BitDefender Total Security 2008 Reviews

Good security/privacy tools and parental controls; user-friendly interface; excellent backup utility; good help system for advanced users

Security Center and TuneUp tools are weak; help isn't always beginner-friendly; some oddities during installation; antiphishing toolbar works only in Internet Explorer

BitDefender Total Security 2008 is one of the best security packages we've recently reviewed, delivering good control over spam, viruses, and your firewall.

Don't let the slick new interface fool you: BitDefender may have gotten an extreme makeover to appeal to non-geeks, but the security it offers is better than ever.

Good protection against viruses and spyware. Accurate content-based spam filtering, backed by whitelist. Now includes backup and performance tune-up modules.

New tune-up features are weak. Registry Cleaner is uninformative. Duplicate Finder can be dangerous. Firewall lacks an advanced program control.

Even without the new backup (strong) and tune-up (weak) modules, this year's suite beats its predecessor, especially in the antispam and antispyware areas. And the new interface shows that BitDefender is going after the whole market, not just the techies....

Completing our look at BitDefender's three-pronged protection approach brings us to a total security solution.

Rather than take the pick-and-mix route when deciding on how best to protect your computer from outside influences, you could opt for an all-in-one approach as adopted by BitDefender Total Security 2008.  Arriving with the promise of providing compre...