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Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2008
Price: £55 inc VAT for one year’s protection; £75 inc VAT for two years

Features
Performance
Ease of use
Value for money
Overall

Reviewed By: Ben Camm-Jones

This review updated: 31/01/2008
Featured in magazine:
Issue 180
Manufacturer Contacts:
Supplier: Trend Micro
Web Address: http://uk.trendmicro.com


Best Price:
Security companies are increasingly bundling their security products into a single package these days, offering protection against all threats rather than targeting individual issues. This means you don't have to worry about finding and installing several compatible programs to manage your security – it only takes one installation to have everything done. However, such peace of mind and ease of use often comes at a premium.

Features:
The interface of Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2008 is clean, neat and password protected, which could be useful in preventing inadvertent changes being made by those who share your PC. It contains the usual array of applications that other all-encompassing security suites offer: anti-virus, firewall, anti-spam and so on. There are parental controls too, so you can block access to certain websites and programs, and even block access to all websites except ones that you've approved.

Performance:
It was interesting to see what problems Internet Security Pro picked up on. Kontiki, the peer-to-peer client used by the BBC iPlayer, activated a warning about suspicious activity. Though this is a friendly program, most people who have installed the iPlayer don't realise that the Kontiki program is activated to load every time Windows is booted up, hogging precious system resources. Speaking of system resources, when Internet Security Pro 2008 runs a scan, it slows the PC down considerably. However, this won't be an issue if you pick and choose convenient times to scan.

Ease of Use:
The installation process is an improvement on previous Trend Micro products, requiring only three clicks, though it sensibly encouraged us to uninstall some other security programs we had on our test machine. Once installed, the clear interface made all the options simple to find. The program is vigilant with its reminders if you haven't run a scan in a while or if the software hasn't been able to receive a virus definition update recently, but manages to avoid giving the impression of nagging.

Value for money:
Everything you need to protect a PC is included in this package, along with some extra services including a utility to tune up your PC's performance and a password-protected online vault for sensitive files. That said, £55 is slightly over the odds for one year's protection but it does cover up to three PCs, which is good news if you have a home network.

More Firewalls reviews:

• Symantec Norton 360 Version 2.0
• Microsoft Windows Live OneCare 2.0
• Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2008
• Agnitum Outpost Security Suite Pro
• ESET Smart Security Home