Prevx1 version 2

Prevx has a different attitude to online security to most software. In its eyes, it doesn’t matter whether a malicious program comes from a hacker, a virus, a Trojan, a root-kit, a spyware program or any other dubious source – it aims to stop the lot.

Features
When it comes down to it, no security software can claim 100 per cent protection, because no-one really knows where the next threat is coming from. Prevx automatically stops any new software from doing its thing and checks it against its online database, which is constantly updated using information from other Prevx users and the company’s own engineers. If the software has been deemed safe, it’ll run; if it’s new and unknown, you’ll be queried – you might be running a new software installation that you trust, but that Prevx hasn’t seen yet. But if Prevx has deemed the software bad, it’ll be stopped in its tracks and banished to a safe corner of your computer.

Performance
The difference between this and most of the other security packages available is its heavy reliance on its online database. Most other programs use definitions of specific malicious software, which have to be created by an engineer and transferred to your computer in an update – probably once a day at best. Prevx’s system means suspicious software can be found and thwarted much more quickly. It may result in false positives, but Prevx’s attitude is to err on the side of caution. It also slowed down our PC’s start-up, as it scans running programs each time you start – it seems a small price to pay though.

Ease of use
The software can be used in conjunction with most other security software as an extra barrier of protection, but should also offer similar protection to your current anti-virus and anti-spyware guardians. And it’s certainly easier to administer – with a simple download, installation and system scan, it’s away. You then get firewall-like cautions about new programs running on your computer, though you won’t see many simply because most software you’ll be running will already have been deemed perfectly safe.

Value for money
You can download and install the software for free, and it will scan for malicious software. If it finds any, it will activate a free 30-day clean-up account and rid your computer of the threat. Once this period has run out, the software will continue to scan incoming programs and protect your PC from them. However, if you somehow get infected, by manually letting a program through or turning Prevx off, and need another clean-up, you’ll have to pay, either for a one year (£12.75) or one month (£2.85) clean-up package. The beauty of this is that you only have to pay when you really need to.