My 2012 Review Of PC Tools Antivirus Free v9

The latest in my series of reviews of free 2012 antivirus programs is for PC Tools Antivirus Free v9.

The Good:

• 1. Fair detection rates
• 2. Nice clean interface
• 3. Low memory usage during scans

The Bad:

• 1. Took a long time to install
• 2. Very high CPU usage during a full scan
• 3. -

If you are looking for a good free antivirus program should you consider PC Tools Antivirus Free v9, the company’s new program for 2012?
Lets find out…

The Top 10 Free Antivirus Programs 2012

As summer 2011 comes around the security vendors cast their eyes to the following year and start releasing the paid for versions of their antivirus programs. For most people I would definitely recommend handing over a few dollars to get a good level of protection but, for some people, that may not be necessary.

Review Of Webroot Secure Anywhere Antivirus

Today’s 2012 antivirus review features the latest offering from Webroot; Webroot Secure Anywhere.

Key Benefits:

• Quick scans
• Offers a sandbox mode
• Happily works in conjunction with other security products

There is a growing trend with antivirus programs these days and that is to combine traditional databases full of virus definitions with cloud technology which provides a quicker response to new threats. Webroot Secure Anywhere Antivirus bucks the trend somewhat by dispensing with the database model completely.
This of course offers some advantages, namely that most of the ‘work’ performed by the program is not reliant on your PC. Therefore, hourly/daily updates are not required as all the pertinent information is stored and frequently updated on Webroot’s own servers.

Review Of Norton Internet Security 2012 | Download

I didn’t originally have any intention of looking at any Norton products as part of my 2012 antivirus and internet security reviews, mainly because I have not been impressed their products in the past.  However, I have had many requests from you guys to do just that so, by popular demand, here is my impression of Norton Internet Security 2012.

Key Benefits:

• Packed full of features
• Very good malware detection rates
• Accurate spam filter

If you buy Norton Internet Security 2012 then you will discover that the download is around 100 MB in size and, as the screenshot below implies, it installs quite quickly.

Review F-Secure Internet Security 2012 | Download

Before  I review this F-Secure Internet Security 2012, I have reviewed F-Secure Internet Security 2012 but back then it was only in beta form. Now the final retail version has been released so I thought I’d take another quick look…

Key Benefits:

• Familiar interface
• Very easy to use
• Highly effective

As regular readers will know, F-Secure Internet Security products have been my favourite for some time now and, indeed, this year’s version, the subject of this review, is again my own personal choice.
Why is that?

Review Of Bullguard Internet Security 2012 | Download

Next up in my continuing series of personal reviews of internet security products for the coming year is BullGuard Internet Security 12.

Key Benefits:

• Very good at blocking malware
• PC Tune Up is good at what it does
• 5 GB of hosted online backups

Bullguard Internet Security 12 is a quick installation with the initial files coming in at a fairly modest 23 MB:

ESET Smart Security 5 - Review

A short while ago I took a look at ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5 and was very impressed. Is the bigger brother, ESET Smart Security 5, just as impressive? Read on to find out.

Key Benefits:

• Easy to use
• Fast updates and low system resource usage
• Effective detection and removal of threats

ESET Smart Security 5 is an easy to use security program that will do a grand job of protecting your computer from all of the latest threats. It uses a small amount of memory and CPU usage is also low so if you shouldn’t notice any slowdown if you use your computer while scans are in progress.

Review AVG Internet Security 2012 - Download

Next up in my continuing series of personal reviews of internet security products for the coming year is AVG Internet Security 2012.

The Good:

• Good detection rate
• Small performance hit when running
• Gaming mode

The Bad:

• Antiquated firewall
• Spam filter not particularly effective
• Free antivirus program from the same company represents much better value

Panda Internet Security 2012 - Review

Next up in my continuing series of personal reviews of internet security products for the coming year is Panda Internet Security 2012.

The Good:

• Low system requirements
• Effective detection of threats
• Parental Controls

The Bad:

• Safe Browser
• Interface: white text on a black background is a personal no-no
• Panda’s 2012 Antivirus Pro may offer better value

BitDefender Total Security 2012 - Review

Back on the 17th of this month I took a look at the beta version of BitDefender Total Security 2012 and I have to say that I wasn’t impressed at all. There were a few reasons for this but the main one by far was the fact that the program reduced my laptop to a crawl. Or should I say complete and utter standstill.

The Good:

• Massive improvement over the beta version
• Auto-pilot feature requires less input from the user
• Large range of features

The Bad:

• Large amount of RAM required
• Interface: white text on a black background is a personal no-no
• Some people have reported that installation can be slow

F-Secure Internet Security 2012 - Review

In June I reviewed F-Secure Internet Security 2012 but back then it was only in beta form. Now the final retail version has been released so I thought I’d take another quick look…

Key Benefits:

• Familiar interface
• Very easy to use
• Highly effective

As regular readers will know, F-Secure Internet Security products have been my favourite for some time now and, indeed, this year’s version, the subject of this review, is again my own personal choice.
Why is that?

Review Of Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 | Download

If you follow the internet security industry at all then you will probably already know that it is customary for companies to release their lineup for the following year at about this time. Of all the security products I’ve chosen to look at over the coming 12 months, the first off the blocks this year is Kaspersky Internet Security 2012. So, without further ado, I’ll take a look at the Russian lab’s offering to see how it fares against last year’s products and, in time, how it compares with it’s competition.

The Good:

• Quick to install
• Quick to run
• Effective detection of threats

The Bad:

• Scanning disabled if your laptop is running off the battery (though this setting can be changed)
• The very first update is quite large and, in some cases, can take quite some time to install

The Best 10 Internet Security Programs 2012 – My Reviews

Are you looking to protect your PC, laptop or netbook? Do you want more than just antivirus protection? If so, you’ll be wanting a complete internet security package.
There are many bonuses to buying an internet security suite as opposed to a standalone antivirus program. Some examples of the extra features you will gain if you spend a few extra dollars on your security are -

• a firewall
• antispyware
• antispam protection
• protection against dodgy links in search engines
• identity theft protection

Most of the above are fairly common features in internet security programs these days but many security vendors add in other useful additions that are unique to their products. In fact, I expect all of the companies I will be looking at to try and outdo each other, as well as improve on their 2011 offerings.
I will be reviewing internet security products from the following security vendors as they are released over the next few months. So keep popping back as I will add more on a regular basis -

2012 Internet Security Reviews

Avira AntiVir Personal 2012 12.0.0.861

The AntiVir Personal Edition offers the effective protection against computer viruses for the individual and private use on a single PC-workstation. In order to make possible an easy operation, the AntiVir Personal Edition is developed to the essential points.
Even though viruses have now grown very numerous, one thing hasn't changed: our commitment to provide you with all-round protection. The reliability of AntiVir is demonstrated in numerous comparison test and references featured in independent trade journals.

Features of Avira AntiVir Personal 2012 :

AVIRA Free Antivirus 2012 – Review

The Rating Scale Breakdown:

• 0  – 0.5 – Abysmal
• 1.0 – 1.5 – Terrible
• 2.0 – 2.5 – Poor
• 3.0 – 3.5 – Average
• 4.0 – 4.5 – Great
• 5.0 – Excellent

• Undetermined – Too soon to tell or lacking evidence to provide a solid answer
• Not Tested – Has yet to be requested or there is some limitations to prevent accurate test results

————————–
Price: Free
A. Installation AVG – 5.0 “Excellent“ – A very easy 2-3 click install.
B. Un-installing AVG – 4.5 “Great“ – Very easy to un-install. But you will require a reboot. To completely remove AVIRA from your system.

AVG Antivirus 2012 Free Edition – Review

Today we’re going to revisit a new AVG product, AVG Anti-Virus 2012 Free Edition. Previously I’ve been using Comodo Internet Security Premium Free as my security, but I decided to see what AVG has done to their new 2012 anti-virus software. Upon some more research it appears that AVG Anti-Virus 2012 Free Edition protects against many kinds of malware, including Viruses, Trojans, Spyware, and Rootkits. It also detects PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) such as keygens or hacktools. Anyway, enough blab and let’s see AVG 2012 impress!

Which is Best Free Antivirus 2012 version: Performance and Comparison

Which is the best free antivirus? Which is faster and which detects more malware without falling into the false positives ? Here we have the latest version (2012 products) shortlisted and analysed- avast, AVG, Avira, Panda Cloud and MSE – to find the clear winner.

5 Best Free Antivirus candidates (version 2012)

In the last decade, free antivirus solutions have gone from mediocre to become security programs better than many equivalent paid ones, offering a high quality protection at zero cost. The five chosen ones account for 40% of the overall market share:

Review Of BitDefender Antivirus Plus 2012

Today’s 2012 antivirus review features BitDefender Antivirus Plus 2012. (see my review of BitDefender Total Security 2012 if you would prefer a more robust protection suite)

Key Benefits:

• Scores very well in independent testing
• Autopilot mode will be a great benefit to those who prefer hands off security
• Strong anti-phishing protection

Review Of ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5

Continuing with my ongoing series of 2012 antivirus reviews I am, today, looking at ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5.

The Good:

• Clean, simple interface
• Scores well in independent tests
• Low system resource usage

The Bad:

• Rescue CD requires prior installation of Microsoft’s Automated Installation Kit (AIK)
• -
• -

Review Of Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus Plus 2012

The next antivirus program I’m looking at in my 2012 reviews is Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus Plus 2012. Trend Micro™ Titanium™ Antivirus + provides software protection made easy.
The Good:

• Simple to use
• Very quick installation
• Good detection rates

The Bad:

• High CPU usage during my testing*
• Not as many features as some of its competitors
• Whilst general support is free, premium support will cost you