Computer users these days are in the hunt for the best PC protection software but with so many names out there choosing the right one for their specific needs can be quite a daunting task. It can be double hard for people who are not aware about the features that they need for an antivirus software program. In one of your searches you may have encountered the name Norton. The truth is Norton is one of the leading names in developing computer protection software, and the Norton 360 is probably one of the best in the market today. Let us take a closer look at Norton 360.

So what exactly does Norton 360 do, and what makes it stand out from the rest? For some users who are a big fan, they would have to say that they couldn’t find anything Norton 360 cannot do. This comes as a no surprise since Norton 360 is a comprehensive, all-in-one PC suite that has pretty much everything PC users need for computer protection. But there are four basic segments Norton 360 revolves around. These are the Security, Backup, Identity Protection, and PC Tune up. Each of these segments features a wide array of tools and they combine together to provide a complete solution to a computer problem.

Basically, when you purchase Norton 360, it is like buying several software packages in one suite. The software included are antivirus and antispyware, antiphishing, antispam, rootkit and botnet protection, identity protection, network monitoring, backup and restore functions, password manager, a two-way firewall, parental controls, web safety features, and computer optimization. This combination of valuable tools helps protect, optimize and maintain your computer in every aspect.

Compared to some of the leading names in computer protection software, Norton 360 performs better in various areas. Norton 360 has a feature called Norton Insight which significantly reduces scan load. It also has a Silent Mode which allows uninterrupted movies or video games. Its SONAR or Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response acts really well in detecting and defending your PC against unknown threats. Norton 360 certainly has so many features for a comprehensive PC protection. This is the reason why Norton 360 is recommended for people who wants to get a single suite without having to buy all the components separately. Furthermore, Norton 360 is also perfect for the average users because it doesn’t require much user intervention. Computer users who do not have that much knowledge with protective software will not have to worry about using Norton 360.

On the other hand, Norton 360 was also designed to meet the needs of the advanced users. The software has sophisticated tools as well as a wide array of custom settings and options. Users can simply set it up and go on with their work without having to constantly adjusting it. Moreover, Norton 360 can be purchased at a reasonable price. Another great thing about Norton 360 is it doesn’t dominate your system resources, which means it maintains your computer’s speed.

Internet users now and then get the odd virus, but even that one virus can cause so much problems and delay. That is why all computers and Internet users should install some security software in order to protect their files and personal data. Webroot Internet Security Essentials is an amazing tool PC users should use for a total protection against online invaders. Webroot had been known to produce quality antispyware and many people have been using their products. But the company’s newest venture is providing Internet users the newest internet security suites which you can buy for $60.

Webroot Internet Security Essentials is equipped with a combination of features from different software companies. It has an antivirus scanner from Sophos, an online backup using Webroot’s servers, and a firewall from Privacyware. However, it also has its own share of weaknesses. For instance, the suite doesn’t have a number of features other security suites offer such as parental controls, antispam filter, and antiphishing capabilities. Furthermore, Webroot Internet Security Essentials fared really bad when it comes to the task of detecting malicious software. In fact, in the entire available security suite right now, only the Trend Micro package did worse in detecting malware, Webroot coming in second to the last.

In a result of the detection test, Webroot Internet Security Essentials were only able to identify about 89 percent of the worms, bots, and other unwanted programs in a computer’s system. Compared to other top performers, Webroot was 10 percent lower when it comes to this matter. Webroot also placed nearly in the bottom when it comes to detecting tow-week-old signature files. It can only detect 39.8 percent, a far cry to the top performer’s detection rate of 55 percent. Webroot is definitely lagging behind some of the best names in Internet protection software.

However, Webroot Internet Security Essentials performed relatively well when it comes to removing dormant and active rootkits (a stealth malware category). In fact, it only missed one active rootkit. But then again, the internet security suites performed low when it comes to identifying adware. This is quite surprising because Webroot is a company that specializes in adware software programs. But it did well in tagging annoying junk. It was able to tag about 90 percent, which is quite respectable but it is still not at par with other brands. In fact, it only came in seventh in this department.

Webroot Internet Security Essentials has other features which are also a bit rough. For instance, instead of using a whitelist of know good software and allowing them to access the Internet, Webroot uses an old-school technique. Its other features include a cleanup option that clears cookies, file history, browsing history, and other records by default. However, some of its tools will not work with Firefox 3 such as the cleanup tool, and the Webroot Ask toolbar. Overall, Webroot Internet Security Essentials has a clear presentation and a good looking user interface. Most of its features however, still needs a little bit of tweaking in order to be at par with the best.

The Internet has practically everything people need, some come with a price, while a few others can be availed for free. This is also true when it comes to various software programs that many computer users need such as antivirus software, firewalls, and spyware blockers. These programs are very important especially for people who are constantly using the Internet. Every computer needs antivirus software, and one of the leading names when it comes to antivirus protection is ZoneAlarm Extreme Security. In this article, we will take a closer look at the specifications and functions of this antivirus software.

ZoneAlarm Extreme Security is from Check Point Software. This software is actually a combination of ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2009 and ZoneAlarm Forcefield. Aside from providing standard protection with its top-tier firewall and antispam components and protection from browser-based threats using virtualization, Web-site analysis, keylogger jamming, and other advanced techniques, the new ZoneAlarm Extreme Security adds hosted online backup and PC tune up to its features. The features of ZoneAlarm Extreme Security are top notched and a lot of users have been all praises about them. This new antivirus software from Check Point is now considered as the biggest challenger of Norton Internet Security.

As the most extensive suite yet from Chekcpoint, ZoneAlarm Extreme Security has all the features and more of the two previous versions such as browser protection, PC tune-up tools and online backup. The tune-up tools are quite automatic, consisting of a registry cleaner and defragmenter. These however have no measurable impact on the computer’s system. Users who want the rest of the modules such as startup manager and a disk cleanup tools will have to pay a certain amount. They would also have to pay a small amount for the online backup module.

One of the key features of ZoneAlarm Extreme Security is the ForceField system wherein your web browser is launched in a virtual environment so that malware are prevented from entering your computer’s system. This extra line of defence can be valuable, but users say the implementation is not pretty. There is an eerie green glow and it doesn’t work as well with Safari and Chrome search engines. But users say that ZoneAlarm Extreme Security is pretty much the same as the standard Internet Security Suite. Both have the same clean front-end, and identity protection module, and a wide feature set which includes parental controls.

ZoneAlarm Extreme Security’s firewall is pretty good as well. It is easy to make test PC invisible to computers in the software’s Internet Zone. But the antivirus software also has its share of weak points such as so-so detection of malware. It can detect about 92% of malware threats, but it is actually a lot better than Smart Security from Eset. However, it is a bit behind AVG when it comes to this department. ZoneAlarm Extreme Security costs $69.95 direct for three licenses. The antivirus software program also requires high memory usage. Overall, ZoneAlarm Extreme security can go head to head with the leaders in antivirus software market.