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F-Secure Internet Security Suite 2010

About.com Rating 4

By , About.com Guide

The Bottom Line
Families that need to control Internet access for younger children and teens will find much to like about F-Secure Internet Security 2010. Parental controls can be set to accommodate various user types, including time limits imposed on Web surfing. Website safety ratings and browser exploit detection also ensure that time spent surfing is safe. A slimmer footprint ensures ease of use even on older PCs or netbooks and is particularly attractive for gamers. Retailing at $59.99 for use on up to 3 PCs, F-Secure Internet Security 2010 offers protection the whole family can enjoy.
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Pros
  • Family oriented protection offers granular control for children, teens, and adults
  • Significantly smaller footprint ideal for even older PCs and netbooks
  • Web URL safety ratings and exploit detection ensure safer online surfing
  • User friendly interface provides easy control of a sophisticated feature set
  • DeepGuard behavior analyzer helps guard against new and unknown threats
Cons
  • Firewall offers only partial permission-based controls
  • On-access scanning may introduce some slight delays
Description
  • DeepGuard behavior analysis offers an important addeed layer of protection against new and emerging malware
  • Website safety ratings and browser exploit detection bolster on-access scanning to ensure safer Web surfing
  • Parental controls allow customizable security settings for all members of the family, young or old.
Guide Review - F-Secure Internet Security Suite 2010
F-Secure Internet Security 2010 combines antivirus and firewall with beefed up Web security, parental controls, spam filtering, and behavior analysis. The behavior analyzer, dubbed DeepGuard, warns when programs or files attempt potentially malicious actions. This can be particularly useful protection when confronted with a never before seen threat for which signatures are not yet available. The downside of all the extra protection can be a slight delay when the on-access scanner does detect a malicious file, but other than that performance is quite impressive.

Processes needed by F-Secure Internet Security 2010 are down to only nine (from 24 in previous versions). Each of those nine processes is only spawned when needed and shutdown afterward, preserving system performance for those tasks that caused you to buy a computer in the first place. The trimmed down performance is particularly beneficial to those using netbooks, older PCs, and gamers.

Web safety is a big concern and F-Secure Internet Security 2010 addresses it from multiple angles. Password-protected parental controls can be configured based on profile (small children or teenager), category of website, and time allowed browsing. In addition, F-Secure's web protection includes website safety ratings integrated into Google and Yahoo searches, realtime detection of malicious sites (based on reputation or presence of malware), and exploit detection to guard against browser or third-party plugin attacks.

Those who prefer fully customizable permission-based firewalls may be a tad disappointed in that aspect of F-Secure Internet Security 2010. However, those who prefer a more hands-off approach may find it a perfect fit. Overall, the trim performance, enhanced Web security, and robust parental controls make F-Secure Internet Security a great choice for families.

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