Review: PC-Cillin Internet Security 2007

PC-Cillin Internet Security 2007 from Trend Micro is a home PC and network security package offering a number of levels of security and some interesting features over rival packages.

Upon installation you’re asked whether you want to use Trend Micro’s Software Rating Database Service, a regularly maintained database that helps identify potentially dangerous or harmful software before it affects your system. This also includes a Web Site Filtering Service to automatically accept content and information transfer between sites that are deemed safe.

The antivirus tools are comprehensive enough. When the software scans your PC it splits results into virus, spyware and, interestingly, a Microsoft System Vulnerabilities category, so you can work out exactly how safe your version of Windows is rather than just downloading every Microsoft update.

The firewall is comprehensive but not particularly straightforward to use. One welcome feature is the ability to add profiles for different situations under which included programs can have different rules. When you select a profile you can configure a security level, network settings and program control for each application on your system.

Colour-coded priority messages ask you to choose how the software should react to a resource in a similar way to Zonealarm. This part works well, but it does mean you’re interrupted a fair bit while the software gets used to your system.

You’ll find a collection of internet and email controls for threats such as spam prevention and phishing; most settings can be configured effectively to tailor how active you want the PC-Cillin to be in protecting your PC.

While not the most straightforward of security applications, PC-Cillin is particularly adept at protecting and interacting with a network, making it more suited to an office environment or home network rather than your average home user.

A handful of nice touches give it some appeal, but inexperienced home users wanting a no-fuss protection solution might be better off with something a bit more user-friend such as Bitdefender.

Also consider:
McAfee Total Protection 2007
A suite offering full security both on and offline

Spyware Doctor 4
Spyware tackled with this efficient scanning technology

Webroot Spy Sweeper 4
Good detection, but it's a shame about the clean-up

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