Like avast! antivirus 4.8 Home Edition and Avira Premium Security Suite, AVG Free doesn’t clean up the mess associated with spyware. Once the utility has wiped out the essential executable files, it considers the job finished, even if it leaves hundreds of Registry keys and data files behind. I prefer a more thorough cleanup, such as that performed by Spyware Doctor, which, in many cases, left almost nothing behind. WAVASF also cleans up much more thoroughly than AVG. Still, as a rule, I give full credit if the product successfully eliminates all the executable files and half-credit if it tries but doesn’t get them all. AVG Free scored 8.3 out of 10 points on this test, a bit better than avast!’s 8.0 but not as good as Spyware Doctor, which got 8.7 on this same test. On a parallel test using commercial keyloggers instead of spyware, AVG Free scored 5.9, the same as avast!. Both Spyware Doctor and WAVASF did better, with 7.3 out of 10 points. Overall, AVG received quite acceptable scores.

The free edition doesn’t include rootkit scanning—that option is unchecked and disabled on the settings page—so I was surprised to find that the scanner successfully removed some of my rootkit-based samples. It turns out that the free version is completely capable of removing known rootkits using standard signature-based scanning. The paid version can additionally scan the entire system for rootkit-type behavior that’s not associated with a known threat.

On a number of the test systems, AVG Free’s Resident Shield detected active malware in real time, before the full system scan. When I told it to quarantine the found threats, it succeeded every time, even against tough driver-based malware. That’s refreshing after my recent experience with the Avira suite. Avira’s real-time scanner has no power to quarantine files that are in use, which is to say most active malware. So Avira reported the same threats over and over ad nauseam.

That same Resident Shield was quite effective at keeping malware from installing on my clean test system. As soon as I opened a folder containing the samples, the shield started wiping them out. Like avast!, it eliminated just over half the samples on sight. And when I tried AVG Free with hand-modified versions of those shoot-on-sight samples, it still wiped out all but one. I launched each of the samples that survived this initial massacre and noted whether the utility completely prevented installation of any executable files (full credit), tried unsuccessfully to block installation of executable files (half credit), or just plain missed the threat.

The product scored really well in the malware blocking test: 9.6 points out of a possible 10, the same as avast!. Spyware Doctor and WAVASF didn’t score as high, though of course they’d catch many of the threats on their next full scan. On a separate test using commercial keyloggers, AVG Free got only 5.5 of 10 points, but let’s face it: If somebody is installing a commercial keylogger on your system, you’ve got problems software can’t solve. I don’t give a lot of weight to this test.

The new scan engine is supposed to be capable of a 20 per cent higher throughput than the one in the previous version. The paid versions also include a Webguard that filters internet traffic for malicious content, identifying and blocking phishing and malware sites.

The new AntiBot function in the AntiVir Premium Internet Security Suite monitors incoming and outgoing email traffic for suspicious patterns to suppress botnet activities on computers infected by bots. The corporate workstation edition also now contains a MailGuard to check e-mails for viruses. In addition, the Security Suite also contains a backup module for backing up files on local and network drives.

Updates for signatures and software components can be performed separately starting with version 8. A function called the failsafe system ensures that the protection software continues to function even if an update is unsuccessful.

The names of the products are changing too. The free version for private users is now called AntiVir Personal – Free Antivirus. The paid version with anti-spyware components goes by the name of AntiVir Premium and the edition previously known as Workstation is called AntiVir Professional.

About a month ago the company ratcheted up its download server bandwidth for the free classic version in order to be able to respond quickly to the expected demand. There were bandwidth problems for weeks after the previous release update from version 6 to version 7. Originally, Avira had announced a release date for version 8 in the beginning of April, but apparently there were still some bugs in the software that delayed the release for almost two weeks.

Source: heise-online.co.uk

One year on and it’s time for a revamp of Norton’s premier home security product, Norton 360.

Norton 360 2.0′s basic specification is unchanged: it offers comprehensive protection against spyware and virus malware, data loss, identity loss and phishing, thus covering most if not all current security risks.

Norton 360 2.0 will also tune-up your PC, getting rid of digital ‘fluff’ clogging up your hard drives and defragging it along the way.

We all know that spam is not only a major irritant but also a common attack vector for malware. For some inexplicable reason, antispam protection is not installed by default in Norton 360 2.0, and you have to download it (along with parental controls) as add-on – maybe it really should be called Norton 330 until you do.

Version 2.0 brings with it a laundry list of improvements (several filched from Norton Internet Security 2008 – review here), both in terms of improved usability and new features.

Symantec has taken on board the issue of resource hogging which has dogged its security products in the past. Norton 360 2.0 now has a much lighter footprint than its predecessor; it now waits for ‘quiet periods’ before performing CPU intensive tasks such as scanning. That said, it came unstuck on our PC when some errant software grabbed 100% of CPU cycles, causing an AV scan to take all night long.

There’s now protection against the major risk of drive-by downloads and support for Firefox. With Norton 360 2.0 you can back up to high-capacity devices such as Blu-ray discs, (reducing the necessity for multiple disc backups), plus iPods.

You still get a free 2GB online backup allowance. Zero day protection against malware continues to be provided by SONAR, which also manages Norton 360 2.0′s two-way firewall.

Norton AV products continue to get top VB100 scores so you need have no qualms about Norton 360 2.0′s protection against malware.

New features include enhanced rootkit detection and removal, enhanced real-time protection at the kernel level, reduced memory usage, network guard enhancements and automated threat evaluation.

"PC Tools has recognized the inability of most anti-spyware products to provide consumers with an advanced, yet user-friendly offering that provides superior protection and reduces both user interaction and memory usage," said Simon Clausen, Chief Executive Officer, PC Tools. "We are confident that the latest release of Spyware Doctor meets these objectives and continues to be the most advanced product on the market."

Consistently awarded Editor’s Choice awards by leading PC magazines and testing laboratories worldwide and downloaded by over a hundred million users globally, Spyware Doctor continues to detect, remove and block all types of malware including spyware, adware, spyware Trojans, rootkits, keyloggers and a variety of other security related risks. OnGuard real-time protection also protects the user from malicious phishing websites.

Spyware Doctor 5.5 provides:

– Enhanced Rootkit Removal – Spyware Doctor 5.5 now has upgraded
rootkit removal techniques that reduce the number of system
reboots previously required to remove some of the most
difficult rootkits.

– Improved Real-time Kernel Level Protection – Unlike previous
versions, the OnGuard real-time protection in Spyware Doctor
5.5 now can make decisions on threats earlier, at the kernel
level, to help improve performance.

– Reduced Memory Usage – The overall memory usage and footprint
for Spyware Doctor 5.5 has been reduced to ensure minimal
impact to computer performance.

– Network Guard Enhancement – Network Guard has been upgraded to
include additional protection against new threats that attack
network registry settings, thus preventing them from
interfering with your Internet connection.

– Intelli-risk Rating – In previous versions of Spyware Doctor,
unnecessary warnings may have occurred with inactive traces of
threats rated as high risk. Now in Spyware Doctor 5.5, the
intelli-risk rating system ranks threats by rating inactive
traces of threats detected according to the actual risk posed.

– Automated Threat Evaluation – Spyware Doctor 5.5 now
incorporates automatic threat evaluation, providing
standardized descriptions that allow easy differentiation and
understand detected threats.

Standard features include:

– Free 24-hour customer support for all users

– Frequent advanced updates to ensure constant protection

– Detects and removes all types of Spyware and Adware threats

Spyware Doctor Full Version Information

Operating System: Designed for Windows Vista(R), XP and 2000

Recommended Retail Price: $29.95 (US)

NOTE TO EDITOR

If would like to trial or review Spyware Doctor 5.5, please contact Sayo Ogundiran (details below).

ABOUT PC TOOLS

PC Tools is a global software leader with a cache of security and utility products, including the multi award-winning Spyware Doctor. PC Tools is an industry leader in real-time anti-spyware and has a number of key patents pending.

The PC Tools Malware Research Centre monitors trends and emerging spyware issues and provides security solutions for the consumer and enterprise marketplace. The company is headquartered in Sydney, with offices in San Francisco, London, Shannon (Ireland), Melbourne, Kiev, and Boulder. PC Tools has a global network of distributors, resellers, and retailers.

Source: PC Tools

The government isn’t the only one with lessons to learn from recent data disasters: all of us should re-assess how seriously we take data security on a personal level.

First, ensure your PC is protected by a decent firewall. Comodo Firewall Pro is free and consistently ends up towards the top of the tree in independent testing. It’s unobtrusive as far as system resource impact is concerned, uses a host intrusion-prevention system to prevent malware from installing, and it also runs on both 32- and 64-bit versions of Vista. You get all the automatic updates, rootkit and real-time traffic protection you’d expect of a full enterprise-level firewall, but at a price you most certainly wouldn’t.

DOWNLOAD

Similar to the security systems available on laptops and other computers, Norton Smartphone Security has Anti Virus technology, firewall and anti spam for SMS (Short Message Service). 

Rowan Trollope, senior vice president, Consumer Business Unit, Symantec said in a press release that smartphones are enabling consumers to communicate and access information freely anywhere and anytime.

“However, unsecured public WiFi or network connections can put users at risk,” he said. “In addition, Web and e-mail viruses can directly infect smartphones, enabling hackers to remotely control the device, access sensitive information or disable applications. Norton Smartphone Security runs discreetly in the background, providing the confidence and peace of mind to engage in everyday activities like e-mailing, Web browsing or banking online from these handheld devices.”

This is true as a recent survey by Applied Research in the U.S. shows that 34% percent of respondents use their mobiles to access their bank accounts and 54% access websites that require passwords. Now, Norton Smartphone Security will give consumers peace of mind against hackers who would try to take advantage of increase in transactions using mobile devices.

According to a survey by Gartner (News – Alert) Inc., soon smartphones are to overtake laptops in usage as they are handier, throughout the world. This would encourage cyber criminals who find hacking mobile phones easier. Hence the need for Norton Smartphone Security which has the following features.

–Antivirus: Protects users from viruses by detecting mobile threats and preventing users from accessing infected files.
–Antispam for SMS: Automatically deletes spam messages or filters them to a separate spam folder.
–Firewall: Controls both inbound and outbound network traffic on the mobile device.
–Platform Compatibility: Supports devices running either on Windows Mobile 5 or on Windows mobile 6 as well as Symbian 9 smartphones from one product.

Symantec Corp. with headquarters in Cupertino, California, offers software for consumers to protect their infrastructure and information when working using the internet whether wired or wireless as the devices are more prone to security risks. Besides computer security software, now it has come up with smartphone security which is subscription based and available online at www.symantecstore.com. This is soon to be available in retail stores and from online retailers.

Source: internetcommunications.tmcnet.com

Large mobile retail networks are paying more attention to software in search for additional income. It should be noted, in early October Euroset, the largest mobile retailer in Russia and CIS, started selling Windows Vista OS. The latest Microsoft OS might currently be bought in 32 retail outlets and internet-shops, CNews was told in Euroset. The company is generally satisfied with Vista sales, but it says nothing about the approximate amount of realisation. ‘Meanwhile, it is too early to speak about the sales momentum, as the accounting period is insignificant to be analyzed’, – our conversable says.

Some other players are scrutinizing the software market, but are not ready yet to start selling OS for computers. ‘The given product is rather attractive. However, in the near future we do not plan to sell the computer OS’, – the company Dixis says. – The customers come to our shops to buy handsets and various digital devices’. ‘We study the market and as soon as we find a product that might be attractive to our customers we start selling it’, – another retailer Egrad informs.

‘The computer software is unlikely to be very popular in the mobile retail networks, – Sergey Savin, J’son & Partners Senior Analysts, says. – But it has certain prospects. That is first of all within the civilized trade in the large shops of Euroset and Svyaznoy 3, where a customer might buy various electronic devices. The computer software is bound to fail in small retail outlets’.

The main software offered currently by the mobile retailers is the antivirus programs for smartphones. Svyaznoy, which has been cooperating with Kaspersky Lab. for more that a year and a half, was the first to start providing such a service. Meanwhile, the antivirus for Symbian smartphones is available. But Svyaznoy assures in the near future it will start selling Kapsersky Lab. programs for Windows Mobile. Such services are also available for Egrad clients. The retail network Dixis has started selling the antivirus for smartphones and communicators. One can upload Kapsersky Lab. program sending SMS to a short number. The approximate fee for the monthly subscription is $6 including VAT.

‘Regarding the growing popularity of smartphones and communicators, we have decided to offer our customers with an easy and convenient way to buy the antivirus software, – Ruslan Filatov, Dixis Director General says. – We hope, the given step will help the customers to protect their mobile devices from the possible attacks of cyber-malefactors’.

‘Today, under the increase in harmful programs attacks on smartphones and communicators, the issue of antivirus protection is becoming more and more important for most of handset users’, – Sergei Nevstruev, Head of Mobile Services at Kaspersky Lab., says.

‘Mobile retailers are a reasonable and logical channel to sell the antivirus software to mobile users, – Anna Alexandrova, Marketing Director of Eset Representation Office in Russia, says. – A man coming to buy a new handset might buy the software for it’. The maximum amount of the antivirus smartphone software market value in Russia is estimated at $500 thousand by 2007 results. ‘The given market capacity is likely to grow, but currently the given segment is not of particular interest to the antivirus vendors’, – Mrs. Alexandrova says. – The virus problem for smartphones is a little bit exaggerated. There are too many various platforms for smartphones currently, which complicates the task for those who write virus programs’.

According to specialists, the smartphone segment is one of the most promising directions in the mobile handset market. The given sector continues developing sustainably against the decrease in the sales of ordinary handsets. Thus, according to the Agency J’son & Partners data, following the results of 2007 first half smartphones have occupied more than 10% in the Russian handset market. According to analysts’ forecast, in the near future smartphones might occupy about a quarter of the handset market. As the given multifunctional devices market is expanding, the demand for various software is also to increase, analysts are sure. ‘In the near future in addition to the antivirus software the software business will also focus on the sales of localization programs for handsets, their management, various navigation software (for example, smartphone cards with GPS)’, – Sergey Savin believes.

Source: cnews.ru

It includes antivirus, antispyware, antispam and firewall features built on ESET’s award-winning advanced heuristic ThreatSense detection system and the ESET NOD32 scanning engine.

ADAOX Middle East, the regional development center for ESET’s range of security products, launched ESET Smart Security and ESET NOD32 V3.0 in the Middle East region. 

“We are pleased to introduce ESET’s latest state-of-the-art security solution, ESET Smart Security, to our customers in the Middle East,” said Neo Neophytou, MD of ADAOX Middle East. “ESET has always been in the forefront in tackling known and unknown threats. ESET Smart Security is a breakthrough technology which combines antivirus, antispam, antispyware and firewall modules with ESET’s online scanner making it a comprehensive security solution which will offer users maximum security from all types of threats. We are confident ESET Smart Security will be well received in this region.”

With significantly lower performance overhead compared to the competition, ESET Smart Security uses only 40MB of disk space, and scans systems up to 30-times faster than other products.

“Threats no longer appear in the form of pure viruses or spam or phishing. They now come as ‘blended’ threats which require an integration and intelligence among individual security features. Smart computer users are looking for the best level of integrated protection with the minimal amount of inconvenience,” said Phil Hochmuth, senior analyst at the Yankee Group. “This drives users to look for malware solutions that provide great protection, are easy to install, don’t slow down their computers, and work completely behind the scenes.”

Unlike security suites which combine standalone products, ESET Smart Security tightly integrates the antispyware, antispam and firewall features with the new version of ESET’s flagship ESET NOD32 Antivirus scanning engine. This tight integration allows each module to share information with the other to evaluate and classify every threat appropriately.

ESET’s ThreatSense technology provides the industry’s highest level of accuracy. It is the only antivirus technology that has not missed an in-the-wild-virus in Virus Bulletin VB 100 testing over the past nine years, while producing only one false-positive during that time. It has also received more Advanced+ awards from AV-Comparatives.org for proactive protection than any other product.

“Our research indicates that consumers and businesses are looking for maximum protection, low system requirements, accurate results and fast scanning speeds—in that order. They are tired of solutions that slow down their computers and interfere with other applications,” said Anton Zajac, CEO of ESET LLC.

“ESET set out to build a solution that addressed these concerns while offering the best level of protection available. With ESET Smart Security, we’ve surpassed our goal and savvy computer users will be amazed by its ease of use, intelligent lightweight design and near-zero impact on system performance.”

Unique to ESET Smart Security and ESET NOD32 Antivirus V3.0:

• Hands-on service – All ESET customers receive the same level of excellent technical support service, whether an individual computer user or an SMB

• Ease of installation – ESET Smart Security and ESET NOD32 Antivirus V3.0 scanning engines are quick and easy to install, no matter what solution is currently running.

• Advanced threat protection network – ESET solutions are backed by ThreatSense.Net, a global early warning system built into the products. ThreatSense.Net extends the power of ThreatSense’s powerful analytics by automatically submitting samples of and information about, new malware to ESET researchers for analysis, thus helping to close the window of vulnerability opened by new threats.

ESET’s new solutions are ideal for the small-to-medium size business environment. By incorporating ESET’s Remote Administrator, both ESET Smart Security and the new version of ESET NOD32 Antivirus can be deployed and managed remotely from a central location.

ESET Smart Security and ESET NOD32 Antivirus V3.0 are available for purchase at www.esetme.com as well as various retail stores across the region.

The suggested price for ESET Smart Security Single User License is US$59.00 which includes a one year subscription to all updates to the product, including new versions. ESET Smart Security Business Edition is available for a suggested retail price of US$245.00 for 5 business users.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus V3.0 is US$39 for individual users which includes a one year subscription to all updates to the product, including new versions. ESET NOD32 Antivirus V3.0 Business Edition is available for a suggested retail price of $195.00 for 5 business users.

Source: cpilive.net