Internet Security Software Review

Internet security suites provide all-in-one protection

Internet security suites include the three essential components of Internet security -- antivirus, anti-spyware and firewall software -- along with optional components that many people want or need. Most Internet security software suites include a spam filter and parental-control software (to monitor kids' Internet use and to filter websites). Some companies bundle additional components, such as identity-theft prevention and phishing protection.

The major benefits to buying an Internet security software suite are that you can save some money compared with buying separate programs and reduce the likelihood of having to deal with programs that may refuse to work together. However, you can assemble your own -- and possibly better -- security software system by choosing the best software of each type, and you can get some good software for free. Please see our separate reports on antivirus software, spam filters, firewalls, anti-spyware and parental-control software if you prefer to use individual programs.

PCMag.com and PC World have great reviews of Internet security suites. No other sources are as comprehensive in testing the ability of programs to prevent each type of malware. The magazines do an excellent job of reporting the specific results of lab testing. PCMag rates each component of the suites, which enables readers to focus on the ratings for the components that they will use. British consumer magazine Which? compares 13 full-featured security suites, and their testing methodology is excellent, but there's little accompanying explanation, especially relative to PCMag. Consumer Reports' security suite ratings are too dated to be really useful, but the site has several informative articles that are free for non-subscribers.

Since professional reviewers usually test software on "clean" test computers, they don't encounter the conflicts or system problems that real-world users do. For that reason, we highly value user reviews of Internet security software at CNET, Amazon.com and elsewhere. We've included that user feedback in our discussion of each program below.

A flaw we found in most reviews is an assumption that buyers will want and use all the components of an Internet security software suite. A firewall is essential to protect your computer from intrusion threats (programs looking to steal data from your computer or hijack your identity), but many buyers of Internet security software suites already own hardware firewalls (often in a router), which experts say are more effective than software firewalls. Also, buyers who want the major components in suites may not use a spam filter because either their ISP does an excellent job of filtering spam, or they are unwilling to risk having an important message inadvertently filtered. Many parents prefer open communication to software controls of Internet use.

Choosing between top-rated Internet security suites is partly a matter of weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each package against your own security priorities. On the other hand, critics say some software just doesn't make the cut. F-Secure Internet Security 2009 (*Est. $60) draws criticism for its high cost compared to better performing suites. CNET also docks points for uneven system performance and spotty malware detection in third-party testing.

In PCMag's comparative performance analysis of this year's security suites, F-Secure joins McAfee Total Protection (*Est. $30) and Webroot Security Essentials (*Est. $60) in a three-way tie for last place. Author Neil J. Rubenking calls installation on the test system "a horrible experience," and, like CNET's Robert Vamosi, he dislikes the "retro" firewall that delegates security analysis to the user, rather than handling routine tasks on its own. Test results for parental control and spam filtration aren't encouraging. According to Rubenking, "the performance hits it causes are the last straw."