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#1 - Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus
Briefing
Want a program that is easy to use, blocks viruses and other malware as well as any program on the market, has great technical support, and won’t slow down your computer? Webroot is a great choice.
Effectiveness
We are extremely impressed with Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus' detection and removal capabilities. Several independent testing labs have recorded high scores for Webroot’s detection and prevention capabilities, but we are also impressed with its malware and scareware removal proficiency. Most antivirus programs require the help of another program to effectively clean up heavily infected systems, but our virus-riddled test beds came out clean after installing Webroot and letting it spend a few hours on its initial full-system scan.
Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus uses a system of multiple shields to protect your system. There is a File System Shield, Execution Shield, Startup Items Shield, ActiveX Shield, shields for Browser Helper Objects, shields for hidden parts of Windows, more shields for Internet Explorer hijacks and security holes, and various network shields. The system works well. Our real-world malware tests showed that Webroot prevented all of the common methods of infection, stopping viruses and trojans, preventing installation of keyloggers and worms, and stopping Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers from visiting malicious websites.
Webroot was particularly effective at detecting and removing troublesome rootkits which excel at hiding from most antivirus programs. In our tests, Webroot detected all of the rootkit samples we gave it, and removed most of them completely without help from any third-party programs.
Scareware programs are another rising threat on the Internet these days. These malicious programs masquerade as security software, while taking over your system and demanding your credit card number. Antivirus programs tend to be poor at preventing these programs from hijacking your system, but Webroot proved to be excellent in this regard. No antivirus program we tested performed better at detection and removal of rootkits and scareware.
Ease of Use
Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus scores a solid 10 for ease of use. The interface is almost spartan, showing overall PC status and little else. Configurations are all a click away under the Settings tab, and do not clutter the main screen.
Installation is simple, there are no questions you won’t know the answers to, no configuration options, it just installs. Then the programs offers a tutorial video and full system scan immediately after installation. Webroot will not not say the system is protected unless that full scan is completed, so let it run all the way, even if it takes a few hours.
Most antivirus programs have two kinds of status, everything OK and everything not OK. Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus adds an additional in-between status with a yellow exclamation point which tells you that things are OK, but some action should be taken, such as turning on automatic scanning.
Speaking of automatic scanning, in Webroot it truly is automatic. After the first mandatory full system scan it runs immediately after installation, Webroot runs all scans automatically in the background. Even if you try to manually schedule a scan, Webroot tells you that “We are automatically scanning your machine during optimal times” and recommends you turn automatic scanning completely off if you want to schedule manual scans. We really appreciate the simplicity and elegance of this system and would like to see more vendors pattern their scanning approach after Webroot.
Even if you aren’t a “computer person”, we think you will find Webroot Antivirus easy to use.
Speed/Performance
Webroot runs very fast. Our tests found that system performance remains speedy during file copying, archiving, installing other applications, encoding video, and downloading files from the Internet. It surprised us a bit that Webroot keept system resource usage to a minimum, even while running its multiple-layered shield protection.
After a slow initial full-system scan, Webroot runs subsequent scans during idle times so that it won’t interfere with your productivity.
Price/Value - Click Here for Current Discounts
Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus
$39.95 1 PC 1 Year
$49.95 3 PC 1 Year
$79.95 3 PC 2 Year
Webroot SecureAnywhere Essentials
$59.95 3 PC 1 Year
$99.95 3 PC 2 Year
Webroot SecureAnywhere Complete
$79.95 3 PC 1 Year
$129.95 3 PC 2 Year
Click Here for Current Discounts
Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus with spy sweeper includes protection against viruses, trojans and spyware, email, instant message, and web-based protection. The Webroot SecureAnywhere Essentials adds a firewall, antispam and antiphishing, 2 Gb of online backup storage, and PC optimization utilities. The flagship Complete suite adds various identity protections and online security measures. You will get the best value by chosing protection for multiple PCs over multiple years.
Support
Great phone support
Online support ticket
Videos and tutorials
FAQs and articles
Premium Services (Paid support)
Twitter
Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus has helpful, easy-to-reach phone support, a rarity in the industry. You can also reach support directly by submitting an online support ticket, and even through their twitter account. Webroot also offers FAQs, searchable articles, and if all else fails, they even offer remote paid support.
Conclusion
We found Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus to be one of the most effective antivirus programs on the market, while remaining easy for non-technical people to use. Through the use of a multi-layered shield system it maintains high malware detection and prevention rates, effective removal, award-winning antispyware technology, and few false positives. This core competence combined with a simple interface and fantastic support make Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus our first choice for your home, home office, or small business setting.
