latest version of Trend Micro’s PC Protection offering ThePC-cillin 2006 is set to launch we take a look.
Trend Micro is not the first name most people think of when they look for a home Internet security suite. Best known for its enterprise-level applications, the company has branched out to serve the security needs of the average PC user.
Carrying Trend Micro’s hopes for tapping in to that market is the PC-cillin application. The latest version, Internet Security 2006, offers all-in-one security at a budget price. Because the company has designed the package to work with just about every Windows operating system, even systems built in the mid-1990s, which means most machines will meet the minimum requirements easily and will not be bogged down with a resource-hungry application.
Installation is simple. Once loaded, the program runs itself. All features can be turned on or off and functions such as automatic updates are accessible through a well-organized central interface. Like most makers of security programs, Trend Micro followed the “install and forget” theme, making it easy for users to forget the application is there.
Compared to the 2005 version, PC-cillin 2006 does not offer too many new bells and whistles. Instead, Trend Micro tried to improve on existing features. The application stands guard against viruses, spyware, spam, and phishing schemes. It includes a firewall as well as controls that allow parents to block Web sites that contain inappropriate content. PC-cillin also contains a Wi-Fi intrusion-detection feature, which adds an extra layer of security to wireless home networks by alerting you when an intruder uses your Wi-Fi connection.
Like other security programs on the market, automatic updates are available to keep the software’s virus definitions up to date.
Overall, the application’s basic functions work very well. The antivirus component and firewall will catch the intrusions you worry about. However, advanced users who like to tweak all elements of their firewall and security programs might be somewhat dismayed by the limited configuration options.
And the Wi-Fi feature, however helpful, cannot protect all aspects of your network, so you might be better off sticking with your router’s built-in firewall for home-network protection. But given the program’s price and extremely low system requirements, shoppers on the market for a lower-cost security suite will be well served by the application.
Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2006
Pros: Good price, low system requirements, wide array of protections.
Cons: Not as feature rich as other security suites on the market
Rating: 3 out of 5
Verdict: Overall, the application’s basic functions work very well. The antivirus component and firewall will catch the intrusions you worry about. However, advanced users who like to tweak all elements of their firewall and security programs might be somewhat dismayed by the limited configuration options. But given the program’s price and extremely low system requirements, shoppers on the market for a lower-cost security suite will be well served by the application.