Genuine Kaspersky Internet Security for 3 Months! (tipsblogger.com)
• Beware spycam may be watching you work (comsecllc.blogspot.com)
• DOM flaw can crash many browsers (slumpedoverkeyboarddead.com)
• War of the PC Security Providers Coming (lockergnome.com)