Anti-virus and Internet Security

Review of Bitdefender Total Security 2009: Futuristic, light and packed

The Last time I had purchased anti-virus software, I had real problems. No, I don’t intend to belittle the product I had purchased since it was one the very best in the market then. The point here is exactly what this review will be centered on — slowing your system down.

Firstly, Anti-virus Industry is still trying to grapple with the fact that their anti-virus mechanisms are more “reactive” than “proactive” — it is only after a threat is encountered that a counter-solution emerges. This is like saying that you would cut down on your alcohol intake only after shreds of your liver start showing signs of deterioration.

As a fresh breath of energy, the Bit Defender Total Security 2009 is now one notch above The “Internet Security” solutions that abound in the market. There was nothing wrong with the erstwhile ‘Internet Security” solutions except that they haven’t reached to all areas and nuances of Internet usage and they used to slow systems down. Moreover, the fact that they monitor, control and hit on your web traffic would mean that you would have a browsing experience that leaves a bad after-taste.

I will start with the BAD of Bitdefender Total security 2009 so that it enables you know the devil you are dealing with upfront.

Bitdefender Total Security 2009: The Bad and the Ugly

As with any “all-in-one” security solutions, this will be fairly complex for the average user. Too many elements and too many parameters. The ‘Dashboard” is pretty average and it really depends on your aesthetic tastes as to how it ” looks”. Some usual and much expected controls like those for the Firewalls ( which even non-geeks will need to access) are absent.

The installation takes an average of 1- 20 minutes depending on your system configuration and falls somewhere in the middle of simple-complex dichotomy. I’d dare say don’t even venture into the “advanced” interface option as I am sure even the geeks will have to struggle with it. The Bitdefender Total Security has a regular updating engine but a sub-par “Spyware detection” prowess.

Bitdefender Total Security 2009: What has it got that others haven’t?

Well, for starters, Bitdefender as truly come a long way fighting the odds in a rapidly changing, fiercely competitive, almost battle-zone like anti-virus Industry literally pushing big shots like Symantec, Kaspersky Labs and Trend Micro. The all new Bitdefender 2009 Total Security comes with a horde of features that weren’t witnessed before.

It does what a normal Internet Security Solution should do like allow you to download files, share them with friends, family and office mates and no matter who else it is in a secure manner. While you browse and go about your daily activities, it scans all the web traffic, email and Internet messaging activity for any signs of virus, spyware and malware. It uses “advanced heuristics” to bring a little proactive ness into the other “firefighting” mechanism of most anti-virus software (nothing new about this since most of the other anti-virus software do all of that mentioned above, including deploying advanced heuristics).

Bitdefender 2009 Total Security: Ready for the Future

Here’s where it gets better with Bitdefender 2009 Total security incorporate some active features which have been left-out by most of the other providers. You can now deploy some great protection while you converse with ‘anyone you want” on your favorite Internet Messaging Clients.

The Bitdefender 2009 Total Security goes a long way in making your online experience a delightfully secure one by allowing you to connect to any network ( wireless or wired) at home or at work and automatically sets and configures your firewall settings. Bitdefender even thought of the ever burgeoning instances of roving executives, freelancers, sales folks and all others who don’t stay at their seats in the cubicles anymore and has incorporated a top-of-the-line Wi-Fi Monitor that helps you to prevent or even obstruct any unauthorized access to your Wi-Fi network or to your laptop while you are trying to access it from anywhere.

It even provides you with a Filevault which you could use to store you files securely — these files could have been sent by your friends while you were chatting with them — and it also works as an online data backup service with its FileVault feature.

BitDefender 2009 Total Security: What else has it got?

The goodies just don’t end here. The usual and mandated features are certainly not being compromised for all the added glitz that we witnessed earlier. It allows for the usual parental controls and allows parents to configure settings such that access to inappropriate website and emails can be blocked. You could schedule the amount of time your kids can spend time online and perhaps control what applications they could have access to on the computer.

For ardent gamers (although it won’t be anywhere near the sheer gaming rich functionality of the Norton Anti-Virus 2009 Gaming Edition), the Bitdefender 2009 Total Security solution has elements that make for gamer’s great choice. It reduces system load, taps into negligent system resources and “avoids requesting user Interaction during games” according to the Bitdefender 2009 product literature.

The Bitdefender 2009 Total Security is a true traveling executive’s friend. It is incredibly low on system resources and even has a laptop mode that ensures that your laptop doesn’t belch out energy trying to keep up with the anti-virus engines.

One of the best features I had liked, apart from the laptop mode and the Wi-Fi monitor ( and of course the free 2 GB online storage) is the fact that during un-installation of any files the Bitdefender 2009 Total Security automatically clears redundant duplicates and “left-over registry” entries and removes all traces of unwanted files forever from your system.For those who have had trouble uninstalling a few “sticky” programs, this will be a blessing in disguise.

Things You Must Know

• As with any anti-virus package, the sanest thing you could do is to download a trial version and try it out before purchasing anything. Different packages work different on different systems and it’s best to find out how these work for you first.
• If you have the need to protect more than one computer, it really makes sense to buy the multiple computer licenses since it comes in with a lot of savings. When you purchase a key for 3 computers, for instance, you can use the same key for activating the software on all the 3 computers.
• There is no guarantee that your newly purchased solution would detect all “Malware” or “ Spyware”. Sometimes these files are “missed” and this is called as a “false negative”. On the contrary, a truly legitimate file might be interpreted as ‘Malware” or ‘ Spyware’ which is called as “ False Positive”

Price:

1 PC/ I Year: $69.95

3 PC/1 Year: $79.95

Links and Further reading

Bitdefender Total Security 2009

10 Commandments for Your Computer Sanity

A Detailed Review of Bitdefender Total Security 2009 by The Tech Herald

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