Panda Internet Security 2012 anti-virus software program

New versions of anti-virus programs seem to get earlier and earlier, and Panda is the first company to release its 2012 range.

There aren't many features in Panda Internet Security 2012 that are entirely new, but the company says it has improved and tuned aspects of the program to ensure that it provides thorough, up-to-date protection against viruses and other online threats.

Like most security programs, Panda Internet Security receives regular updates to cope with new viruses as they are discovered, and also uses ‘behaviour analysis' techniques to detect other files and programs on your PC that may not be confirmed as viruses but which appear to be behaving in a threatening or suspicious manner.

The program also includes now-standard features such as a spam filter for email, and parental controls to ensure that young children aren't exposed to unsuitable material on the Internet.

These features worked well, but they're also found in rival security programs. However, Panda Internet Security has a few features that make it stand out from the crowd. We like the idea of its ‘safe browser' – a special web browser that puts a barrier – known as a sandbox – around web pages so that they can't download any suspicious files onto your PC without your knowledge. Unfortunately, the safe browser has to be downloaded separately and was poorly explained, which means that it may only be useful for more advanced users.

We found that other features weren't always clearly explained. In addition to its anti-virus features, Panda Internet Security also includes a simple backup tool for making copies of important files. However it was disabled by default and left us looking in vain for a way to enable it – and the online manual didn't provide much help.

Panda Internet Security 2012 provides a comprehensive set of anti-virus and online security features, and at £51 for a licence that covers three computers in the home for a year, it's competitive with rivals.

However, its ease of use could have been a lot better.