BitDefender Security - "Sweet"

Desktop Security is available from an array of vendors with many supplying venerable virus and firewall protection. Comparing Desktop Security Suites we found big differences in how other elements such as spam blocking and parental controls are implemented. In selecting a suite to install we wanted rock solid protection on the primary components that would be non-intrusive and without a constant stream of marketing messages that would confuse our customers. With this in mind we decided to install BitDefender Total Security 2008 on our office systems. The added system maintenance and backup utilities were welcome bonuses.

In a head to head comparison with security suites from Norton, McAfee, CA, F-secure, PC-cillin, Panda, Norman, ZoneAlarm and Kaparsky, BitDefender's anti-virus, firewall, ease of use, ease of setup and support ranked equal to or better than the other products earning BitDefender Total Security the Top Ten Reviews Gold Award for 2008. Out of the group, only Norton rated a better anti-spyware. BitDefender and McAfee were the only ones that included a backup module as additional features.

Knowing the computer is secured it is refreshing to see the simple user interface. Often, when you find the settings on some products it is difficult to remember the path you took. BitDefender breaks the major modules into four simple rectangles: Security, Parental Control, Tuneup and Backup. In each rectangle you will see "Attention Required" if there is a setting you have left undone. This area is where you set identity rules, the firewall, stealth mode which makes your system invisible to the outside world, automatic updates, antispam, antiphishing, parental controls, the utilities and backup.

Below the rectangles you see the "Quick Task" tabs for Security, Backup and Tuneup where you can easily access the utilities. At the Security tab you can run scans or check for updates even thought the suite checks hourly for virus definition updates and you can set scheduled scans. At the Backup tab you can configure backups, run a backup or restore. The Tuneup tab includes the Windows like accessories of Defrag Disks and Clean Internet Files in addition to a nifty Registry Clean and Registry Restore utility and the Shred Files module. At the bottom of the application you'll see two additional links for "Settings | History."

Clicking the Settings link gets you the screen above. Again you see a combination of rectangles and tabs which seems to make for an easy to recall configuration when one combination is used for administering the different applications and another for settings. In this latest group you configure your scheduled scans and change the settings for all the modules.

There are a slew of other details that encouraged our selection of this suite. The small footprint with anti-phishing coupled with the anti-virus and non-intrusive nature of the application for starters. The program makes many of the decisions about which apps can access the internet; something our customers always worried about. In the month we've used it we have enjoyed not seeing the sometimes warning, sometimes advertisement "you may not be protected" so frequent with McAfee. Even with anti-spam your email client settings are for your server whereas some security apps rout your mail through their server for inspection. This may cause difficulties if you don't remove the anti-spam before uninstalling the security suite.

Independent labs have analyzed the components of BitDefender Total Security 2008 and consider them best of breed. We can only add that our experience with them has been simple as any well designed software package should. The utilities replace more tedious ones, particularly the backups. The rest of the suite, once configured just leaves you alone; it's so sweet!

Try it! It's also competitively priced.