Get Internet Security By 9 security suites

Computerworld - Just a few short years ago, all a PC needed for protection was a basic antivirus program to guard against any malware that arrived via an e-mail attachment, embedded in a shareware application or piggy-backed on a floppy disk.

These days, however, the threat landscape has changed drastically. Now PC users have to cope not only with viruses, but also with spyware, spam, infected Web sites, adware, key loggers, phishing schemes and much, much more. It's enough to make your head spin.

As a result, properly securing a PC now requires a layered approach that incorporates many security technologies. Although some are still sold in separate packages, most security products are currently gathered in suites, available from a multitude of security software vendors.

The crowded market makes picking a suite a bit of a dilemma for most users. Narrowing down which product to use requires a closer look at what type of protection is available.

9 security suites

• Introduction
• BitDefender Internet Security 2010
• Kaspersky Internet Security 2010
• McAfee Internet Security 2010
• Norman Security Suite
• Norton Internet Security 2010
• Panda Internet Security 2010
• Security Shield 2010
• Trend Micro Internet Security Pro
• ZoneAlarm Security Suite 2010

Security suites can include some, or all, of the following: antivirus, antispyware, antispam, anti-malware (rootkits, bots, zombies, etc.) and antiphishing tools, plus a link scanner, privacy controls, parental controls, content filtering, registry protection, data filtering and password protection.

In this roundup, I look at nine security suites that include all of the features mentioned above. The suites are BitDefender Internet Security, Kaspersky Internet Security, McAfee Internet Security, Norman Internet Security Suite, Norton Internet Security 2010, Panda Internet Security, Security Shield 2010, Trend Micro Internet Security Pro and ZoneAlarm Internet Security.