- Pro version provides remote backup and remote locking of files
- State awareness prevents scheduled scans from interfering with activities
- Robust parental controls provide filtering and time limits
- Lacks browser virtualization or sandboxing
- Differences between Pro and regular suite could mislead consumers
- Smart Protection Network provides continuous communication channel between your PC and Trend Micro servers.
- Behavior-based protection guards against unauthorized system file modifications.
- Remote backup and remote locking can prevent data loss in the event of hardware failure or theft.
- Parental controls offer multiple levels of customization
- State awareness delays scheduled scans if other resource intensive behavior is underway.
Smart Protection Network is the key component of Trend Micro Internet Security, included in both the Pro and vanilla version. The Smart Protection Network sets up a continuous communication channel between your PC and Trend Micro's servers, reporting file activities and other system activities on an ongoing basis. Trend Micro's servers analyze the data, create signatures as necessary, and push back the updates to users.
The Smart Protection Network successfully blocked 70% of the 3,243 known malicious URLs on first encounter in an August 2009 test performed by NSS Software. But its success with file execution was a disappointment - Trend Micro detected and blocked only 5.5% of the actual malware at runtime. As long as the communication channel with the Smart Protection Network is enabled, protection is on par with other Internet security suites. But for those without an always-on connection, or if there's a pre-existing infection or malware slips through that disables that connection, actual protection performance may plummet.
The Pro version provides 2GB of remote backup storage and features a remote locking feature in the event of a lost or stolen laptop. Parental controls are robust and enable customizable settings by age group, including the ability to impose time limits on surfing.
Trend Micro Internet Security Suite Pro 2010 retails for $69.95 for use on up to 3 PCs. The vanilla Trend Micro Internet Security 2010 retails for $49.95, also for use on up to 3 PCs.
