Webroot Internet Security Complete 2011

Internet Security Complete 2011 from Webroot combines standard online computer protection with a range of additional security tools.

Setup was quick and easy, but it was disappointing that Webroot Internet Security Complete (WISC) didn’t warn us before closing our Internet Explorer browser down during the installation process.

As far as security is concerned, WISC users aren’t left wanting. Anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall components are included, plus a password manager, phishing protection and a spam filter.

When the firewall detects suspicious activity, a window appears detailing the problem. The descriptions were fairly cryptic, though, and the ‘more details’ section did little to clarify. Thankfully it did a good job of deciding what traffic to allow or prevent, so you’re not bombarded with firewall warning pop-ups.

WISC automatically adds a toolbar to Internet Explorer to checking websites as you visit them, aiming to prevent users from accessing dangerous ones. Although useful, we would have preferred to have the option as to whether this toolbar was installed.

A useful feature is that all notifications (such as firewall warnings) are saved for future reference: close a message without fully reading it and it will be waiting for you in the Webroot control panel.

There is 10GB of online storage space included and it lets users synchronise specific folders between up to three PCs. All synchronised files are also accessible online, so you’ll have secure access to them no matter what computer you’re using, while the Share feature allows files to be quickly sent to email recipients. You can also store files online without copying them to your other PCs by placing them in the Web Archive folder.

As well as syncing files, WISC also works well as a backup tool. There’s no need for scheduling since changes to your files are uploaded as and when they occur. And with a versioning feature built-in, if any of your files get corrupted or overwritten you can quickly select from a list of previous versions online. The only qualm is that there’s no option to save backups locally (such as on a USB or network hard disk), so your only option is to use the online storage.

The System Cleaner component is a basic but nonetheless useful tool that deletes temporary files from the computer and can also erase your internet history. Clean-ups can be scheduled, but there aren’t any more advanced tune-up tools as found in some collections.

WISC offers everything you need in terms of protection from online threats, and there are welcome additions in the form of backup and other tools.

With the licence allowing for installation on up to three PCs, it’s also good value, if not quite as ‘complete’ as some competitors, or as the name suggests.