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Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008
Price: £49.99 inc VAT

Features
Performance
Ease of use
Value for money
Overall

Reviewed By: Andy Shaw

This review updated: 22/11/2007
Featured in magazine:
Issue 175
Manufacturer Contacts:
Supplier: Symantec
Web Address: www.symantec.co.uk


Norton is the biggest name in the home security software business, second to none. But with all security companies raising their game and some new players entering the consumer suite market, has Norton managed to stay ahead of its competition?

Features:
Norton Internet Security 2008 comes with a sturdy and comprehensive list of features. As well as the usual anti-virus, firewall, anti-spyware and anti-phishing elements, there are tools for protecting you during financial transactions, keeping your identity safe by encrypting passwords (so you don't have to type them in), and protecting your home network. It'll protect your POP3 email by scanning it as it comes in and goes out, and adds a toolbar to your browser – compatible with both Internet Explorer and Firefox. Anti-spam and parental controls are optional add-ons but come free of charge.

Performance:
Perhaps the biggest question mark that hangs over Symantec's suite is about its heuristic scanning tools. Its Bloodhound engine is well regarded, but Symantec has also seen fit to produce a separate program, called Norton AntiBot (reviewed in Issue 170) that protects your PC from hijack by 'bots', which isn't integrated into this suite. Does this mean that, by having to plug a gap with a separate program that costs £20, this software isn't enough to entirely cover your security – something you'd surely expect from such a suite?

On the positive side, Symantec's anti-virus software has caught everything the Virus Bulletin (www.virusbtn.com) testers have thrown at it since 1999, and it's hit the Advanced or Advanced+ level in all of the public tests run by AV Comparatives (www.av-comparatives.org) this year. Its other security elements are equally robust. A lot of work has also been done to improve the memory footprint of the software and it runs smoothly in the background with far less impact on system performance than it has had in the past.

Ease of Use:
The advantage of a security suite is that all the options can be accessed from a single interface. We have to admit Norton's interface looks the business. There are two tabs – one providing a security overview and the other giving more detailed information. To configure the software properly, however, you have to click on Options to open another window, which provides access to all the nitty-gritty.

Value for money:
Internet Security offers a full suite of security software at a similar price to most of its rivals. If you only want the basics you may be able to shop around and find something for less. In the past you might have risked compromising on the background detail, such as customer support and the effort put into virus research. However, this is becoming less of an issue, with most security companies offering 24-hour chat room-style support and generally falling over one another to discover and tackle new threats.

More Anti-Spyware reviews:

• Spyware Doctor 6
• Symantec Norton Internet Security 2009
• Spy Sweeper Version 5.8
• Ad-Aware Plus 2008
• STOPzilla Version 5