BitDefender Internet Security 2009

With an improved firewall and parental controls, BitDefender Internet Security aims to improve on their security system while using less system resources.

The big draw with BitDefender Internet Security is their new Family Network Security feature where you can manage your home network security from a single location. You can set when it scans at specific times, and you can configure it from a remote computer.

Also BitDefender is a big hit with Instant Messenger, as you can block intruders from reading your conversations. It is compatible with Yahoo Messenger v8 and Windows Live Messenger v8.5.

There is not file backup feature with this, you can’t store your files online unless you upgrade to BitDefender Total Security 2009 which is $30 more and only offers 2 GB of storage space.

We liked the overall layout of the program, and it did not seem to take up too much screen space. It runs pretty smoothly and does not eat up too much processing power even though the installation file was large and took some time at first.

The program is customizable and we thought it was easy enough for a beginner, but the program suffers from too many pop-up windows and warnings that try to guide you into taking unnecessary security measures. Out-of-the-box you can set it up and go, but there are some options we wish were better by default. For one, the scans are set to run every 24 hours and we felt it should run every few hours if not every hour. However, you can set it up to your liking once you get around the learning curve.

The software comes with a 3 user license so you can install it on a small network or other family member’s computers. They offer 24 hour support, which you may need if you are a beginner with software like this.

BitDefender Internet Security 2009 receives a higher score for its simplicity and ease-of-use, be sure you customize your settings and backup your files on your own. If you are an above average user you will want to ignore the warnings and pop-ups and may get annoyed with the constant barrage of them.

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