PC Magazine, AV-Test, AV-Comparatives, Internet Security 2013 Mashup

The grid below is a first cut combining Internet Security 2013 products that have been reviewed by PC Magazine and by CNET.  PC World may be added later.  Also on the grid are the ranks from AV-Comparatives on their Demand Detection Test (March) and Real World Detection (August).  The two Norton products on the grid received Editors’ Choice designations. 

The  test results are currently for Internet Security 2012 products. The reviews are for 2013 products. The grid will be modified as reviews are performed and as the Internet Security 2013 solutions are tested by AV-Comparatives and AV-Test. 

Products on the grid initially:  Norton 360, Norton Internet Security 2013, BitDefender Total Security 2013, Kaspersky Internet Security 2013, Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security 2013, Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 2013, Panda Internet Security 2013, AVG Internet Security 2013, and  F-Secure Internet Security 2013

Please comment if you feel this grid is useful. 

Internet Security 2013, Antivirus 2013 – The Competitive Upgrade Swap

Internet Security Suite 2013 and Antivirus 2013 products have been rolling out for the last several weeks, keeping publications such as CNET, PC Magazine, PC World, and PC Pro busy testing and writing reviews.  It’ll be awhile before the major test organizations will be testing and publishing their test results.

Nonetheless, you may be unhappy with your Internet Security 2012 or Antivirus 2012 solution.  Your  laptop may have caught a virus.  You may have read a review of another vendor’s product and said, “I must have that, but I’ve paid for ‘fill in the blank” Internet Security 2012 already.”  Three words - free competitive upgrade.  

Look at ads from your local Frys, Staples, or Office Depot, for example.  You may also want to look at online ads from these stores.  Below is what Frys is offering (week of September 23) after competitive upgrade forms are mailed in (watch for the deadlines!).  Note that the rebates are often in the form of pre-paid debit cards. 

• BitDefender AntiVirus Plus 2013 – Free  
• GFI Vipre Internet Security 2013 - Free
• Kaspersky Pure Total Security - Free  
• Trend Micro Titanium Premium Security 2013 – Free  
• McAfee Internet Security 2013- $4.99 
• Norton Antivirus 2013 - $4.99 
• AVG Internet Security 2013 - $14.99
• ESET Smart Security 5 - $29.99 

Below are links to some Internet Security 2013 suite and Antivirus 2013 review results from CNET and PC Magazine.

 http://kensek.blogspot.com/2012/09/best-internet-security-suites-2013-best.html

 

http://kensek.blogspot.com/2012/09/best-antivirus-2013.html

 

Best Antivirus 2013 - Best Antivirus Software 2013

Internet Security Suite and Antivirus vendors are now starting to release their Antivirus 2013 solutions.  Most of the solutions being shipped are still Antivirus 2012.  Below are the rankings of a few antivirus solutions that have been reviewed by PC Magazine.  The stars are out of 5. Norton (Symantec) and AVG Technologies received Editors' Choice designations from PC Magazine for their paid and free versions, respectively. This    document won’t be static.  It will be updated as other releases occur.

Paid Antivirus

4.5 - BitDefender Antivirus Plus 2013 Editors' Choice 

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2406906,00.asp
4.5- Webroot SecureAnyWhere Antivirus 2013 Editors' Choice  
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2410545,00.asp

4.5 – Norton Antivirus 2013 Editors' Choice http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2409388,00.asp

4.0 - Kaspersky Antivirus 2013   http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2409056,00.asp

4.0 – Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus 2013 http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2409578,00.asp
3.5 - Avira Antivirus Premium 2013   http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411315,00.asp
3.5 - F-Secure Antivirus 2013  http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2409673,00.asp
3.5 - BullGuard Antivirus 2013   http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2410871,00.asp
3.0 - Viper Antivirus 2013  http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2410465,00.asp

2.0 - Panda Cloud Antivirus Pro Edition http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2407426,00.asp

For Free Antivirus

4.0 - AVG Anti-virus Free 2013 Editors' Choice
 http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2391931,00.asp
3.5 - Avira Antivirus Free 2013
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2410666,00.asp

Neil Rubenking of PC Magazine reviews antivirus and internet security suites in depth.  People looking for a solution should look at these individual reviews.  They contain detailed   (and extremely knowledgeable) qualitative data about the products as well as results of malware tests that were done by Rubenking.  Check out Rubenking’s Malware Blocking charts!  Most internet security firms seem to have a basic antivirus package, an internet security suite, and then one or more ultra or uber internet security suites.  People can also go to CNET to read reviews of these products. Avast and AVG Technologies have typically been trading off the first and second positions in CNET's weekly free antivirus security downloads. For the week ending September 9, 1.18 million for Avast and 1.00 million for AVG Technologies.

Trend Micro has released their Titanium 2013 set of consumer products 

http://www.trendmicro.com/us/home/products/titanium/index.html

PC Pro Excellence Awards 2012 -  Product of the Year, Best Free Antivirus

AVG Antivirus Free 2012 (yes, 2012)  recently  won UK publication  PC Pro’s  award for Best Free Antivirus.    This wasn't  a product test. Readers voted on it. There are advantages to having a lot of Facebook fans! For details, and to see what other products won PC Pro Excellence Awards 2012, go to

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/376954/pc-pro-excellence-awards-2012-the-full-results

From CNET

5.0 - AVG Antivirus 2013
5.0 - BitDefender Antivirus Plus 2013
4.5 - Kaspersky Antivirus 2013
4.0 - Norton Antivirus 2013
4.0 - Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus Plus 2013

5.0 - AVG Antivirus Free 2013
5.0 - Threatfire Antivirus Free Edition
3.5- Ad-Aware Free Antivirus



In the end though, isn’t it protection that rules?  How well does the product stop malware?  How well does the product protect your identity and protect you while you are on the internet?  An install is done once.  A complete scan can be done in the evening or while you are aware from your laptop.  Would you rather have a product with a 5-minute install that stops 90% of malware, or a product with 15 install that stops 99.99% of malware.  Why install and scan times are important metrics is debatable

Despite “the wisdom of crowds”, what is irrelevant is how many “likes” these products have.  Many Facebook fans have never met a like button they couldn’t click “like” on.  Fear the “like” count!  Fear any comments that begin “Best product ever!”

The major test sites such as Virus Bulletin, www.virustbn.com, AV-Test, www.av-test.org , and AV-comparatives www.av-comparatives.org   haven’t begun their testing yet with 2013 versions.  You should still visit these sites to review 2012 performance.

 Note how the freemium and paid antivirus solutions promote basic protection.  You do need a firewall.  Depending on your own situation, you may or may not need family protection, for example.  There are then the up sells to internet security, uber security, total protection, and more (!) depending on the vendor (subject of a future blog).

  

Best Antivirus Software 2012

  

The link below will take you to reviews and rankings of  Antivirus 2012 software solutions.

http://kensek.blogspot.com/2011/08/best-antivirus-software-2012-pc.html