Summary Report 2025

The aim of the user-experience review is to give readers an idea of what each tested product is like to use in everyday situations. For each of the tested products, we have looked at the following points (where applicable).

About the Program

To start off by stating whether the program is free or paid. We do not list individual protection components (e.g., signatures, heuristics, behavioural protection), for the following reasons. Our protection tests verify how well each program protects the system, regardless of which components are involved. It is not the number of features that is important, but how effectively they work. Also, different vendors may use different names for individual functions or combine multiple types of functionalities under one name, making comparisons misleading. To keep our product reviews concise, we do not list every feature; instead, we include a link to the product’s website to allow interested readers to gather further information.

Summary

We provide a concise product summary by focusing on the program’s usability and emphasising key features and observations covered in the following sections.

Setup

We note any options available during setup, including any decisions users need to make and other points of interest, such as introductory wizards that explain the program’s features. We suggest offering a simple installation option for non-expert users, with clear and straightforward explanations for any decisions they may need to make at any stage.

System Tray Icon

We state what functionality is available through the program’s System Tray icon menu, which can provide quick access to commonly used features like scans and updates. A System Tray icon is a standard and very useful feature of modern consumer security programs, indicating. that the program is running. However, we note that by default, Windows 11 hides third-party System Tray icons, meaning many non-expert users may not notice the icon for a non-Microsoft AV app.

Security Status Alert

Here, we disable the program’s real-time protection, and check to see what alerts are shown in the program window or elsewhere. We also look for a quick and easy mean of reactivating the protection. An effective status display in the main program window, which shows a clear warning if protection is disabled, is a very standard feature, as is a “Fix-All” button/link with which the user can easily re-enable protection if it is not active. We regard both of these as very important, especially for non-expert users. We suggest that additional pop-up alerts, which the user would see even if the program window was not open, are a desirable bonus.

Malware Detection Alert

We check what sort of alert each program shows when malware is encountered. To do this, we try to copy malware samples from a network share to the Windows Desktop of our test PC. If the AV product does not detect the copied malware, we then execute the samples.

At whichever point the malware is detected, we look to see what sort of alert is shown, if the user has to take any action, and how long the alert is shown for. If the message box provides a link to more details, we click on this to see what information is provided. We also note whether multiple alerts are shown when multiple malicious files are detected at the same time.

We regard it as ideal if the malware is deleted or quarantined automatically, without the user having to make a decision on what to do with it. We would definitely recommend that any alert box should NOT include an option to instantly whitelist the file (i.e. allow it to be executed there and then). A much safer option is to quarantine the file, after which power users could go into the program’s settings to whitelist and restore it if they wanted.

We suggest that persistent alerts, which are displayed until the user closes them, are ideal, as they ensure the user has time to read them. If a separate alert box is shown for every malicious file discovered, it can be a nuisance to have to close them all when multiple detections are made at once. We would say that a single alert box that lets you browse through detections, but can be closed with a single click, is optimal.

Scan Options

Here, we review the different types of on-demand scans offered by the program, including how to access and configure them. We also look at how to set scan exclusions, schedule scans, and the available options for PUA detection.

Quarantine

We examine the program’s quarantine function, focusing on the information it provides about the detection location, detection date/time, and the malware itself. We also check what options for processing quarantined items, such as delete or restore, are available.

Logs

Here, we note what information is provided in the program’s log function.

Help

In this section, we take a quick look at the help features directly accessible within the program. Some vendors will have additional online resources, such as manuals and FAQ pages, that can be typically found on their respective websites.

Advertising

In this section, we evaluate how the program handles advertisements. This includes whether the software promotes its own products, offers additional services, or displays third-party ads. We also note the intrusiveness of these ads and how they are presented to the user.

Access Control

For users who do not share their computer with anyone, this section is not relevant. However, if you share a computer, e.g. with your family at home, or colleagues in a small business, you might want to read it. Here we check, if it is possible to prevent other users of the computer from disabling the security program’s protection features or uninstall it altogether. There are two ways of doing this. Firstly, access can be limited using Windows User Accounts: users with Administrator Accounts can change settings and thus disable protection, whereas those with Standard User Accounts cannot.  Alternatively, a program can provide password protection, so that any user – regardless of account type – must enter a password to change settings. Some programs provide both methods, which we regard as ideal. When testing access control, we try to find all possible means of disabling protection, to ensure that any restrictions apply to all of them.

Other Points of Interest

Here we note anything we observe or find out about a product that we think is relevant. This may include privacy-related items, descriptions of the product on the vendor’s website, unusual places to find features, customisation options, prompts to install additional features, upselling, bugs, explanations of functions, and out-of-the-ordinary features and notifications.

About the Program

Avast Free Antivirus is a security application that you can use at no cost. Beyond its core anti-malware capabilities, it includes a manual tool for updating your software, a ransomware shield, and a feature that notifies you if your password for a specific online account appears in a data leak. It also comes with a new tool called Scam Guardian. To get more details on Avast Free Antivirus and its full range of features, you can visit the vendor’s website: https://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

Summary

The Avast Free Antivirus interface is clean and straightforward to use. We particularly liked the informative malware alerts, which conveniently group multiple detections into a single notification box and remain on-screen until you manually close them. The software also provides a good variety of scan options, and the new Scam Guardian feature helps protect users from these types of security threats.

Setup

During the installation process, the setup wizard installs the Avast Secure Browser and suggests making it your default. Once you click to proceed, Avast Free Antivirus continues to install in the background. After the setup is complete, you are presented with an offer to upgrade to a paid version, which is then followed by a prompt to run an initial system scan.

System Tray Icon

The System Tray menu provides access to a variety of functions, allowing you to launch the main program window, pause protection, activate Silent Mode, and open the quarantine. You can also use it to run Bank Mode, update the application and its definitions, and view details about the program and your registration.

Security Status Alert

When we went to disable the real-time protection in the program’s settings, a prompt appeared asking us to confirm this choice and select a duration for how long the protection should be turned off. We appreciated that the protection automatically reactivated itself after the specified time elapsed. While it was disabled, an alert was visible on the program’s dashboard (see below).

Clicking the “TURN ON” button reactivates the protection.

Malware Detection Alert

When a malicious file was found in our functionality check Avast displayed the alert below and suggested a PC restart.

Clicking on “See details” displayed additional information about the threat, including a brief and simple definition of the threat type:

Whenever multiple malicious files were detected simultaneously, Avast showed a single alert. From there, we could browse through the various threats, view details, and close all alerts with a single click.

Scan Options

The “Smart Scan” button on the home page initiates a check for security weaknesses, runs a brief malware scan, and identifies what Avast refers to as “advanced issues.” However, resolving these advanced issues requires a premium subscription, and the application will prompt you to purchase one each time you try to fix them.

For more in-depth scanning, the “Protection\Virus Scans” section provides options for Full, Targeted, Boot-Time, and Custom scans. A Custom scan can be scheduled to run daily, weekly, or monthly. Additionally, you can scan any local drive, folder, file, or network location by using the right-click context menu in Windows Explorer.

In the settings menu, under “Protection/Virus Scans” you can customize the automatic response if malware is detected and choose whether to include scans for potentially unwanted applications (PUAs). By default, PUA detection is already enabled for both your real-time protection and on-demand scans. If you need to exclude specific files or folders from being scanned, these exceptions can be set up in the “General” tab of the settings menu.

Quarantine

The quarantine feature in Avast is located within the “Protection” tab. In this area, you can see all the files that have been quarantined, along with details such as the name of the threat and the date it was detected.

You can select files individually or as a group to perform one of several actions: Delete, Restore, Restore and add exception, Extract, or Send for analysis. The “Extract” option is specifically for restoring the file to a location of your choosing.

Logs

To find a log of your completed scans, navigate to “Protection/Virus Scans/Scan History”. This history screen displays the date of each scan, and for every threat that was found, it details the detection name, the file name or path, and the action that was taken.

Help

The help feature, accessible by navigating to “Menu / Help”, opens the vendor’s official support website. This online resource provides guides for common tasks like installation, scanning, creating exclusions, and uninstallation. Each guide presents simple, step-by-step instructions that are illustrated with multiple screenshots for clarity.

Access Control

Granting standard users what are effectively administrative rights, Avast’s implementation of a password system for access control can lead to cumbersome management and other problems.

Advertising

The user interface in Avast Free Antivirus consistently promotes its paid Premium Security version and other software in multiple ways, which some users might find to be a significant annoyance. Regardless, we would advise users to seek independent guidance on what additional security or performance software best suits their specific needs before they commit to buying any extra products.

Other Points of Interest

• The Rescue Disk feature can be found on the Protection\Virus Scans This allows you to make a bootable CD/DVD/flash drive that you can use to scan and remove malware from an infected PC.
• While Avast Free Antivirus is a free product, we found the frequent prompts to fix issues that required a paid license to be quite intrusive.
• By default, Avast collects user data via 3rd-party analysis services. However, they inform us that this is only used in-house for e.g. product improvement purposes.

About the Program

AVG AntiVirus Free secures your device with core features like real-time anti-malware capabilities and a specialized ransomware shield. To explore the full extent of the software, including several secondary features not mentioned here, you can find a detailed specification list on the vendor’s official website: https://www.avg.com/en-eu/homepage#pc

Summary

AVG Internet Security has a modern and intuitive interface. We found its malware detection alerts to be particularly effective, as they allow users to manage multiple threats from a single, persistent window that remains on-screen until it is manually closed.

Setup

During the installation, which is streamlined and user-friendly, the setup wizard also installs the AVG Secure Browser and offers to set it as your default. However, we encountered several requests to upgrade to premium throughout the process.

System Tray Icon

Hovering your mouse over the system tray icon reveals the current protection status. A right-click on the icon opens a menu with shortcuts to launch the program, disable protection, run a “smart scan,” or view the log.

Security Status Alert

When we chose to disable a protection feature, the program prompted us to confirm this choice and select a duration. We found it helpful that the protection automatically reactivated itself after the time expired. While disabled, a clear alert was displayed on the status page and the main window’s “Computer” tile. Re-enabling the protection was straightforward, requiring a simple click of the “TURN ON” button.

Malware Detection Alert

During our functionality check, AVG detected and blocked a malicious file, generating the alert shown below. The threat was handled automatically, so no user intervention was necessary. The notification remained on-screen until we manually closed it.

Clicking on “See details” displayed additional information about the threat (see below).

Scan Options

Scan customization is available within the “Settings” menu, where you can adjust various parameters to fit your needs. For instance, you can configure the program to detect and flag potentially unwanted applications (PUAs), which are often bundled with other software. Additionally, you can schedule an automated Smart Scan to run periodically, ensuring your system is checked for threats on a regular basis without requiring manual intervention.

Quarantine

To find AVG’s quarantine, go to the Menu, open the “Tools” section, and scroll down. The quarantine page lists each item’s file name, detection name, original location, and the date and time it was flagged. You can select one or more files and choose from the following actions: Delete, Restore, Restore and add exception, Extract, or Send for analysis. The “Extract” function is used to restore a file to a location of your choice.

Logs

AVG Internet Security generates separate log files for each of its components and saves them to “C:\ProgramData\AVG\Antivirus\report”. You can control this feature by using the toggle switch located at the bottom of the “Menu / Settings / Basic protection / Detections” screen.

Help

Access the online support center by navigating to “Menu / Help”. The site answers frequently asked questions about installation, uninstallation, scanning, and quarantine functions with simple, step-by-step instructions and helpful screenshots. For further assistance, a button is provided to contact support directly.

Access Control

By default, Standard Windows User accounts can change settings and disable protection, but they cannot uninstall the program. On a shared computer, you can use the Password feature under “Settings / General” to prevent this. If you select “Require password to open AVG and access settings,” the application window becomes completely inaccessible without the password, preventing anyone from altering settings or disabling protection. The only action an unauthorized user can perform is a right-click scan from Windows Explorer.

Alternatively, you can set the password to only lock the settings, which prevents changes and disabling protection without blocking the entire program.

Other Points of Interest

• The marketing for the premium version is subtle and does not disrupt the user experience, after the installation.
• AVG Internet Security features a web browser, which was not evaluated as part of our preview.
• The app includes a “Data Shredder” which claims to delete files and make them unrecoverable.

About the Program

Avira includes numerous functionalities beyond core antivirus protection, such as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) with a 1 GB monthly data allocation, a password manager, and a software update scanner. Further details can be found on the official Avira website: https://www.avira.com/en/free-antivirus-windows

Summary

The installation of Avira Free Security is handled by a standard setup wizard. Upon first launch, the program recommends that the user run an initial “Smart Scan”. The main user interface is organized by function, operates with pre-configured default settings, and features light and dark modes. The software uses a system of alerts to communicate security events.

Setup

To set up Avira Free Security, download and launch the installer from the vendor’s website. The setup wizard requires only one click to complete.

System Tray Icon

From the system tray icon, you can access a menu to open the main program, initiate scans, check for updates, toggle real-time protection, and activate the VPN.

Security Status Alert

You can only disable Real-time protection for a short, predetermined time.

Malware detection alert

During our functionality check, Avira automatically handled the detected malicious files, issuing a single notification to inform us of the action. This alert box (shown below) required no user intervention and remained on-screen until it was manually closed.

Clicking on “Open quarantine”, opened the “Security\Quarantine” page in Avira’s main program window.

Scan Options

The program’s home page features a button to initiate a “Smart Scan,” a comprehensive one-minute check for viruses, network threats, outdated applications, and potential privacy or performance issues. For more traditional malware scanning, the “Security\Virus Scans” section provides options for a “Quick Scan” and a “Full Scan,” both of which can be scheduled. This area also allows for the creation of custom scans. Additionally, users can scan any file, folder, or drive directly from the right-click menu in Windows Explorer. Further customization is available under “Settings\Security\Virus scans”, which lets you define file types for scanning and configure exclusions. 

Quarantine

The Quarantine is accessible from the “Security” page and lists detected threats with details such as the threat name, original file name and path, and the detection timestamp. Users can manage these files by selecting them individually or as a group to be either permanently deleted or restored.

Logs

You can view a record of all scans performed under “Security\Virus scans”.

Help

The “?” menu provides access to Avira’s support resources. Clicking “Help” directs users to the online manuals page, which contains a searchable knowledge base of categorized FAQs for Avira Prime. These guides use a mix of simple text instructions, screenshots, and videos. The “?” menu also includes a direct option to contact support.

Access Control

Standard/non-admin Window User accounts cannot disable protection features, change settings, or uninstall the program, which is ideal in our opinion.

Advertising

The user interface for Avira Free Security frequently displays promotions for the paid Avira Prime suite and other related security products. The prevalence of this internal advertising may be a notable drawback for some users. In any case, we recommend that individuals consult independent sources to assess their specific security and performance needs before purchasing any additional software.

Other Points of Interest:

• The included VPN is limited to 1 GB/month. This might be ok for occasional use but not for continues usage since a single software update can quickly use this up.
• Avira Free Security offers a light and dark mode for its program interface, which can be toggled in the settings under “General\Language & Appearance”.
• Avira offers a free Browser, according to them it can load websites 4x faster.

About the Program

Bitdefender Total Security is a comprehensive, paid security suite. Beyond its core anti-malware capabilities, it includes a variety of tools such as a proprietary firewall, a vulnerability scanner, an antispam filter, ransomware remediation, a file shredder for secure deletion, and a limited VPN. For more information about the program, please visit the vendor’s website: https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/consumer/total-security

Summary

Bitdefender Total Security offers a simple installation, user-friendly interface, and has versatile scan settings. The customizable six-tile home page is a particularly appreciated feature.

Setup

The installation process is straightforward, starting with the download and launch of the installer from Bitdefender Central. During setup, you are required to accept the Subscription Agreement. Upon completion, an optional “Device Assessment” is suggested. The first time you run Bitdefender Internet Security, it presents a brief and skippable tour of its main features.

System Tray Icon

The System Tray icon menu provides options for opening the main program window, viewing product information, running updates, and toggling the visibility of the security widget.

Security Status Alert

When real-time protection was disabled, a home page alert appeared, allowing us to easily reactivate it by clicking “Enable”.

Malware detection alert

Upon detecting malicious files, Bitdefender displayed the alert shown below, requiring no action on our part.

Clicking on “View attack timeline” opened a new window that displayed a timeline of the Windows processes involved in the detection. This valuable tool can assist advanced users in investigating the behaviour and actions of malicious programs.

Scan Options

From the main Dashboard, you can launch Quick, System, and Vulnerability scans. For more control, the Antivirus section allows you to create and schedule highly customizable scans, where you can define specific locations, target potentially unwanted applications, and set other parameters. This area also manages scan exceptions, the quarantine, and automatic scanning of external media and network drives. For convenience, you can also initiate a scan on any file, folder, or drive directly from the Windows Explorer right-click menu.

Quarantine

The Quarantine page is accessible under “Protection/Antivirus/Settings”. We find this location to be somewhat unintuitive and believe it could be made more prominent. The page displays the file name, path, detection name, and the date/time for each quarantined item. You have the option to select items individually or all at once to either delete or restore them.

Logs

The “Notifications” page contains the event logs, which display all recorded activities. Clicking on an individual notification will provide you with more detailed information.

Help

Clicking the lifebuoy icon in the top right-hand corner of the window opens the help centre, which provides links to the “User Guide”, “Support Center”, and “Bitdefender Community”.

The “User Guide” is a highly comprehensive manual, spanning nearly 300 pages, that covers all aspects of installing, configuring, and using the program. It also includes a glossary of technical terms and contact details for Bitdefender’s support services. The “Support Center” is a searchable, online FAQ page featuring detailed instructions that are illustrated with screenshots and video tutorials.

Access Control

In what we consider an ideal security measure; standard Windows users are prevented from disabling protection features or uninstalling the program. Additionally, the settings can be password-protected, which stops other users from deactivating protection without the correct password.

Other Points of Interest:

• You can customise which tiles are shown on the Dashboard (home page).
• The tool “Bitdefender File Shredder”, included in the program, claims to permanently delete files without leaving a trace on the hard drive.
• To help users understand where a threat came from, the application includes an “attack timeline” graph.

About the Program

ESET HOME Security Essential is a commercial security suite that provides core anti-malware capabilities along with several additional features. These include the ESET Firewall, Network Inspector, Anti-Theft, Safe Browsing, and Banking & Payment Protection. For more details visit the vendor’s website: https://www.eset.com/int/home/protection-plans/

Summary

ESET HOME Security Essential is a well-designed and user-friendly security product. For the non-expert, it provides secure default settings and a clean, intuitive interface with easily accessible core features. The settings dialog offers numerous advanced options for power users. The product is further complemented by its comprehensive help features and robust access-control options.

Setup

The installation process is initiated using the personalized installer from the ESET HOME portal. The wizard first guides the user through language selection and provides helpful links to the user guide. Subsequently, it offers options to enable LiveGrid (data sharing), Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) detection, and the Customer Experience Improvement Program, while also allowing the installation folder to be changed.

Before the main installation, the user can set a device name for easy identification in ESET HOME and review the activation details. Upon first launch, the application presents a brief product tour and begins an initial system scan, the duration of which is device-dependent and can be stopped by the user. The setup concludes by connecting the computer to an ESET HOME online management account and automatically installing the Safe Banking app and the ESET Browser Privacy & Security extension.

System Tray Icon

The System Tray Icon menu allows you to view protection status, pause the protection and firewall, block all network traffic, open settings, view log files, access the program window, see program information, reset the window layout, and check for updates.

Security Status Alert

Disabling real-time protection triggered an alert on the home page (screenshot below) and a Windows notification. We easily reactivated the feature by clicking “Enable Antivirus and antispyware protection”.

Malware Detection Alert

During our functionality check, ESET detected a malicious file and displayed the alert shown below. The notification required no user action and closed automatically after 10 seconds.

When ESET detects multiple malicious files at once, it consolidates them into a single alert. This allows you to either address threats individually using the X button or dismiss all notifications simultaneously from the drop-down menu in the top right-hand corner.

Scan Options

From the “Computer” scan page, you can launch a full system scan, drag and drop files for analysis, or choose an advanced scan. The latter provides options to create a custom scan, scan removable media, or repeat the last scan.

A custom scan offers highly granular control, allowing you to target specific areas like operating memory, boot sectors/UEFI, the WMI database, and the registry. For convenience, you can also scan files and folders directly from the right-click menu in Windows File Explorer.

Detection for potentially unwanted (e.g., browser toolbars, trackware), potentially unsafe (e.g., hacker tools), and suspicious applications (e.g., those using malware-like obfuscation) can be turned on in “Setup / Advanced Setup / Protections.” To prevent specific items from being scanned, you can configure exceptions under “Advanced Setup / Detection engine / Exclusions.”

Quarantine

Located under the “Tools” menu, the “Quarantine” page lists detailed information for each item, including the detection date and time, file name and path, size, detection name, number of occurrences, the active user, and the file hash. However, managing these files presents some usability challenges. Selecting multiple items is not straightforward, as it requires the use of keyboard shortcuts that may not be intuitive for all users. Likewise, there is no dedicated “Empty Quarantine” button; instead, actions like deleting or restoring files are only accessible through the right-click context menu.

Logs

Also located under the “Tools” menu, the Logs page serves as a comprehensive record of program activity. It contains entries for malware detections, system events (such as updates), and scan results, as well as logs from other features like anti-spam and parental control.

Help

The “Help and support” page provides license and product information, along with links to an online manual (“Help page”), a knowledgebase, and technical support. For convenience, a question mark icon on most pages links directly to the relevant section of the online manual, saving you from searching. These help pages contain detailed explanations, instructions, videos, and annotated screenshots.

Access Control

Ideally, Standard Windows User accounts cannot disable protection features or uninstall the program. For added security, you can password-protect the settings (“Setup/Advanced setup/User interface/ Access setup”), which prevents all users—including administrators—from changing configurations or disabling protection, while still allowing them to use other program features.

Other Points of Interest

• The “advanced setup” includes a search bar to help you quickly find specific settings.
• Users can choose between a light and dark mode.
• Simple and clean layout

About the Program

F-Secure Internet Security is a paid-for security solution designed with an elegant and user-friendly interface for easy navigation. Its core features include comprehensive anti-malware ,anti-scam and secure browsing capabilities, which are further enhanced by browser extensions for banking and browsing protection. A complete list of features is available on the vendor’s official website: https://www.f-secure.com/en/internet-security

Summary

The program features a clean, intuitive interface that is simple to navigate and provides clear descriptions for each function.

Setup

The installer first prompts you to select the device’s user type. You can then choose your language and decide whether to send usage data. From there, the installation is fully automated, and F-Secure will launch on its own. The final step is to confirm the user profile within the application.

System Tray Icon

The system tray icon provides shortcuts to open the program, check for updates, access settings, and view recent events and program information.

Security Status Alert

Disabling the protection features via the settings menu triggered an alert on the home page (screenshot below) as well as a Windows pop-up notification. We were able to restore all protections easily by selecting “Turn on”.

Malware detection alert

F-Secure instantly quarantined all malicious files, displaying the alert shown below. The notification disappeared on its own after five seconds and required no user intervention.

When multiple malicious files were detected simultaneously, F-Secure displayed an alert for each of them. Clicking on the alert opened the event history.

Scan Options

Clicking the “Scan” button on the home page launches a quick scan of the file system. For more advanced options, navigate to “Device Protection / Virus Scan”, where you can run a full computer scan or submit a suspicious sample. Additionally, scheduled scans can be configured under “Settings /Scanning settings”.

Quarantine

The quarantine is located under “Protection overview/View blocked files and apps” and accessing it requires administrator privileges. This window lists all quarantined, blocked, and excluded items, displaying details such as the detection date, file name, path, and infection type. Selecting an item reveals its original path and provides options to create an exception, delete it permanently, or report a false positive. One minor usability issue is that selecting multiple files requires keyboard shortcuts, which may not be intuitive for all users.

Logs

Recent events are shown on the program’s home page and within the “Protection overview” section. To see a complete history, you can click “View all” which displays every event that has occurred. Please note that administrator rights are needed to either show or clear the full event list.

Help

The application features a built-in help system, which, unlike most other products we reviewed, is available offline. Clicking the “?” button on the home page opens the main product guide, while clicking the same icon elsewhere provides context-sensitive, text-based help for the specific feature being viewed.

Access Control

We consider it an ideal security measure that standard Windows user accounts cannot disable protection features or uninstall the program. Additionally, modifying most settings requires opening the configuration page with administrator privileges. While this extra step might be inconvenient for frequent adjustments, it serves as a valuable safeguard against accidental or unauthorized changes.

Other Points of Interest

• When opening a feature for the first time, you are shown a brief description of what it does.
• If you have a license for multiple users and devices, you can see the protection status of the other users in the People & Devices section.
• The user interface is intuitive and user-friendly.

About the Program

In addition to its core anti-malware capabilities, G Data Total Security is a comprehensive suite that integrates a wide range of tools for network protection, data security, system performance, and parental supervision. You can find out more about the program on the vendor’s website: https://www.gdatasoftware.com/total-security

Summary

The G Data Total Security interface is highly intuitive, organized with a single row of tiles for straightforward navigation. The installation process is flexible, offering a choice between a default setup or a custom option that allows users to select individual components. Additionally, the dashboard provides a detailed status of each protection module, and the program features excellent access control.

Setup

The installation process begins by asking you to select a preferred language for the interface. You are then given a choice between a Standard or User-Defined setup. The latter provides more control, allowing you to select optional components (such as anti-spam and parental controls) and change the destination folder. For our testing purposes, we chose the Standard Installation. After the files are copied, you can activate a full license with a registration key or login, or alternatively, start a 30-day trial. A system reboot is necessary to finalize the setup.

System Tray Icon

From the system tray icon’s menu, you can launch the program’s main interface, initiate updates, and check security statistics. It also provides options to deactivate the malware protection, the G Data firewall, and the Autopilot feature.

Security Status Alert

Disabling real-time protection from the settings immediately triggered an alert within the program’s main window. To restore security, we simply navigated to “Real time protection” and selected “Enable virus monitor”.

Malware detection alert

Upon detecting a malicious file in our functionality check, G Data automatically disinfected and quarantined it, then displayed the alert shown below to inform us of the action. The “OK” button served to close this notification. The alert also presented other potential actions, such as “Block file access”, “Move to Quarantine”, and “Delete”. We noted that the notification window turned semi-transparent after we hovered the mouse over it but remained on-screen until it was manually closed.

In the event of multiple, simultaneous malware detections, G Data’s default behaviour was to issue a separate alert for each threat. However, for more efficient handling, a “Use on all” checkbox was provided to apply a single action to all detections and suppress any further notifications.

Scan Options

The Virus Protection page, accessible via the second icon on the top toolbar, provides a comprehensive set of on-demand scan options. Users can initiate a full system check, schedule scans, or run more targeted scans on memory, AutoStart entries, specific files, removable media, or for rootkits. Additionally, scans can be launched from outside the application on any drive, folder, or network share through the right-click context menu in Windows File Explorer. Further customization is handled in the settings. Here, you can configure which protection components are active and decide whether to detect potentially unwanted programs, both of which are enabled by default. This is also where exceptions for real-time protection and on-demand scans can be managed.

Quarantine

Accessible from the Anti-Virus page, the quarantine manager lists isolated files along with details like the threat name, file path, and detection time. From here, you can disinfect, delete, or restore individual items. To manage multiple files at once, the interface relies on standard Windows keyboard shortcuts for selection, a method that may not be immediately obvious to less experienced users.

Logs

The event logs are accessible by clicking the clipboard icon in the top-right corner of the window. This section provides a detailed history of activities such as scans, detections, and signature updates. Selecting an entry reveals a details panel below, which contains relevant information about that specific event, including the program and signature versions, the protection components used, and the areas that were scanned. For easier review, you can see all logs at once or filter the view by categories like “Updates”, “Real-Time Protection”, “Virus Scans”, or “Web&Mail”.

Help

Access to G Data’s online help is available by either clicking the question-mark icon in the top-right corner of the window or by pressing the F1 key. Both methods launch the online documentation for the G Data “SecurityCenter”, which is organized into various categories such as ‘Overarching Features,’ ‘Real-time protection,’ and ‘Firewall.’ Each topic features a dedicated page with highly detailed instructions and explanations, which are clarified further with illustrative screenshots.

Access Control

We consider it an ideal security measure that users with standard/non-admin Windows accounts are prevented from disabling protection features or uninstalling the software. For an additional layer of security, the settings can be password-protected to block any unauthorized configuration changes.

Other Points of Interest

• After installation, we were prompted to install the G Data browser extension for Google Chrome.
• On the Virus protection page, under Boot medium, you can create a bootable CD/DVD/USB drive to scan a PC without starting the operating system.
• The default installation includes a file shredder.

About this Program

K7 Total Security is a commercial security solution. Its features include anti-malware, as well as protection against phishing and spam. More details about the product are available on the vendor’s website: https://www.k7computing.com/us/home-users/

Summary

K7 Total Security is straightforward to install and use. It features a simple, navigable interface with secure default settings, yet also offers a high degree of customization to meet your specific needs.

Setup

Installing K7 Total Security is straightforward and intuitive. You can download the installer from their website, but you’ll need an account and an active product key to complete the setup.

System Tray Icon

Clicking the system tray icon provides quick access to several functions: running a scan, updating the software, open the app, disabling protection, halting network activity, and starting gaming mode. You can also use it to get help, access the support page, and view the “About” page.

Security Status Alert

When we deactivated real-time protection in the settings, the program’s home page showed an alert, and a Windows pop-up notification also appeared. We were able to restore protection easily by clicking “Fix Now”.

Malware detection alert

During our functionality check, K7 automatically displayed the message below upon detecting a threat. The alert closed on its own after a few seconds and required no user action.

If multiple threats were detected, you could click “>>” to view them. The “Close” button closes the notification window.

Scan Options

Clicking the “Scan” icon lets you select from “Quick Scan,” “Complete Scan,” “Custom Scan,” or “Rootkit Scan” the last of which targets hidden malicious files. You can also scan individual files and folders by right-clicking them. The program allows for detailed scan scheduling and offers a wide array of options in the “Scan/Scan Settings” menu to customize its behaviour to your needs. Scan exclusions can also be managed from here.

Quarantine

The “Reports/Quarantine Manager” section displays a list of all problematic files. This list provides details for each item, including the time, path, reason for detection, name, and file ID. From here, you can restore or delete items, as well as manually add files you find suspicious. You can select a single file by clicking it or use keyboard shortcuts to select multiple files at once.

Logs

The logs are located under “Reports/Security History” on the main dashboard. This section provides a detailed list of all actions the application has performed. You can also generate a text document of the data if you need one.

Help

The main dashboard provides two help options. First, clicking “Support” gives you product information; from there, you can click “Get Support” to be redirected to the K7 website and submit a support ticket. Second, clicking “Help” accesses an offline document with detailed information on potential issues. This feature’s offline accessibility could be useful in certain situations.

Access Control

We find it optimal that standard users cannot change settings or disable protection by default. Admins can change this in the settings, and a password feature also exists for more granular access control.

Other Points of Interest

• The Parental Control feature helps safeguard children’s online activities.
• The “Tools” section on the main dashboard offers various utilities, including a file shredder that claims to delete data securely.
• The included “Wi-Fi Advisor” can aid when you are connected to an insecure Wi-Fi network.

About the Program

Kaspersky Premium is a paid security suite that offers a variety of anti-malware functions. It also includes additional tools such as a vulnerability scanner, software updater, VPN, and ransomware protection. For enhanced online safety, the program provides extra security for banking and financial websites, webcam protection, and features to ensure browser privacy. More information about the product is available on the vendor’s website: https://kaspersky.com/premium/

Summary

Installing Kaspersky Premium is a simple process that utilizes secure default settings. The software’s contemporary, tile-based interface provides convenient access to all core functions directly from the main dashboard. For those who prefer more control, a comprehensive array of configuration choices is available in the settings menu.

Setup

The installation is a smooth and intuitive process, giving you the option to decline the installation of Kaspersky’s VPN and Password Manager. After setup is complete, you are required to accept the EULA and activate your subscription. The program then prompts you to run a background scan and installs browser extensions to the browsers detected on the system (for example, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla FireFox, etc). The language is based on your location and cannot be changed.

System Tray Icon

The system tray icon provides shortcuts to open the main window, manage protection, access settings, activate “Gaming” or “Do Not Disturb” modes, and view support information.

Security Status Alert

Upon deactivating real-time protection in the settings, an alert appeared on the program’s home page, accompanied by a Windows pop-up notification. We were able to easily restore protection by clicking “Details” and subsequently “Turn on”.

Malware detection alert

During our functionality check, Kaspersky displayed the message shown below upon detecting a threat. No user action was required, as the alert closed automatically after five seconds.

Clicking the alert navigates to the logs page, which contains additional information about the detection. When multiple attacks were detected concurrently, Kaspersky displayed a separate alert for each individual threat.

Scan Options

You can access the main “Scan” page by either clicking the arrow on the “Quick Scan” tile on the program’s home page or by navigating to “Security/Choose scan.” From this page, you have the option to run several types of scans, including a “Quick Scan,” “Full Scan,” “Selective Scan,” “Removable Drive Scan,” or an “Application Vulnerability Scan.” For any of these options, you can set up a schedule by clicking the cogwheel icon next to the scan’s name. Additionally, you can initiate a scan on a specific local drive, folder, file, or network share directly from the right-click menu in Windows Explorer. To configure scan exclusions, you will need to go to “Settings/Security Settings” and find the “Exclusions and actions on object detection” section at the very bottom of the page.

Quarantine

To manage quarantined items, navigate to “Security/Quarantine”. This section displays a list of all detected files, providing details such as the file name and path, the detection name, the date and time of the detection, and the action that was taken. You have the flexibility to select files individually or all at once. From there, you can choose to permanently delete the files or restore them to their original location. There is also a convenient option to open the folder where the file was first detected.

Logs

The log function, available at “Security\Reports”, provides a wide variety of reports for protection components and additional features, such as File Anti-Virus, Web Anti-Virus, Firewall, Anti-Spam, and Software Updater. All reports can be filtered by time and importance.

Help

Clicking the “?” symbol in the top right-hand corner of the window opens Kaspersky’s online manual directly to the page relevant to your current screen. The manual provides straightforward, text-only instructions for each feature, and you can easily navigate to other topics using the menu on the left.

Access Control

Standard Windows User accounts have full control over the program’s settings and can disable protection features. To prevent this, you can password-protect the application, which allows you to create users with specific access levels. However, only an administrator can uninstall the program itself.

Other Points of Interest

• The search bar at the top of the program window can be used to find features and settings.
• The “Security\Weak Settings Scan” can search for settings that might put your device at risk.
• There are several options available to improve system performance in the “Performance” They were not part of our functionality check.

About the Program

Malwarebytes Premium is a paid security solution that boasts an elegant and user-friendly interface for easy navigation. Its primary functions, which include comprehensive anti-malware and secure browsing, are supported by a range of other useful features. A complete list of all capabilities is available on the vendor’s official website: https://www.malwarebytes.com/premium

Summary

Installing Malwarebytes Premium is straightforward, and its program interface is simple and intuitive, ensuring key features are easy to find. The app emphasizes security, alongside privacy and identity protection.

Setup

Setting up Malwarebytes Premium is straightforward. You’ll find an option for advanced settings, which we skipped for this review, and during the installation, we were also offered the browser addon. You must have login credentials and an active subscription to complete the process.

System Tray Icon

Right clicking the System Tray Icon allows you to view details about the application, disable and enable protection, activate the VPN, update the program, run a scan, and open or quit the program.

Security Status Alert

When we turned off the real-time protection, the alert shown below appeared. By clicking “Turn On”, the protection started again.

Malware detection alert

The app identified a malicious file as part of our review, which triggered a persistent banner. The banner remained visible until it was manually dismissed. It also included a button that allowed us to access the Quarantine.

When multiple detections occurred, a separate banner was displayed for each individual one.

Scan Options

Access to the scan settings is available by clicking the cogwheel icon in the bottom-left corner of the main dashboard. In this menu, you can opt to include rootkit scans, archive scans, and toggle AI use for threat detection. You can also adjust the system impact of Malwarebytes Premium, toggle the detection of Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA) and Potentially Unwanted Modifications (PUM), and manage the Windows Explorer context menu integration, which is active by default.

Quarantine

You can access the quarantine through “Detection History/Quarantined Items.” This area lists all items along with their name, date, type, and location. You can delete or restore each item or all at once. To protect files and applications from being detected, you can use the “Detection History/ Allow list.” A general security overview is also available under “Detection Overview”.

Logs

You can find a complete list of all events in the “Detection History / History” section. Each entry includes the event, date and time, and location, with a more detailed overview also accessible. This data can be exported as a text file.

Help

Clicking “?/Help & Support” on the main dashboard provides access to four resources. Both “Malwarebytes User Guide” and “Malwarebytes Support” direct you to the same comprehensive online resource, which features useful information, illustrations, and an AI chatbot for troubleshooting. “Support Tools” allows you to download a separate application aimed at resolving problems. “Malwarebytes Lab” redirects to a blog that covers security issues and news.

Access Control

While standard users can modify settings, they are restricted from disabling protection or uninstalling the program. Malwarebytes also features a “Tamper Protection” setting that provides distinct customization options for what users can change and do. This is realised with a password system.

Other Points of Interest

• An “Identity Protection” feature is included in the app; while not part of the preview, it could prove to be a useful addition.
• Included in the app is a “Privacy Control” panel, which gives you control over the information you provide to third parties and Windows.
• You can find experimental features under “Tools,” which are available for you to try at your own discretion.

About the Program

As a premium security solution, McAfee Total Protection combines its core anti-malware features with a suite of privacy and identity tools. The package includes an integrated VPN, a password manager, a replacement firewall, along with utilities for detecting scams, removing online trackers, and securely deleting files. You can find out more about McAfee Total Protection on the vendor’s website: https://www.mcafee.com/

Summary

McAfee Total Protection installs with minimal user input and presents a modern, touch-friendly GUI. The main dashboard is organized with tiles that provide direct access to all essential modules. We found its malware alerts to be both informative and consistent, ensuring the user is properly notified of security events.

Setup

The installation process is highly streamlined. After initiating the setup with a single click, no further user interaction is required. The main program window launches automatically upon completion.

System Tray Icon

The system tray icon provides quick access to core functionalities. From its menu, users can open the program, run scans, check for updates, access settings, activate the VPN, view account details, and open the help documentation.

Security Status Alert

McAfee Total Protection allows the real-time scanner to be deactivated for a set duration, until system restart, or never.

Malware detection alert

During our functionality testing, an attempt to execute a known malicious file triggered an immediate response from McAfee. The threat was successfully blocked, and a persistent alert was displayed (see below). No user intervention was required to neutralize the threat.

Clicking “See details” displays the file name, file path, detection name, and action taken (Quarantined).

Scan Options

The antivirus software provides several convenient ways to initiate scans. For immediate protection, a quick scan can be launched directly from the Antivirus tile on the main home page. For more thorough options, users can navigate to the “Device” section to either perform a comprehensive full system scan or configure automated scans on a custom schedule. The program also integrates seamlessly with the operating system, allowing you to scan any local drive, folder, file, or network share by simply right-clicking it in Windows Explorer. Customization is available under the “My Protection” menu, where the Real-Time Scanning settings let you exclude specific files from detection. However, during our review, we did not find any user-configurable settings for Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) detection.

Quarantine

The software effectively isolates suspected threats in the quarantine area found under “My Protection\Quarantined items,” providing a clear overview of the file name, detection date, and threat status. The interface is intuitive, giving users the option to inspect original file paths and the flexibility to restore or delete items individually or in bulk. While the protection features are robust, the whitelisting tool could be refined to offer an even smoother experience. Users with modern monitors would likely appreciate an updated window design that supports proper DPI scaling. Additionally, the workflow would be much faster if the system allowed for the exclusion of entire folders instead of just individual files. It would also be a major quality-of-life upgrade if the software recognized whitelisted files even after they receive updates, which would prevent the need to manually re-add items like drivers every time they change.

Logs

For a detailed overview of security activities, a log feature is available under “My Protection\Security Report.” This section provides a comprehensive record of events, such as resolved threats, the total number of files scanned, and all items sent to quarantine. Visually, the report includes a graph that charts the number of detected threats and scanned files over a selected period. To analyse security trends, the results can be filtered to show data from the last week, month, or year.

Help

Access to help and support resources is available through the Account icon, located in the top-right corner of the program window. Within this menu, both the “Help” and “Support Website” links are provided. However, both options redirect to the same general contact page. This could present a challenge for users, particularly those less experienced, who are looking for specific instructions or documentation, as it requires them to navigate a contact page rather than being directed to a dedicated help guide.

Access Control

A key security strength is that users operating under standard, non-administrator Windows accounts cannot disable protection features or uninstall the software. All controls for these critical functions are inactive for such accounts, which is the ideal configuration for preventing unauthorized changes.

Other Points of Interest

• There is a VPN included, offering a wide selection of countries.
• The included file shredder, which can be accessed from Windows Explorer’s right-click menu, claims to permanently delete files without leaving a trace on the hard drive.
• There is a new “Scam Detection” feature for email, text and video scams, it is available under the “My Protection” menu.

About the Program

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is the built-in security solution included at no cost with Windows 11. For comprehensive details, you can visit the official Microsoft website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/comprehensive-security?r=1

Summary

Microsoft Defender Antivirus delivers all the core features of a security program through a clean, intuitive interface. It is simple to use and comes pre-installed with Windows for immediate protection.

Setup

As the program is seamlessly integrated with the Windows operating system, no separate installation or setup process is necessary.

System Tray Icon

From the System Tray icon, you have direct access to run a quick scan, check for updates, see notification options, and open the Windows Security dashboard.

Malware Detection Alert

When we introduced a malicious file during testing, Microsoft Defender Antivirus immediately displayed the alert below. No action was required from our end, as the notification disappeared automatically after a few seconds.

To view more information about the threat, you can click the tab, which will open a new window with further details.

Scan Options

Microsoft Defender’s Virus & threat protection panel is your hub for device security. You can run an instant Quick Scan or select Scan options for more choices, including a comprehensive Full Scan, a targeted Custom Scan, and a Microsoft Defender Offline Scan that reboots your PC to remove stubborn malware. For on-demand checks, you can also scan any file or folder by right-clicking it in Windows Explorer. To customize your protection, manage exclusions under “Virus & threat protection/settings/ Allowed threats”, and configure Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) settings through “App & browser control/ Reputation-based protection”.

Quarantine

Quarantined items are in the Protection history section within Windows Security. The history log displays all detected items, listing the detection date, time, and assigned severity level. Selecting an individual entry reveals further details and presents the actions available for that item, which include restore or remove. These actions must be applied to each item individually.

Logs

All events are logged and accessible under “Protection history”

Help

The automated chat service, accessed via “Get help” on the “Virus & threat protection” page, provides limited utility. This is demonstrated by its handling of specific queries; for example, a search for “Set scan exclusion” yielded information on using a physical scanner before linking to an external Q&A website, rather than providing a direct solution.

Access Control

Standard/non-admin Windows User accounts cannot disable protection features, which we regard as ideal.

About the Program

Norton Antivirus Plus is a premium security suite that provides more than just anti-malware defence. The subscription also includes features such as cloud backup, a password manager, a software updater,  tools to optimize system performance and AI scam protection. For a complete overview, visit the official Norton website: https://us.norton.com/products/norton-360-antivirus-plus

Summary

Norton AntiVirus Plus offers a straightforward setup process and a modern user interface that provides easy access to its core functions. The software is configured with secure default settings for immediate protection, and its on-access scanner automatically inspects files as they are copied to your PC.

Setup

To begin, log into your Norton online account to download the installer. During the setup process, you will be given the option to participate in Norton’s data-sharing program. Once the software is activated, you can proceed to configure the Cloud Backup and Password Manager and initiate a preliminary smart scan.

System Tray Icon

From the System Tray menu, you can open the main program, launch scans and updates, contact support, and activate silent mode. It also provides options to disable the antivirus and firewall, access settings, and review logs.

Security Status Alert

Disabling protection features triggered two notifications: an alert on the settings page itself (see screenshot) and a pop-up in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. We were able to easily restore all protections with a single click on the “Enable All” button.

Malware detection alert

During our functionality check, the detection of a malicious file prompted Norton to display the alert pictured below. No user action was necessary, and the notification remained on-screen until we manually dismissed it. Notably, even when multiple threats were detected at once, the software only showed a single alert.

Scan Options

Accessing the “Scans” tile from the Security page brings you to the main scanning interface. Here, you can initiate a variety of predefined scans including smart, quick, full, targeted, or startup scans. For more specific needs, custom scans can be configured under their own tab. Norton also integrates with the Windows Explorer right-click menu, allowing you to scan local drives, folders, files, and network shares on the fly. This context menu also lets you use the “File Insight” feature. Finally, any items to be omitted from scans are managed under the “Exclusions” tab on the Scans page.

Quarantine

You can access the quarantine by navigating to “Security/Quarantine”. The quarantine page details each contained file, showing its name, the identified threat, its original location, and the detection timestamp. After selecting one or more files, you are presented with several options: you can restore the file, restore it while also creating an exclusion, extract it, or submit it to Norton for analysis.

Logs

The program’s activity logs are compiled in the “Security History” section, which can be found under “Security/Security” History. The interface allows you to filter the entries by severity, log type, and time frame (such as recent or all detections).

Help

The Search page, located in the navigation panel on the left, provides a way to find program features and access help and support resources.

Access Control

The program prevents standard Windows users from disabling security features or uninstalling the application, a design choice we consider ideal. When logged in with a standard account, all protection settings are consequently inaccessible. For an additional layer of security, a password protection feature is also available, which can be configured to require a password before allowing any changes to settings or the deactivation of protection.

Other Points of Interest

• Norton AntiVirus Plus includes 2GB of cloud storage.
• The suite includes a set of performance tools, such as a Software Updater, File Cleanup utility, Startup Manager, and a disk defragmenter.
• The user interface is straightforward and user-friendly.

About the Program

Panda Free Antivirus is a no-cost security solution. In addition to its anti-malware capabilities, it also features a restricted VPN service. You can learn more by visiting the product’s official website: https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/homeusers/free-antivirus/

Summary

Panda Free Antivirus is easy to install and operate, featuring a simple, navigable interface with secure settings by default. The included free VPN is restricted to 150MB of data daily and automatically selects the server location.

Setup

The installation process is simple, allowing you to customize the destination folder and interface language. Be aware that the setup also installs the Opera browser by default. Once complete, you are asked to sign in or create a Panda account. While this step is optional, you will receive a login prompt each time you launch the program if you choose to skip it.

System Tray Icon

From the system tray icon’s menu, you can open the main program, activate gaming/multimedia mode, access help and support, toggle protection on or off, and connect to the Panda VPN.

Security Status Alert

Disabling real-time protection in the settings triggered an alert on the program’s main dashboard (see screenshot). Clicking the “FIX” button and then “Enable” successfully restored the protection.

Malware detection alert

During our functionality testing, Panda detected a malicious file and displayed the alert shown below. The program handled the threat automatically, requiring no user action, and the notification disappeared on its own after a few seconds.

The alert notification is clickable and opens the Event report page, which contains the system logs. Within the report, you can find specifics like the detection name, file path, date and time of the event, and the resulting action (such as “deleted”). Furthermore, when several malicious files are detected concurrently, the software generates an individual notification for each one.

Scan Options

To run a scan, click the Scan button (represented by a magnifying glass icon) and select from Critical areas, Full, or Custom scan options. The main Antivirus page allows you to schedule future scans, review the results of your most recent scan, and manage items in quarantine. For targeted scanning, you can right-click any local drive, folder, or file within Windows Explorer to scan it directly. To adjust advanced settings, such as creating scan exclusions or configuring Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) detection (which is active by default), navigate to Settings from the Antivirus page.

Quarantine

You can access the quarantine from the Antivirus page. For each quarantined item, the interface displays the detection name, the action taken, the file’s name and path, and the date and time of detection. From here, you can choose to recover or delete items individually. To remove all items at once, you can empty the entire quarantine by clicking the trash-can icon.

Logs

To access the log, navigate to the Antivirus page and click “View report.” The log presents the same details as the quarantine page, with additional information about the status (e.g., “Deleted” or “Finished”) and any other actions the application has taken.

Help

You can access help features by clicking the “Support” icon on the main dashboard. From there, you will find options to contact the support team, view the FAQs, or access the user forum.

Access Control

Standard Windows User accounts can disable protection features, but they cannot uninstall the program. It’s possible to password-protect the application to prevent access to the Panda console, although users will still be able to initiate scans from the Windows Explorer right-click menu and see the scan results.

Advertising

While Panda Free Antivirus does promote other paid Panda products, it does so subtly and non-intrusively, using a thin strip at the top of the program window.

Other Points of Interest

• The setup wizard states that free support is included for “any PC or Internet related problems”. Telephone numbers for the UK, USA, and Canada are provided (in the English version of the program), and Panda told us that the calls are free of charge.
• A strip at the bottom of the program window displays headlines of various IT-security-related articles from Panda’s media center.
• A dark web scanner is included in the application.

About the Program

Quick Heal Internet Security is a commercial security program. It provides anti-malware, phishing, and spam protection, in addition to various other features. You can find more information about the product on the vendor’s website: https://www.quickheal.com/quick-heal-total-security/

Summary

Quick Heal Total Security is easy to install and use. It features a simple-to-navigate program interface, provides safe settings by default, and includes a variety of other features. The program window displays both a security score and a privacy score.

Setup

Installing the program is straightforward. You will need to select the language for the installer, accept the Terms and Conditions, and choose the installation location. After the installation finishes, product activation is required.

System Tray Icon

The System Tray Icon menu provides access to the program window and allows you to launch Safe Banking and Secure Browse. It also includes options for contacting support, updating the app, and opening the virtual keyboard. 

Security Status Alert

When we disabled virus protection in the program’s settings, an alert was shown on the main dashboard (screenshot below). After clicking “Resolve Now”, protection was turned on again.

Malware detection alert

When a malicious file was detected in our functionality check, Quick Heal displayed the alert below. We did not have to take any action, and the alert disappeared after a few seconds.

Scan Options

All available scan options can be accessed by clicking “All Scans” on the Protection page. This includes “Quick”, “Full Device”, “Memory”, “Vulnerability”, “AntiMalware”, “Custom”, “mobile”, and “Boot Time” Scans. Selecting “Custom Scan” allows you to scan individual folders and files, and scheduled scans for specific folders can also be configured. You can also scan a local drive, folder, or file using the right-click menu in Windows Explorer. Exclusions and other scan settings can be managed by clicking the cog icon on the “All Scans” page.

Quarantine

The quarantine is accessible on the “All Scans\Setting” page. Here, you can define the number of days after which quarantined files will be automatically deleted. Clicking “View Files” reveals the file name and path, its status, the date it was quarantined, and whether it has been submitted for analysis. You can individually restore, delete, or submit quarantined items for analysis. Files can also be manually added to the quarantine.

Logs

The “Reports” feature can be found on the home page. It displays screen time, the number of blocked websites, and blocked threats. The Report section uses graphs, making the information easy to digest.

Help

The help feature is located under “MORE\Support” and offers several customer support options, including “Live Chat Support”, FAQ and How-to videos, phone support, and the option to raise a ticket.

Access Control

While standard Windows user accounts can view the program status, access the support page, and perform scans, they are restricted from changing settings or uninstalling the program. Administrative rights can be further customized using the password system.

Other Points of Interest

• Quick Heal Internet Security also includes parental control features.
• You can only select individual file in the quarantine, which makes situations with many quarantined files quite tedious.
• The app includes various antifraud features which aid in protection.

About the Program

TotalAV Antivirus Pro (the product is now being named “TotalAV Premium”) is a premium security suite that offers a range of features in addition to anti-malware protection. You can learn more on the official vendor website: https://www.totalav.com/product/antivirus-pro

Summary

We found TotalAV Antivirus Pro to be intuitive to install and operate. All features are conveniently located in a single menu, and the default settings and alerts are practical. The software also comes with an adblocker, which was not evaluated in our testing.

Setup

The program’s installation is quick and straightforward. After running the installer, TotalAV launches automatically and immediately begins to download definition updates.

System Tray Icon

The System Tray Icon menu provides shortcuts to open the program, manage the quarantine, access settings, check for updates, view version information, and generate log files.

Security Status Alert

Disabling real-time protection in the advanced settings triggered an alert on the home page (see screenshot) and a pop-up notification. Protection was easily restored by clicking either the “Enable Total Protection” button or the toggle switches.

Malware detection alert

Upon detecting a malicious file during our functionality check, TotalAV displayed the alert shown below, which required no user action. The notification appeared on top of all other windows and persisted until manually dismissed. A single alert was generated even when multiple threats were detected concurrently.

Scan Options

Scan options are in the “Antivirus Scan” menu, under the “Protection” tab. From here, you can run quick and full system scans or configure custom and scheduled ones. For targeted scanning, you can also right-click any drive, folder, or file in Windows File Explorer. Exclusions can be managed by adding items to the allow list in the settings. The advanced settings provide further control over scan behaviour, such as scanning removable drives, defining the schedule, and setting the default action for detected malware. TotalAV confirmed that detection for Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs) is enabled by default, with an option to exclude individual apps if needed.

Quarantine

You can access the quarantine from the home section (indicated by the shield icon on the left) or by navigating to “Protection/Quarantine”. The quarantine screen displays the file name, threat name, quarantine date, and the original file path for each item. You can select single or multiple entries to either delete or restore them.

Logs

For diagnostic purposes, the application can generate detailed log files. This function is accessible through the advanced settings or as an option on the tray icon. The output is a compressed ZIP file containing records of scans and other significant occurrences.

Help

The “Support Centre”, located under the “My Account” section (accessible via the figure icon in the bottom-left corner), contains the help feature. This link opens the TotalAV “Help Center” website, which organizes support topics into categories. For antivirus assistance, the “Technical Support” section covers subjects like Setup, Configuration, Malware Issues, VPN, and Total Password. Each topic is well-supported with clear instructions.

Access Control

While users with standard Windows accounts can change some settings, they lack the necessary permissions to disable protection features or uninstall the program.

Other Points of Interest

• TotalAV Total Protection includes a Breach Scan, which checks if a provided email address is included in any data breach and your personal data has been exposed, as well as an ad blocker, browser extension and cloud storage (limited to 2GB).
• A VPN, unlimited cloud storage, and password manager are available as add-ons for an additional charge.

About the Program

Total Defense Essential Anti-Virus is a paid security program that protects against malware and phishing. It includes a “Privacy Protection” feature to monitor which apps access your camera and microphone. More information is available on the vendor’s website: https://www.totaldefense.com/shop/anti-virus

Summary

The installation process for Total Defense Essential Anti-Virus is straightforward, and its program interface is simple and intuitive, ensuring key functions are easy to locate. Additionally, the help documentation is clear, well-illustrated, and easy to understand.

Setup

The installer allows you to select your interface language and customize the installation path via the “Custom Install” option. The installation is fast and fully automated. Once complete, the program automatically checks its status, updates malware signatures, and runs a performance optimization scan that finishes in just a few minutes.

System Tray Icon

The system tray icon menu provides shortcuts to open the main program window, check for updates, initiate a quick scan, and temporarily disable real-time protection.

Security Status Alert

The program allows you to disable real-time protection for a set period. When we did this, an alert appeared on the home page (screenshot below). Clicking the “Fix all” button immediately re-enabled the protection.

Malware detection alert

During our functionality check, Total Defense automatically detected and handled a malicious file, displaying the brief alert shown below. The notification required no user action and closed on its own after a few seconds. For more information, clicking “Details” opens the corresponding entry in the log.

When multiple malicious files were detected simultaneously, one alert for each detection was displayed.

Scan Options

You can launch a full scan from the Home page, while the Security tab provides additional options like quick, system, and custom scans. For targeted scanning, you can right-click any local drive, folder, file, or network share in Windows Explorer. Under “Security / Settings / Scanner”, a slider adjusts the protection level to Low, Recommended (default), High, or Custom. PUA(Potentially Unwanted Application) detection is on by default. The Custom setting allows for fine-tuning, such as including network, archive, and hidden files in scans, and defining how to handle suspicious files. You can also use the Suspend Scans button to temporarily pause real-time protection.

Quarantine

You can manage quarantined items from the Security page. Just look for the quarantine tab, marked with a shield and lock icon. Inside, you’ll see a list of all detections, each showing the date, time, and file name. To learn more about a specific threat, click on it to see details like its name, type, the action taken, and its original file path. You then have the option to select files individually or all at once to either restore or permanently delete them.

Logs

The Reports tab on the Security page offers a detailed history of detected threats, listing the date, time, and the scan type for each detection. It also provides a summary that categorizes and counts all blocked threat types, along with a visual log of security activity.

Help

For assistance, click the “?” icon in the top right-hand corner to open the “About” page. From there, you can navigate to “Support Info” to access the vendor’s support page for email help or a phone contact. You will also find a searchable FAQ under “Online Support,” where each article provides clear, step-by-step instructions illustrated with helpful annotated screenshots and videos.

Access Control

In the “Settings / Console” menu, you can lock down the application to prevent unauthorized changes. Enabling the “Restrict access to antimalware configuration” option will require the Total Defense account password to modify any AV settings. Similarly, the “Restrict access to devices configuration” option allows you to control access to the Devices page.

Other Points of Interest

• You can also exclude a drive, folder, or file from scans by right-clicking it in Windows Explorer and selecting the appropriate option.
• The Devices page lists every device linked to your account. For each entry, you can review its type, installed product, security status, last update and scan dates, and the number of resolved threats. It also provides options to rename, change the user avatar, or delete a device to free up its license.
• The user interface is easy to use and navigate.

About the Program

Trend Micro Internet Security is a commercial security suite that provides anti-malware protection along with several additional features. These include a ransomware shield, parental controls, scam protection a secure erase utility, and a dedicated secure browser for online financial transactions. For more information, visit the vendor’s website: https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/forHome/products/internet-security

Summary

The program is straightforward to install, featuring a simple user interface that makes important functions easy to access. It includes secure default settings, and we appreciated the persistent alerts for malware and system status. The online manual is also clear and easy to follow.

Setup

Upon launching the installer, you will need to accept the license agreement, privacy policy, and data collection notice. There is also an option to customize notifications for better relevance. Once the setup is complete, you will assign a name to your device to activate the product, after which you will be prompted to configure the application to your specific needs.

System Tray Icon

The System Tray Icon menu provides access to several key functions. From here, you can open the main application, run a scan, check for updates, enable or disable protection, and activate mute mode. It also allows you to check your Trend Micro account and subscription details and run a troubleshooter.

Security Status Alert

When protection is disabled in the program’s settings, an alert is displayed on the home page. A second, persistent pop-up notification also appears above the System Tray Icon. The protection features will automatically reactivate after 30 minutes, or you can re-enable it manually by clicking the “Enable now” button on the main dashboard.

Malware Detection Alert

During our functionality check, Trend Micro displayed the alert shown below upon detecting a malicious file. No action was required from us, and the notification remained on-screen until we manually closed it.

Clicking “More details” opens the program’s scan log, which displays the date and time of the detection, the file name and path, the name of the threat, and the action that was taken. In instances where multiple malicious files were detected at the same time, the software only showed a single alert box.

Scan Options

The main “Scan” button initiates a quick scan, while a dropdown arrow reveals full and custom scan options. Scans can also be run directly from the Windows Explorer right-click menu. Within the settings, you can schedule scans using the default smart schedule that adapts to your computer usage or set them to run at specific times. These settings also allow for the configuration of Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) detection, which is enabled by default, and the management of scan exclusions.

Quarantine

To access the quarantine, open the Security Report by clicking the pie-chart symbol next to the Settings icon. This report summarizes threats by category. By clicking “See more details” and then selecting “Viruses” from the drop-down menu, you can view a list of all malware detections, including the date, file name, path, and action taken. Selecting a specific item reveals a details panel. For files that were quarantined (referred to as “removed” by Trend Micro), this panel includes a “Restore” button. We suggest this workflow could be streamlined to improve usability for uniformed users.

Logs

The software does not have a dedicated logs section; instead, logs and quarantine information are integrated into the “Security Report” page.

Help

Accessing the “? menu / Product Support” from the main dashboard opens the online manual, which gives an overview of the program’s main features. For context-sensitive help, clicking the “?” icon on any other page will take you directly to the relevant article. The help documentation provides clear explanations and instructions, with many articles enhanced by well-illustrated screenshots.

Access Control

While standard Windows users can disable protection, they cannot uninstall the software. To prevent them from changing settings, you can configure a password under “Other Settings\Password”, a process that includes setting up a hint and a recovery email. Interestingly, Trend Micro always requires this password to disable protection via the System Tray menu, which is not a requirement for changing settings within the program itself.

Other Points of Interest

• Trend Micro Internet Security includes a parental control feature (this was not part of our functionality preview).
• At the end of the installation process, you’ll see a summary of the program’s features, along with a choice to discover which functions are most relevant to you. This tool then asks about your computer usage to recommend personalized features and provide additional details. This same tool can also be accessed at any time by selecting the lightbulb icon at the top of the program.
• A “save banking” feature comes pre-installed with the application.

About the Program

VIPRE Advanced Security is a paid security program engineered to defend systems against digital threats, including malicious software and fraudulent phishing attempts. For those seeking more comprehensive information about its features, further details are available on the vendor’s website: https://vipre.com/home/vipre-advanced-security/

Summary

VIPRE Advanced Security home edition has a minimalistic interface but provides all the essential features of protection software. While it is easy to install, its lack of access control should be taken into consideration.

Setup

Upon launching the installer, you need to accept the license agreement. After that, the installation will start. Once the installation is complete, the program will start and run an initial scan. The setup is then finished.

System Tray Icon

You can right-click the icon to open the app, run a scan, start gaming mode, check for updates, disable protection, or configure the firewall.

Security Status Alert

When we disabled protection from the tray icon, the warning shown below was activated. You can deactivate the protection for a specific duration, until the system restarts, or indefinitely. By clicking “Wake”, the protection was reactivated.

Malware Detection Alert

If a threat was detected, a notification (shown below) was displayed in the top right corner. By clicking “View Details,” you are redirected to a website where the threats are explained. In our functionality check, the files were moved to quarantine.

In our check, only one notification was visible, even for multiple detections. The banner disappeared after a few seconds.

Scan Options

On the main dashboard, you can select a full, quick, custom, or scheduled scan. The custom scan offers various configurations, allowing you to scan for rootkits, running programs, the Windows registry, and archived or compressed files. You can also select specific files to scan and choose to shut down the computer after the scan. Other options, including the scan exclusion list, are available in “Manage/Antivirus”. Additionally, you can scan files and manage exclusions by right-clicking in Windows Explorer.

Quarantine

By clicking “Manage/Antivirus/Quarantine/Manage Items,” you can view the entries and perform actions on them. Items can be deleted forever, restored, or set to “always allow.” The list displays the Name, threat type, traces, threat level, and action for each item. You can only perform these actions one at a time, but you can empty the quarantine completely in other parts of the program.

Logs

By clicking “Manage/Antivirus/Antivirus History/View History,” you can look at a list of performed scans and select a timeframe for scan history deletion. In the log, you can see details such as time, duration, scan type, run type, definitions, cleaned, Total, and detail. There is also an option to delete the logs. A similar log is available for email activities.

Help

Under “Help/Help & Support,” you will find a search bar that links to a help website, although we were unable to access it during our functionality check. There is also a “Support Center” button that directs you to the VIPRE support website. Additionally, clicking “VIPRE Help” provides access to an online manual.

Access Control

In our functionality check, we discovered that the home edition of VIPRE Advanced Security does not have any form of access control. This could lead to security breaches, especially if the computer is used by multiple people.

Other Points of Interest

• The app includes a battery saver mode that preserves battery life by delaying updates and scans.
• The available Gaming Mode helps prevent distractions while you are playing.
• The user interface for VIPRE Advanced Security is very clean and intuitive.