BitDefender Total Security 2010 (III)

With all protection against malware and unauthorized connections, the data on a computer can still be compromised if software installed on the system is not at its latest version. Hackers look for vulnerabilities in ubiquitous applications such as web browsers in order to gain access to computer systems. Unless you keep the latest version installed, your machine is still vulnerable to attacks.

Vulnerability module in BitDefender has been developed and introduced in the suite to check if the latest updates for the operating system and crucial web-related apps are installed.

It can also verify the strength of account passwords. This sort of verification is undoubtedly important, but in the case of BitDefender, checking for updates for installed apps proved not to keep up with the latest releases.

We ran this scan despite the fact that we like to keep our software up to date even on test machines. We came out clean, as expected, but BitDefender’s Vulnerability module didn’t because it pointed version 3.5.5 of Firefox as being the latest, while edition 3.6 of the browse had been installed for some time on the machine.

BitDefender Total Security 2010 is built up for total computer protection for all types of users, be they complete novices or power users in the habit of configuring each aspect of the suite. Users can choose from three different interfaces, boasting different difficulty levels and increasing access to included modules.

Besides protection against malware, the bundle provides a set of tools for maintaining your PC in optimum shape and backup and file encryption modules to keep your data safe from prying eyes and any sort of hardware malfunction.

Gamers have nothing to worry about interruptions at the worst time possible. Game mode status is automatically enabled the moment you start playing (a game list has been created especially for this purpose and you can add your own items) and all scheduled tasks are either postponed or skipped altogether. The same actions are taken if you run the suite on a laptop computer not connected to a power supply.

Everything is nice and good, but at a closer look, you can see that no all the details have been taken care of. The first issue we bumped into was the fact that after the initial scanning found multiple malware on the test computer, we could not set the overall action to “Delete” simply because this function was not present in the drop down menu of the detected threats, so the workaround was to send them all to quarantine first and delete them from there.

A vulnerability check showed that in the case of Mozilla Firefox, the version detected by BitDefender as being the latest was actually a few editions behind. More Firefox-related problems occurred with its AntiPhishing toolbar, which is disabled in the latest version of Mozilla’s web browser.

The Good Compared to the plethora of functions bundled in, BitDefender Total Security 2010 comes cheaply at $69.95, a license that covers three PCs for one year. It addresses any type of user, from novice to expert, kicking off with an easy to follow configuration wizard that allows you to set up the suite according to how computer savvy you are.

Sporting parental controls that can ensure your kid does not wander off to the dark side of the Internet and gets to spend online only the amount of time you deem appropriate, the suite makes for a great help for parent-controlled monitoring.

It combines protection tools against all types of malware with intrusion defense instruments and components for maintaining the PC in good shape, and also sports options for backing up and encrypting data to keep it as safe as possible.

The Bad

A bundle this big can’t be without flaws of various importance. Not being able to set the overall action to “Delete” after scan process revealed multiple threats on the system that should have been fixed at the first report.

The defragging tool included is actually the same Windows provides, the only difference being that in BitDefender’s interface, you have no scheduling option.

In the case of Mozilla Firefox, the vulnerability check is far from being accurate and currently the BitDefender antiphishing toolbar will be disabled in version 3.6 of the browser.

The Truth

BitDefender Total Security 2010 offers hourly updates and protection around the clock against various forms of malware. Its detection is definitely not the best, but strong, reliable and extremely swift. Taking into consideration the number on the price tag ($69.95) and the range of components included in the bundle, Total Security 2010 makes for a great deal, as it integrates backup solution, file encryption, privacy and parental control, as well as a firewall capable of stopping surreptitious information leakage.

Given the amplitude of the suite, drawbacks in some components were expected during testing, and Tune-Up’s unoriginal defragger is one of them. But the overall activity of BitDefender Total Security 2010 benefits the system without taking too much of its resources (a current average configuration sorting 2GHz CPU, 2GB RAM and Windows 7 will not be crippled at all).

Regardless of the type of user you are, BitDefender Total Security 2010 is a perfect fit for any type of user in terms of ease of use. The three difficulty levels are suitable for novices who need pre-configured protection or intermediate users needing a larger set of tools and options with as little configuration as possible; the suite reveals all its components to power users who won’t have too much trouble setting things up either.

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