Panda Dome Advanced Review

Panda Dome Advanced is considered an internet security suite rather than a basic antivirus program because it includes security programs beyond malware protections. These include parent controls, social media protections and safe banking tools.

Panda Dome Advanced Review

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

Panda does a good job recognizing and quarantine malware, but opens your computer up to reinfection by moving deleted threats to your computer’s trash bin rather than securely scrubbing them from your system.

Pros

  • +

    Both Panda Dome Advanced and Dome Complete include a personal firewall.

Cons

  • -

    These programs don’t securely delete threats.

Why you can trust Top Ten Reviews Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Panda Dome Advanced is considered an internet security software  rather than a basic antivirus program because it includes security programs beyond malware protections. These include parent controls, social media protections and safe banking tools. The premium suite, Panda Dome Complete, includes all these plus antiphishing and password protections. Overall, Panda recognized and captured most of the malware samples we used during our tests, but there were some issues we discovered during our evaluations that make us nervous to fully recommend these programs.

Looking for an antivirus software instead? Check out our best antivirus software guide.

Panda blocked 97 percent of the malware threats we used during testing. Other testing facilities gave Panda similar or higher scores for detecting and blocking malware. We were impressed how well Panda grabbed threats as they downloaded and placed them in the quarantine folder. Most of the threats Panda didn’t detect were malicious websites that are known to harbor infected links and downloads.

Once Panda had quarantined the threats and gave us a chance to look them over, we chose to delete them. Unlike most other internet security programs that securely scrub threats from your computer, Panda moved all the quarantined threats into our computer’s trash bin. We wanted to make sure it wasn’t a fluke, so we ran the tests on two different computers a total of 12 times, and each time the threats were again placed in the trash bin. This is dangerous because malware that is left on your computer, including the trash bin, could potentially reinfect your computer.

The other security tools included with both Dome Advanced and Complete work really well. The personal firewall monitors your internet connection to ensure internet snoops don’t sneak in to swipe personal information. And the parental controls let you both block inappropriate content and set time controls for when your children are online. Both programs also come with social media protections that double check links and let you know if they lead to dangerous websites.

Panda Dome Complete comes with a password manager to keep your login credentials all in one place and shields them as you log in to online accounts. It also has phishing filters that warn you about schemes designed to trick you into providing personal information to identity thieves. The only protection tool missing from both of these programs is a VPN. However, Panda does have one available either as a separate program or as part of its Dome Premium program.

This internet security program is available for mobile devices in addition to computers and laptops. Mobile tools include app and phone call blockers as well as antitheft tools. Panda is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

Panda Dome does a good job recognizing and capturing malware. However, if you try to delete threats from the quarantine folder, Panda tends to move them to your computer’s trash bin, putting your system at risk for reinfection. Because of this, while it seems Panda does a good job protecting against malware, we can’t fully endorse it because of the added security risk from not having a secure delete feature.

Nicole Johnston

Nicole writes for multiple Future Publishing brands covering topics from antivirus to kitchen appliances to SAS. She has over 15 years of research and writing experience, including eight years of testing and reviewing consumer products. Nicole earned bachelor’s degrees in both English and Political Science with a focus on empirical research. In her spare time, Nicole serves as a member of several school councils and volunteers for a local arts board.