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Computer Security Software Buying Guide 2012

posted by on February 21, 2012 in Computers and Software, Software & Games, Computer Safety & Support, Guides & Reviews, Tech 101 :: 35 comments


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computer with keys

Security isn't just an issue for Windows PCs. In the last year, attacks on smartphones, tablets and Macs have made clear that security is important on any Internet-connected device. 

The security software companies are all allies (if somewhat uncomfortable ones) in a battle for the soul of your devices and your data. On the other side are cyber criminals, malware creators and scammers who want to make you a pawn in their plot, which usually involves acquiring cash.

You can't sit idly on the sidelines though. You have a duty in this struggle and that is to protect yourself and your data. If your computer is compromised, you become just another avenue for malware to spread or another cog in an ever-spreading scam. Read on to learn the basics of securing your devices or skip directly to our picks.

Security Software Essentials: What You Need

There are three basic components necessary to any comprehensive security setup—anti-virus, firewall, and anti-malware (including spyware).

Anti-virus
Anti-virus software is often the center-piece of any security suite. Good anti-virus software will run regular scans to see if any viruses have loaded themselves on your computer, and they'll provide active protection by checking each and every file as you download or open it. All quality packages will also monitor programs for suspicious behavior in order to block potential threats, even those that have yet to been confirmed as viruses.

Firewall
A firewall is a filter that controls the flow of data to and from your PC and the Internet. It is able to block hackers from breaking into your PC and stop rogue programs from reaching out to their creators and handing over your personal information or downloading more malware.

Anti-malware
There are plenty of threats out there that don't fall under the guise of viruses and other infections normally caught by anti-virus software. These invaders, which go by various names including spyware or adware, used to need their own dedicated tool to root them out, but these capabilities are being folded into traditional anti-virus tools. Unlike viruses, spyware and its companions primarily use your browser as the entry point and are often used to steal passwords and credit card information, or serve up endless streams of annoying pop-up ads. While most security suites include malware protection, stand-alone tools, such as Ad-Aware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, offer excellent protection as well.

Do You Need Security Software if You Own a Mac?

Short answer—yes. While Apple (and its acolytes) like to extol the virtues of living in a virus and spyware free universe thanks to OS X, the truth is Macs aren't invincible. While there are still far fewer threats out there targeting Apple users, they do exist. And as OS X becomes more popular, the amount of malware will grow to prey upon complacent users. No one wants to be a victim of the first major OS X virus outbreak.

Also, many security threats are caused by “phishing” for personal information through email and bogus websites. Security software suites have features that identify potentially dangerous sites before you enter personal information.

Why You Should Use a Non-Administrator (vs. Administrator) Account

One of the things that made using Windows XP so dangerous was that by default all users were administrators, meaning they had unfettered access to the operating system’s most sensitive parts. That meant any malware you stumbled across also had the same permissions. While you could easily change accounts to be "restricted," this mode was practically useless for doing anything besides creating office documents and browsing the Web.

Windows Vista and Windows 7, on the other hand, create all new user accounts as "normal" users instead of administrators. Unlike the restricted accounts on XP, normal users can still install software and make changes to settings. But they must confirm the changes by clicking through a prompt that is isolated from other programs and therefore cannot be manipulated by malware.

OS X and Linux user accounts are, by default, created as non-administrators. The administrator account, known as Root, is actually turned off in OS X. Instead these operating systems rely on temporarily granting administrative privileges on a per-use basis.

Regardless of what operating system you run though, you should never do your day-to-day computing from an administrator account.

What's the Difference Between Free and Paid Security Software?

There are, of course, free software packages that provide essential security tools such as anti-virus, anti-malware, and firewall, such as AVG and Comodo Firewall. The problem is that no one offers all those tools together in one easy-to-use package without charging you an annual subscription fee. So, while you could cobble together an decent defense for free, it's often quicker and easier to pay for one of the many commercial suites of Internet security software.

In addition to the simplicity of having all the various pieces of security software integrated, for-pay products tend to have advanced features, such as parental controls, password safes, or file encryption, that aren't essential but can enhance the security of your PC.

Using a combination of free apps (or a mix of free and commercial software) does have its perks however. The integrated suites can be vulnerable to viruses and attacks that can shut down all your computer’s defenses in one shot¬—something much more difficult to accomplish with separate security programs.

Unfortunately some free programs will try to install unnecessary browser toolbars (which you can opt out of during installation), and many free versions of apps will repeatedly ask you to upgrade to the paid versions.

Do You Need Parental Controls?

Both Windows and OS X have built in parental control features, but they're very basic. The controls built into security suites tend to be much more robust and customizable. You can block certain programs from running during particular times of the day, or to run only for a set amount of time. You can also quickly block or unblock Web sites as the need arises in a much simpler fashion than the built-in features of your OS.

Don’t Get Fooled into Buying Rogue Security Software

Rogue security applications masquerade as real virus or spyware-protection programs for the sole purpose of separating you from your money. At best, the programs do nothing; you simply lose however much money you paid for what is, essentially, worthless junk. At worst, these programs can track your keystrokes and steal your personal information from your PC.

Perpetrators of rogue security software scams use a wide variety of methods to fool potential victims. One very common method is to pop up a flashing or other seemingly scary message when you visit a website that tells you "Your PC is infected with a virus. Click here to fix".

If you click on the ad, you may be authorizing it to download the malicious software to your computer and, once installed, you will keep getting messages about viruses, spyware, etc. on your PC that can only by fixed by buying the "premium" version of the product. Of course, there are no viruses on your PC except for the rogue security program itself.

For more information, read Protect Yourself from Fake Security Software.

You are your own best defense

Ultimately all the security software in world can't save you from poor judgment. The Web is littered with threats that rely on carelessness and trickery to sneak past your security suite. Developing good browsing habits are the best way to protect yourself and your data. This means not logging into online banking sites or shopping while using public Wi-Fi networks, being suspicious of things like Facebook apps (especially those that promise free goods for filling out surveys) and only download files from trusted sources. And when you get that e-mail, in all caps, promising the latest celebrity sex tape, don't click the link.

Best Security to Get Now

 

For Your PC

Norton Internet Security 2012Symantec’s Norton Internet Security 2012 ($29.85 for 3 PCs, Amazon.com) is a suite that not only protects your computer from malware, it wards off spam and includes parental controls that track which websites your kids visit so you know what they’re doing online, and lets you block inappropriate sites. It also monitors their social network activities as well as who they’re interacting with online. The software will increase startup and shutdown time a few seconds but performs on-demand scans very swiftly and doesn’t markedly affect overall PC performance. It’s a great choice for people who want solid protection and a user-friendly interface.

 

For Your Mac

McAfee Internet Security for Mac 2012While Apple users like to think they’re immune to malware, the truth is they’re not. While there are still far fewer threats that target Apple users, they do exist. Also, many security threats are caused by “phishing” for personal information through email and bogus websites. Security software suites have features that identify potentially dangerous sites before you enter personal information.

McAfee Internet Security for Mac 2012 ($80 on McAfee.com) protects users against viruses, trojans, worms, bots and root-kits and also includes a good firewall along with a Firefox plug-in that analyzes search result links on Google and other engines. When you perform a search, McAfee color codes each result as green, yellow or red. It also prevents you from passing along infected files your Windows associates send you and updates itself with the latest version from the cloud every four hours.

And if you have PCs and a Mac, try Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security 2012 ($21.49 on Amazon.com), which covers 3 PCs and a Mac.

 

For Laptops That Store Sensitive Information

In the event your laptop was stolen would a thief be able to harm you because of the data it contains? Even if you don’t tote around sensitive financial or business information your personal information can also be used by hackers who can sell it to identity thieves, crime rings, phishing scammers and botnet operators.

TrueCrypt is free open-source disk encryption software for Windows, Mac and Linux that makes it nearly impossible for anyone without your password to get into your computer. Installing it can seem confusing for average computer users but once it’s set up TrueCrypt won’t let your operating system launch unless you input a secure password. For a step-by-step tutorial on how to do install it, look here.

 

To Find a Stolen Laptop

Not only do you want to make sure a thief can’t harvest your personal or business information, wouldn’t it be great to get your laptop back in the event it’s stolen? Several good services are available for Windows and Mac to do it. For only $20 a year GadgetTrak pinpoints the location of your laptop and then secretly snaps photos of the thief, which you can share with police.

LoJack by Absolute Software, which starts at $30 a year, is another option. After reporting the laptop missing, you can either lock the computer so that it only displays a message of your choice, or you can deploy Absolute’s Theft Recovery Team which will track it down with the help of police.

 

For Your Android Devices or Windows Phone

AVG Mobilation is free and makes it easy to scan your apps, settings, content and media for malware with just one tap of your smartphone’s screen. Other useful features: If you don’t want someone getting into your text messages, Facebook or other apps, you can lock them down individually with a password. You can also register your phone with an anti-theft service that will locate it as well as wipe and lock it if it gets stolen. If you want the same protection for your Android tablet you can get it for $1.99 at the Android Market.

 

For Your iOS devices

Find my PhoneWhile it’s true iOS is safer than Android, the Apple ecosystem does have problems too. The biggest thing you need to watch out for are fake apps in the App Store that are really only ads for paid versions, or paid apps that completely rip off legitimate apps but don’t have much functionality. For this reason, never download an iOS app with a one or two-star rating. And while there are apps such as Lookout (free in iTunes) that can locate your lost device, Apple’s Find my iPhone does that all on its own.

To safely browse the Internet on your mobile Apple device, try Trend Micro’s free Smart Surfing app, which uses web reputation technology to warn you if you’re trying to visit a site with malicious code. It lets you adjust the app’s protection strength to allow only sites with a very good reputation, or to only block sites with a very poor reputation.

 

To Protect Your Passwords

SplashID Security experts tell people to never keep a list of passwords or PINs in one place because if your system is compromised hackers can gain access to all your accounts in one fell swoop. SplashID is an app available for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, PC and Mac that uses 256-bit Blowfish encryption to protect a password vault where you can keep all your usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, bank accounts, PINs and frequent flyer numbers. It also will generate and remember random secure passwords. Even if your device is lost or stolen someone else will not be able to get in unless they know your master password or pattern. You also can sync data between your mobile device and your desktop computer. The mobile app is $10 in the Apple App Store, Android Market and BlackBerry App World. The desktop version is $20.


Discussion loading

Avast antivirus

From Mike on February 22, 2012 :: 10:52 am

Was Avast antivirus looked at it?  I bought the Professional version and it is fantastic.  You will get warnings if you click them Avast will protect your system.

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Avast isn't at the top

From Josh Kirschner on February 23, 2012 :: 10:22 pm

Avast isn’t at the top for detection. For free protection, we would recommend Avira and for paid solutions, we would recommend Norton, Kaspersky or BitDefender.

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Vipre Internet Security 2012

From Sandy on February 22, 2012 :: 1:19 pm

Was Vipre antivirus looked at? It has been great for me and I really like the free technical advice I get if I have a problem.

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Yes. Vipre's detection was in

From Josh Kirschner on February 23, 2012 :: 10:26 pm

Yes. Vipre’s detection was in the middle of the pack. Though glad to hear you’re happy with the free technical advice. With many others, you’re on your own.

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Who did your testing for you? They must have been paid.

From Bonnie on February 22, 2012 :: 2:45 pm

I am totally disappointed in Techlicious for publishing this recommendation for another year. I follow your recommendations and felt your staff did their homework. If you check out all the third party testing labs that cannot be bought (i.e. AV Comparatives) you will find Norton and McAfee at the bottom with many issues. Consumer Reports listed both at the bottom of the pile three years in a row. Visit your local Retailer and you will find both products for $0.00 after rebates. Their products have received such bad reviews over the years they have to give their products away.

I am a consumer, mom and student, of a household with PC, Mac’s and mobile devices. After huge issues with Norton, McAfee, and Kaspersky my local Micro Center introduced me to ESET Internet Security products. WOW what a difference a good quality product can make when you need to depend on proactive, easy real time advanced heuristic and behind the scenes scanning, fast on demand scanning, parental controls, mobile security, quarantine questionable downloads, and easy Parental Controls for each of my kids.
Bottom line, do your homework, don’t be blinded by Techlicious recommendation, no good product can sell at $0.00 and be worth anything. Companies have to make $’s to invest in continuous research and enhancing the product to keep up with tomorrow’s threats. Consumer Reports and AV Comparatives rated ESET products at the top 3 years in a row. Also in November their products received the “Parent Tested Parent Approved” award. You will not see Norton or McAfee on their Web site.

Disappointed reader of Techlicious

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The facts don't support your claims

From Josh Kirschner on February 23, 2012 :: 10:04 pm

We evaluated testing data from a number of labs, including AV Comparatives. In AV Comparitives’ most recent November testing, Norton and Kaspersky were the only two programs to receive an Advanced+ score in all three categories: Performance, Removal and Whole-Product Dynamic Testing. So, your claim that Norton is at the bottom of testing labs results simply isn’t supported by the facts.

Likewise Consumer Reports (though we didn’t use them for our evaluation) rated Norton higher than ESET in every category except for it’s firewall, and actually BitDefender was the overall highest scorer, not ESET. Norton was one of Consumer Reports recommended products.

Parent Tested Parent Approved evaluates companies that pay to participate and testing is done by parent panels, not anti-malware experts.

ESET is a very fine program. As are BitDefender and Kaspersky. But after all the analysis, Norton was our top pick.

McAfee is not a top performer for Windows, but is our pick for Mac anti-malware where, unfortunately, there are many fewer choices available.

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Forgot to mention that ESET

From Josh Kirschner on February 23, 2012 :: 10:13 pm

Forgot to mention that ESET scored poorly on recent testing from AV Test: http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/test-reports/novdec-2011/

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ad op

From Ron on April 09, 2012 :: 9:32 am

This reads like an ad op from a representative of ESET Internet Security.

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Norton? Seriously?

From Julie on February 26, 2012 :: 3:04 pm

I’m always surprised when I see Norton and McAffee mentioned as the best. Norton has never been better than other software I tried and was always a nuisance because of how it slowed down my computer’s performance. McAffee is the same; my husband was required to install it as part of his college program and after he switched campuses, he sighed in relief because he could finally get rid of it. I am currently using Microsoft Security Essentials which was recommended by a friend who deals with computers for a living, and it has been excellent thus far. I supplement with other programs for anti spyware and malware functions and have never had a problem. And trust me, with all the downloads I get, playing games, etc., I have faced the threat of viruses more than once. I think it would be nice, now that I think of it, to do research on cheaper or free programs. Sure, companies need $$ blah, blah, but surely you are aware that a lot of people cannot afford to be buying this crap every year? Just my opinion.

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Yes, seriously.

From Josh Kirschner on February 26, 2012 :: 9:17 pm

We base our recommendations on extensive testing from professional anti-malware testing laboratories, who will run the software against a battery of hundreds of viruses and malicious applications to evaluate protection and removal. There is simply no way a typical home user can evaluate virus protection on their own because a) you’ve likely only been exposed to a very small number of malware programs, even if you’re a frequent downloader and b) if your malware program misses a threat, you may have malware on your PC and not even know it.

Using past experience, unfortunately, is not a very good indicator of current performance. Norton used to be a real resource hog many years ago, but the software has been vastly improved and should have negligible impact on your system performance. Microsoft Security Essentials used to be an excellent solution, but has come up short on recent evaluations. I recommend Avira for free protection.

But paying for a solid malware protection program is hardly “crap”. In addition to protecting you from malware, paid software suites also offer anti-phishing protection, password lockers and other useful features that benefit most computer owners.

McAfee is not mentioned as the best for Windows (it’s far from it). We recommend it as the best solution for Macs. You cannot compare your experience with McAfee on Windows with the Mac environment - it’s two completely different programs.

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Yes, Nortons seriously

From Martin on April 06, 2012 :: 7:38 am

I concur with Josh about Nortons.  Hated it years ago but, at the recommendation of my brother - a programmer - I decided to give it another try.  They are completely re-written the program such that it is not any more a resource hog than any other mainstream AV/Firewall program. (I use the Internet Security Suite, not just the AV version.)

Depending on your settings, you WILL notice your computer fan coming on periodically when you are not at your computer.  It is Nortons doing an idle background scan of your system.

If there is one thing I dont really like about Nortons, and others using similar concept, it is the “crowd-sourced” reviews.  I am speaking mainly in terms of which applications are allowed through Nortons firewall.  I prefer Zonealarms method though I do see some merit to Nortons way.

I recommned Avast and Zonealarm to those who want free versions.

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Noton; You bet

From Norman V. Steiger on April 28, 2012 :: 3:43 pm

I’ve been a Norton user for at least 13 years and it has always protected my computer. Yes, years ago it did slow down the computer. I’ve been witn Norton 360 since it came out and I guarantee that it is great. I have it on a notebook with Windows XP Media Center, Windows 7 professional 32 bit, Windows 7 Professional 64 bit and have never had a problem with any of them. Most complaints on any program is a problem created by the complainer.

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Why no mention of MS Security Essentials

From Douglas Grace on April 07, 2012 :: 3:30 am

Why is there no mention at all of MS Security Essentials.  I am a computer professional (retired) and I have found that MSSE with modicum of common sense approach to browsing serves my needs with out any fees involved at all.  I recognize that there are any number of products which wll work, but in the end they all require common sense and some outlay of cash either up front or in the annual subscription services.

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We've recommended MS Security Essentials

From Josh Kirschner on April 07, 2012 :: 8:58 am

We’ve recommended MS Security Essentials in the past as a fine no-cost option. However, MS Security Essentials didn’t perform particularly well in testing this year from AV Comparatives or AV Test, so it did not make our picks.

But any security program is better than none at all. And if someone refuses to buy a package, we recommend Avira as our free pick.

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MacKeeper?

From Roberto Chavez on April 09, 2012 :: 5:16 pm

Any thoughts on MacKeeper?  A mMc using friend suggested it, so I installed it (19.95)  Is it doing anything?  Any comments on best anti-viral/malware for Macs?  Thanks.

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It's hard to evaluate Mac

From Josh Kirschner on April 12, 2012 :: 12:15 am

It’s hard to evaluate Mac software because there is no independent testing done on a regular basis. But our recommendation is to stay with software produced by well-known anti-malware companies. Zeobit, the makers of MacKeeper, would not be on our list.

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how about Sophos anti virus for mac?

From moonhunt18 on April 10, 2012 :: 1:12 am

what are thoughts on the free Sophos antivirus for mac?

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Probably a good choice

From Josh Kirschner on April 12, 2012 :: 12:18 am

Sophos is a well-respected security software company. Their focus is more on enterprise than consumer, and Sophos Windows software has not been as highly ranked as our top picks. However, I imagine their Mac antivirus software would likely do a fine job, and it’s far preferable to going unprotected.

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thank you!

From moonhunt18 on April 12, 2012 :: 12:25 am

thank you! smile

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Laptop user with McAfee

From Penneygirl on April 19, 2012 :: 9:29 am

After reading recent comments regarding McAfee’s poor evaluation for PC users, I feel the need to ask what would your advice be for me? I renewed my subscription last July for 2yrs and in December 2011 I inadvertly unleashed a virus on my
laptop through an email link. McAfee charged me
$80 to remove it. I was upset that the protection I had didn’t protect me from it which led me to believe that my subscription didn’t have Malware protection. In the meantime what should I do to protect my laptop?

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McAfee isn't terrible, it's just

From Josh Kirschner on April 28, 2012 :: 7:45 pm

McAfee isn’t terrible, it’s just not among the top. You can stick it out until your subscription is over and you’ll probably fine or bite the bullet and switch to Symantec or Kaspersky.

And whatever you did to unleash that virus, don’t do it again. grin

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Norton Thievery??

From Whitt on April 28, 2012 :: 4:20 pm

I bought Norton and was happy for several years. While deciding whether or not to renew subscription or try Kaspersky, Norton disabled the base product and all updates leaving me unprotected.  That didn’t sit right with me.  Did I not pay for the original product? Is this the industry standand?

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It doesn't sit right with me either.

From Josh Kirschner on April 28, 2012 :: 7:52 pm

I agree. You should not lose access to feature when you subscription ends, just updates. Seems like a petty way for Symantec to treat customers. At the same time, anti-malware features will quickly go out of date if not updated, so you should never be without a subscription to some service. Symantec is forcing you to recognize this by disabling features.

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Someone doesn't care about performance...

From Josh on April 28, 2012 :: 8:04 pm

Anyone who would recommend Norton to another person obviously doesn’t care about their computer’s performance.

Norton is a system hog, using way more system resources than any other AV program I’ve ever seen. There are so many very good, better overall performing options, I don’t know why anyone would recommend Norton to anyone but an enemy.

Even the 2012 version lagged my quad-core chip to the point where I deleted it in favor of Microsoft Security Essentials.

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Someone may have another issue...

From Josh Kirschner on April 29, 2012 :: 1:18 am

Hi Josh (nice name, by the way),

Independent lab testing of Norton indicates that Norton is no more of a resource hog (and in many cases less of a resource hog) than other AV programs.

From my personal experience with Norton, I also don’t see any issues with it bogging down my CPU. It hardly uses the CPU at all.

Perhaps you have a conflict between Norton and another AV program installed on your PC? And are you sure that it was Norton causing the issue?

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Yep, I'm sure

From Josh on April 29, 2012 :: 6:28 am

When I bought the computer new, it came w/ Norton on it, so there wasn’t any other AV software on it. When I took Norton off and installed MSE, My CPU usage dropped on average about 5%. For someone doing a good bit of rendering and other things that put a big load on the CPU, every cycle counts.

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Norton Vs AVAST

From Greg on April 29, 2012 :: 12:03 pm

When I started out with computers Windows was a dream DOS was king. I got one of the very first versons of Windows(3.0) and installed it along with NORTON. My problems started at that point. I tired every trick in the book.Went through every one of the WINDOWS up to Windows 98. Having problems. When I went to Windows XP i blew off installing Norton (Which I swore by) and my problems stopped. At that time Norton was a system resorce hog, used a ton of space on the HD. I installed AVAST and have never looked back. My son bought a new DELL system a few months back and installed AUTOCAD he makes his living using CAD. The DELL came with Norton and he had major problems with AUTOCAD hanging up, locking his system, would pop up when he tried to plot a drawing to his plotter. He called me for some help. I still had the same outlook about Norton I had when I used it back several years ago. I told him to delete it and install AVAST. He had to reformat his HD to REMOVE all of NORTON, installed AVAST and has nothing but praise for his sytem now. Not saying NORTON is good or bad but it is a program I will not install or recomend to anyone. To me it still causing more problems than it cures. Norton got to big for their britches when they were the only game in town and some of us OLD TIMERS steill remember it as it was. It will be very hard for us to ever believe it has changed. When the only way yo can get it OFF your system is to do a complete format something isn’t right.

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vernon35

From Norman V. Steiger on April 29, 2012 :: 12:47 pm

Evidently, like you I started out with computers in the early 1980s and have had a computer with every new operating system when they came out. No one can deny that Norton system works etc. were terrible resource hogs but they did the job. I find it difficult to believe that your son bought a Dell with any Norton product installed, Dell has used McAfee as far back as I can remember,Go to Dell and try to find a computer with Norton on it.. Also any one that wants to remove any Norton product does not have to reformat the hard drive to get rid of it. Your son should do some research before taking such drastic steps. Norton 360 is not a resource hog and it is an excellent product that I have used since it came out and I currently have it installed on 3 computers, Windows 7 professional 64 bit, Windows 7 professional 32 bit and a notebook with Windows XP Media Center 32 bit. As I stated in my original post most negative feedback comes from those that create their own problem with any software or computer system.

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hi!in the moment i don´t

From Juan on May 29, 2012 :: 6:28 pm

hi!

in the moment i don´t have the money to buy a decent protection for my pc, so currently im using the free version of AVG.
I would like to know your opinion on this software.

sorry for my broken english raspberry)

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I totall agree

From Shaun Willsher on August 16, 2012 :: 3:38 am

Hi, was just reading your article and though to share my opinion here regarding Security software. Well, i agree with Christina that we should use Security essential to avoid security threats for our PCS and expensive gadgets. Its a good read and i hope i will hear more useful info here.

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McAfee? NEVER

From Lori on October 10, 2012 :: 11:19 am

McAfee was the very first software I bought. Everything was fine for several years, then not only did I get a trojan, they were unable to uninstall it. I had to wipe my hard drive clean and reinstall everything. I tried Bitdefender for 2 years, but it would conflict with some of my programs. Right now I have AVG free, but have recently purchased Kaspersky, which USUALLY ranks #1.

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What about Panda Global Protection

From Liz Calderon on October 14, 2012 :: 3:35 pm

Like a previous poster, I had McAfee on my pc and it allowed a trojan to get onto my hard drive and I could not get rid of it.  I ended up trashing that pc and buying a new one (I didn’t know how to reformat my hard drive).  Then I bought Panda Global Protection (someone on a blog recommended it).  It seems to be working well.  What are your thoughts?

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It's very good, but not the best

From Josh Kirschner on October 14, 2012 :: 5:14 pm

Panda is a solid program, but ranks slightly below the top products. It’s main drawback is a higher number of false positives than the top performers.

Any time you have a malware issue that your current antimalware software can’t handle, I highly recommend downloading Malwarebytes and giving that a shot. The free version of Malwarebytes offers excellent cleaning abilities, but doesn’t offer ongoing protection.

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Anything for iPad?

From Stella on October 16, 2012 :: 11:22 am

Hi Josh, is there some app I should be using for an iPad? I have the newest version. Thanks!

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Hi Josh. Thank you so

From Mini on October 16, 2012 :: 11:50 am

Hi Josh. Thank you so much for this great information. I do have one question. My husband usually buys Norton 360 which is more expensive then the Norton Internet Securiy that you recommend. Is the 360 any better or is he just wasting his money? I just want to make sure it’s worth the extra money.  Thanks again!

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