Specifications

NOVEMBER 6, 2007 PC MAGAZINE 27
First
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POOR
INSIDE
27 Software
34 Consumer
Electronics
46 Hardware
50 Business
54 The Best
Stuff
Norton Internet Security crushed the competition
in 2007, and since then the leading suite has only
gotten better. The 2008 edition adds identity man-
agement, and new BrowserDefender technology
defends against Web-based attacks.
The firewall stealths all ports and is totally
resistant to malware. It allows Internet access to
known good programs, removes known bad ones,
and watches others for malicious behavior. Very
effective intrusion prevention stopped a dozen
exploits. The new Network Map can control the
access that network-connected devices have to
your PC and warn you if your wireless network is
unsecured, but it doesn’t detect wireless intruders.
The antivirus/antispyware scan takes longer than
most but cleans up the dozens of fi les and Registry
items the majority of competitors leave. It’s accurate,
too: It scored 9.3 out of 10 for malware removal and
10 against commercial keyloggers. It managed 9.0
against malware installs on a clean system and 10
against commercial keyloggers. As always, the anti-
virus is highly rated by the independent testing labs.
Identity Safe, new in this edition, stores per-
sonal information in one or more identity cards,
then automatically fi lls in Web forms. It also records
your username and password for secured Web sites,
then fi lls in the info when you next visit. Addition-
ally, you can use the log-in record as a smart favorite
that goes to the site and logs in for you. Naturally, the
identity data is password protected. Highly accurate
phishing protection ensures that you don’t give your
private data to a fraudulent site.
Antispam, parental control, and privacy control
reside in an optional add-on. Identity Safe made pri-
vacy control obsolete, and the parental control sys-
tem is just a rudimentary content-based Web fi lter.
The antispam designated way too much valid mail as
spam, though it does have a well-designed whitelist
you can use to protect known correspondents.
Norton 360 introduced built-in One-Click help,
and now NIS has it, too. If AutoFix can’t automati-
cally fi nd and correct a problem, you can get help via
e-mail, phone, or live chat. The live chat analyst can
remote-control your system to resolve issues.
The 2008 suites are still rolling out, so there’s
a chance another player could dethrone Symantec’s
masterpiece. But for now, Norton Internet Security
is the suite to beat.—Neil J. Rubenking
Remotely monitor NIS 2008
on other network systems
New One-Click
help even shows
wait times!
Norton Internet
Security 2008
$69.99 for 3 licenses
llllh
PROS Virus/spy-
ware scans are
highly accu-
rate, thorough.
Top-quality,
nonintrusive fi rewall.
New Identity Safe
manages personal info,
passwords. Built-in help
has live chat.
CONS Too many valid
messages were marked
as spam. Rudimentary
parental control.
For more:
go.pcmag.com/nis2008
NORTON INTERNET SECURITY 2008
 e Best Defense Gets Better