Sunbelt Software Vipre Antivirus + Antispyware

If you’re thinking about protecting your PC from viruses and spyware, the choice of software on offer can be bewildering. You can choose free or paid-for options, and decide between sticking to an all-in-one suite for ease, or individual programs for more choice and configurability. As if to complicate things further, Sunbelt Software’s Vipre Antivirus + Antispyware sits somewhere in between – it’s not a standalone product but it isn’t a full suite either.

Features:
As its name suggests, Vipre offers protection from just the malware end of the internet security problem, covering both anti-virus and anti-spyware. This certainly eases the problem of it clashing with other security software, but you’ll still need to bring in your own firewall software.

Performance:
One thing we found faintly disturbing was that, by default, Vipre asked permission before downloading updates. These came reasonably frequently, once a day or so, but it was easy to get distracted and do something other than download the latest update, even if the warning alert was present in the Taskbar. Also, although Vipre has been submitted for external testing, third-party results weren’t available at the time of going to press so, with no track record of protection, it’s difficult to recommend.

Ease of use:
While the software is not tricky to use, its interface is not particularly sophisticated. Those with a good working knowledge of security software will be able to find their way around but beginners might be better off with a full suite.

Value for money:
For a single user, £29.95 is reasonable value for what you get, but if you have more than one PC you can pay £49.95 for an unlimited site licence. If you’ve got more than the three or five PCs on your network usually offered in security software licences, this could work out as an attractive option. The downside, as usual, is that savvy downloaders will find decent alternatives available free of charge.