new versions of security suites are coming in every day, but we want to keep you up to date. We've reviewed 28 packages to help you choose which is best for you.
Almost ten years ago the security suite industry began a pattern of releasing new editions in the fall and naming them using the coming year, just like carmakers. Trying to escape the crowd, some vendors started launching the next year's products earlier and earlier—as early as May in one case.
That trend may be reversing now. The first products with "2013" in the name didn't appear until August, and some vendors are eliminating the year or version number from product names entirely. Norton and Kaspersky in particular have dropped the numbers. (We often add the year in parentheses, so you can distinguish the current review from old ones.)
Our Top Choices
We've identified three security suites that merit the honor of being named Editors' Choice, each for different reasons. As you can see in the chart below, Norton Internet Security 2012 $28.20 at Discount Mountain excels in every area. If you're looking for a traditional security suite, with essential features like antivirus, firewall, antispam, parental control, and phishing protection, it's a great choice.
Norton 360 originally looked quite different from Norton Internet Security, but that difference is less pronounced in Norton 360 Version 6.0 $38.97 at SnaggStuff. It does offer a task-oriented interface component that may suit some users better than the standard suite. The big difference between this suite and Norton Internet Security is the inclusion of online backup and tuneup capabilities. With that, you get the same high-end protection as in Norton Internet Security.
Looking for the smallest, lightest protection available? The installer for Webroot SecureAnywhere Complete $39.99 at Webroot would fit on a 3.5-inch diskette twice. Its unusual antivirus component doesn't use antivirus signatures; rather, it detects threats by their behavior and other characteristics. Webroot omits spam filtering and parental control, two common suite features that aren't universally needed, but adds a very flexible online backup and sync utility, and password management powered by LastPass.
The chart below lists current suites, along with their prices and star rating for major security components. Note that in some cases the price listed for "3-pack" actually gets you more than three licenses. You'll find mini reviews of all the suites on the following pages, but click through any of them to the full review.
What's Next?
Don't look for my review of McAfee's 2013 line right away. McAfee uses a rolling update system, sliding new features into the product as soon as they're ready. Even though the boxes say "2013," my McAfee contacts have asked me to hold the review until all the new features have arrived.
You may have noticed that the don't-call-it-2013 editions of Norton Internet Security and Norton 360 are already out. I'll have reviews for those as soon as possible—they're in testing right now. Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 2013 and Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security 2013 are queued up next, and F-Secure Internet Security 2013 is ready, too. This roundup will definitely get another update soon.
- September 19, 2012
Contents
Almost ten years ago the security suite industry began a pattern of releasing new editions in the fall and naming them using the coming year, just like carmakers. Trying to escape the crowd, some vendors started launching the next year's products earlier and earlier—as early as May in one case.
That trend may be reversing now. The first products with "2013" in the name didn't appear until August, and some vendors are eliminating the year or version number from product names entirely. Norton and Kaspersky in particular have dropped the numbers. (We often add the year in parentheses, so you can distinguish the current review from old ones.)
Our Top Choices
We've identified three security suites that merit the honor of being named Editors' Choice, each for different reasons. As you can see in the chart below, Norton Internet Security 2012 $28.20 at Discount Mountain excels in every area. If you're looking for a traditional security suite, with essential features like antivirus, firewall, antispam, parental control, and phishing protection, it's a great choice.
Norton 360 originally looked quite different from Norton Internet Security, but that difference is less pronounced in Norton 360 Version 6.0 $38.97 at SnaggStuff. It does offer a task-oriented interface component that may suit some users better than the standard suite. The big difference between this suite and Norton Internet Security is the inclusion of online backup and tuneup capabilities. With that, you get the same high-end protection as in Norton Internet Security.
Looking for the smallest, lightest protection available? The installer for Webroot SecureAnywhere Complete $39.99 at Webroot would fit on a 3.5-inch diskette twice. Its unusual antivirus component doesn't use antivirus signatures; rather, it detects threats by their behavior and other characteristics. Webroot omits spam filtering and parental control, two common suite features that aren't universally needed, but adds a very flexible online backup and sync utility, and password management powered by LastPass.
The chart below lists current suites, along with their prices and star rating for major security components. Note that in some cases the price listed for "3-pack" actually gets you more than three licenses. You'll find mini reviews of all the suites on the following pages, but click through any of them to the full review.
Don't look for my review of McAfee's 2013 line right away. McAfee uses a rolling update system, sliding new features into the product as soon as they're ready. Even though the boxes say "2013," my McAfee contacts have asked me to hold the review until all the new features have arrived.
You may have noticed that the don't-call-it-2013 editions of Norton Internet Security and Norton 360 are already out. I'll have reviews for those as soon as possible—they're in testing right now. Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 2013 and Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security 2013 are queued up next, and F-Secure Internet Security 2013 is ready, too. This roundup will definitely get another update soon.
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