Specifications

28 PC MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 6, 2007
FIRST LOOKS SOFTWARE
PANDA INTERNET SECURITY 2008
Security Suite Stomps Spies
Panda Internet
Security 2008
$69.95 yearly for
three licenses
lllhm
PROS Stellar antispy-
ware. Backs up impor-
tant fi les. No confusing
fi rewall pop-ups.
CONS Poor antispam.
Useless anti-phishing.
Limited parental control.
Tune-up feature is
nothing special.
For more:
go.pcmag.com/
pandais08
Don’t be fooled. The 2008 version of Panda Internet
Security may look like last year’s model, but you’ll
find exciting additions, like Wi-Fi security and
backup capability. The biggest change is invisible,
though: The on-demand virus and spyware scanner
uses new technology, and it truly rocks.
Panda 2008 defends against zero-day viruses
and spyware using its TruPrevent behavior-based
protection. Its signature-based scanning now uses
“megadetection” technology, which comes from
the company’s TotalScan online scanner, and it was
mega-successful.
The suite removed every spyware sample from
my infested systems and prevented all of them
from installing on a clean system. It wasn’t nearly
as effective at detecting and removing commercial
keyloggers, but I give much less weight to that.
Like Symantec’s firewall, Panda’s uses its own
discretion for program control rather than inun-
dating you with confusing questions. The feature
lets known good programs access the Internet and
deletes known malware. By watching the behavior
of unknown programs, the fi rewall decides whether
to allow them access. And naturally, it stealths all
ports, making your computer invisible to outside
attackers. New Wi-Fi intruder detection actually
senses any network access—wired or wireless—but
if your Wi-Fi network is encrypted (as it should be),
this capability doesn’t add much.
The spam filter, parental control module, and
privacy protection features are virtually unchanged.
Spammers, however, have advanced; as a result,
Panda 2008 let over half the junk e-mail into the
Inbox. Also, parental and privacy features remain
mediocre, and the new browser-independent
feature for blocking fraudulent (phishing) sites
detected none—three other products verifi ed all 50
test URLs as rogue sites.
Another new capability will back up your essen-
tial fi les to a local or network-connected disk, then
optionally transfer the information to a CD or DVD.
Backups occur once per day; your only choice is
the time. It’s a very basic solution, but it’s better
than no backup. You also get a free year of hosted
online backup (1GB) with a Panda partner, but when
the year is up you have to pay. You’d be better off
with 2GB free from Mozy and no time limit. And
although Panda has added a performance optimiza-
tion feature, Windows and Internet Explorer offer
the same or better.
Virus and spyware protection are this suite’s
super standouts. If Panda can bring the other
modules up to a similar level, the next version of its
suite will be an all-around killer.—NJR
If a security setting
needs attention,
you’ll know it
The backup facility
comes preconfi gured to
copy important fi les