Bitdefender gets family friendly

Bitdefender is targeting homes with the latest version of its flagship security products, which boast support for family networks. It is also offering a new product designed specifically for gamers.

UK country manager Nick Billington said Bitdefender 2009 will be sold through high-street stores including Staples, Woolworths and Asda in addition to being available online. "We sell a lot to home users but we think that people have tended to see us as a corporate product," he said.

Billington said the new networks features provided features normally available in corporate products without the complexities. Bitdefender, which is sold with three licences, can be managed centrally from one computer. Other new features include:

• File Vault, which encrypts sensitive files on a protected area of your disk; vulnerabilty scanning of your software, with updates or other fixes to protect it from attack.
• Laptop Mode, which maintains basic vigilance but postpones battery-draining routine tasks such as scheduled scans.
• Instant Messaging encryption – something much in demand in the US, according to Billington. Users at both ends have to be running Bitdefender for this to work but Billington says a future product may offer a free runtime for non-users.

A new product called Gamesafe is designed for users who do not wish their gaming slowed down by security. It is tuned to optimise performance while not compromising on security. It costs £14.95 and will be available in September.

There are three versions of Bitdefender, all also available next month: Anti-Virus 2009, which does not include File Vault, at £15.75; Internet Security 2009, which adds anti-spam, parental control, and a firewall for £25.75; and Total Security which combines both these products plus tune-up and back-up tools, for £35.95.

Users of 2008 equivalents can upgrade for free for the remainder of their licence period.