BitDefender Internet Security Reviewer's Comments

Softwin is continually developing top of the line, award winning software. Softwin’s antivirus software has topped the charts for years and now you can get complete Internet protection with TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award winning security suite, BitDefender Internet Security 2008.

BitDefender Internet Security 2008 performs well at protecting your PC against viruses, spyware and other web threats that can infiltrate your computer. BitDefender is easy to use for the novice user when used with the default configuration, but can sometimes be difficult to configure when it comes to any advanced functionality or custom configurations.

BitDefender Internet Security Screenshots. Click for more
       


Firewall:  

West Coast Labs (W.C.L.), a leading software testing and certification organization, certifies BitDefender’s Firewall. BitDefender continually monitors all incoming and outgoing data. Within the settings dialog, the firewall tab contains five configuration and informational tabs to help with configuration - Status, Traffic, Advanced, Activity and Zones. The status tab includes a real-time graph so you can visually see your computer’s communication with the Internet. It also features a sliding bar to help with quick changes to the security level of your computer.

The slider bar configuration has three choices - Ask, Allow Recommended and Game Mode. These all use a "White List" system BitDefender uses to identify acceptable programs. We did notice that there were several popular programs, such as FireFox and Thunderbird, that were not listed which we were prompted about. Because you have the choice to accept or deny these programs, this isn't a large issue.

Antivirus:  

Virus Detection is what makes BitDefender Internet Security 2008 shine. Its virus scanner is fast, accurate and adaptable. While testing the software, it detected every virus we threw at it including viruses embedded within compressed installer files.

Virus Bulletin rated BitDefender a VB100%, the highest honor for anti-virus software. The VB 100% logo is awarded to anti-virus products that detect all current "in the wild" viruses during both on-demand and on-access scanning in Virus Bulletin’s comparative tests. To put it simply, BitDefender’s AntiVirus capabilities are at the top of the pack!

Additionally, BitDefender passed the ICSA 2007 - a test that certifies that the software can detect viruses, prevent virus replication, and doesn’t generate false positives.

Antispyware:  

BitDefender will stop all major threats including adware, keyloggers, trojans and browser hijackers to keep your private information safe. There is no need for configuration because BitDefender will perform all Anti-Spyware functions automatically.

Other Security/Features:  

BitDefender Internet Security 2008 comes complete with customizable web filters as part of the parental control function. You can set up user accounts and set specific criteria for the web filter per account. This will keep children away from potentially dangerous sites, PC damaging downloads or material you would rather they not access. Additionally, this software will scan email messages for keywords ensuring your kids aren’t receiving harmful emails.

You can also set each account so the user can only access certain applications and use the computer during set hours of the day.

Ease of Use:  

BitDefender Internet Security 2008 has several features to help keep the software easy to use while still providing good protection from threats. There is a "Quick Tasks" section to the status screen that has some common scanning options directly available with a single click. The default configuration is also a high point for the software. It limits the need for most users to perform any advanced configuration changes.

The addition of a program status screen helps to keep track of everything within all of the program segments and assists with launching common tasks. The problem with it is that it is just a monitoring screen for only a couple of functions in the program. There is very little other functionality or information displayed within the status screen. This creates a situation where finding and changing options is a chore that requires navigating sub-menus within the settings dialog. Even when you are in the settings dialog, it seems convoluted and sometimes messy within some of the sections.

Tne other issue is the significant slowdown of your computer this software can cause while it performs certain functions. Things such as moving large files can drop to a snails pace while the real-time scanner checks the file. While this is to be expected with all real-time virus scanners, BitDefender seems to slow these transfers slightly more than any of the others we tested. Loading some of the sub screens within the software is slow at times as well.

Ease of Installation/Setup:  

There were no problems with the installation of BitDefender. It comes with a configuration that will be acceptable to most computer users.

Help/Support:  

Softwin provides tutorials, user manuals, and on their website, FAQs. You can find a lot of valuable information here and these resources will answer most of your questions. For further questions, you can contact customer support by phone, email or online chat.

Summary:  

BitDefender Internet Security 2008 is a great product. It has one of the best virus scanners available and offers spyware and anti spam features that are solid. The parental controls are quite useful if you separate users into different accounts. However, it does suffer from some minor issues with ease of use. The ease of use issues could be made better by changing the user interface on the status screen and adding more information and functionality. BitDefender also suffers from significant computer slowdowns when transfering large files. This won't cause problems for most users though.

Overall, BitDefender Internet Security 2008 is a solid product that will keep your computer clean and secure.