Today’s malware continues to evolve at an alarming rate, and only a
handful of next-generation security applications have passed muster
in our stringent Lab tests. But none of these applications is intended
as a stand-alone security suite, making us wonder if we really need an
additional layer of protection if we’re already surfi ng on a solid foun-
dation. To fi nd out, we challenged a couple of traditional favorites to
see if new threats really call for new ways of fi ghting them.
Representing the bang-for-buck camp, we chose AVG (free, hththttp://tp://
free.grisoft.com ) for its excellent scanning ability and even sweeter
price tag. It’s not that we’re unwilling to pay for anti-virus software,
but when we last examined AVG, it earned a 9 verdict (March 2004),
besting the two not-free programs it was pitted against. Fast
forward to today and not much has changed. AVG kept our test
system clean during our haphazard jaunts around the web, and the
real-time protection stopped us from opening innocent-looking fi les
with malicious code nestled inside, including email attachments.
But far from being a do-everything solution, AVG left us vulner-
able to spyware, and its free edition doesn’t come with a fi rewall.
Windows Defender did a good job of picking up the slack, but some
spyware still slipped by, and Windows XP’s built-in fi rewall shields
only against inbound threats, not outbound.Next, we turned our attention to Kaspersky’s Internet Security
7.0 ($80, http://www.kaspersky.com ), a full-fl edged security suite combining
anti-virus scanning, spyware protection, and a fi rewall all rolled into
one. Kaspersky also boasts hourly anti-malware updates, closing the
window of opportunity for new threats to sneak by unobserved. And
should that happen, the real-time monitoring and heuristic engine
provides a formidable wall as a last resort. The laundry list of features,
such as on-the-fl y Internet traffi c scanning, goes on and the vigilance
paid dividends every time we tried to install a program with hidden
malware. Kaspersky even detected bundled adware before it had a
chance to fi nish installing.
But in the end, your computing habits ultimately play the big-
gest role in defending against malware. By avoiding high-risk sce-
narios, such as visiting illegal download sites, and staying behind
a fi rewall, you greatly reduce your chances of getting an infection.
And you needn’t ever pay for protection against online threats. We
like how BufferZone kept us shielded behind a virtualized shell and
DriveSentry left little room for malicious agents to slip through,
but these paid programs are overkill even for power users, making
ThreatFire the sole standout. Combine ThreatFire with AVG and
Defender, and you’ll have a free bundle that keeps you one step
ahead of the bad guys.To keep new strains of malware from sneaking onto your sys-
tem, Kaspersky actively seeks out suspicious behavior and
immediately notifies you of it.Whoever said you have to pay for adequate protection never
gave AVG a whirl. In this case, AVG detected a virus before
we could even start the download.If you routinely find your system infected by this many virus-
es, it’s time to look toward improving your computing habits
rather than adding layers of protection.30 MAMAMAXIMXIMXIMXIMUUUUMMPPPCC | FEB 08 | http://www.maximumpc.com
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OUT WITH THE
OLD, IN WITH
THE NEW?
We’ve seen what the best in generation 2.
security software has to offer, but how do
these new-school apps stack up against a
pair of traditional favorites?Security
Internet