McAfee Internet Security 6.0 is fine, but Norton Internet Security 2004 is a better deal, thanks to superior spam filtering.McAfee Internet Security 6.0 does many of the same things that Norton Internet Security does, and, if you plump for the download version, it does them cheaper. However, it's something of a false economy. While McAfee Personal Firewall Plus 5.0 and McAfee VirusScan 8.0 match up well with Norton's equivalents, McAfee SpamKiller 5.0 falls well short of Norton AntiSpam. We do like McAfee's colourful, easy-to-navigate interface, and we were happy to find a host of additional privacy tools within MIS 6.0 not available in NIS 2004. Our advice: bear the extra cost and pick NIS 2004 instead.
A mere 10 minutes after you install McAfee Internet Security 6.0, the software will start protecting your PC. MIS 6.0 includes an optional setup wizard that will customize the suite for maximum defence. Like NIS 2004, MIS 6.0 does an ultrafast scan of the drive to see if it's hiding any viruses or worms before it finishes the installation. We like that extra bit of protection. You can also choose whether to register MIS 6.0 with McAfee; unlike with NIS 2004, there's no product activation requirement.
MIS 6.0's interface nicely ties together all of its components in a Web page-style My Security Center. Even better, the individual apps have similar icons and commands throughout. That's a nice touch over NIS.
As well-integrated as MIS 6.0 is and as slick as its interface looks, its habit of opening up additional windows is annoying. Open SpamKiller, for instance, then click to check blocked mail, then open VirusScan to view its options--suddenly you have three windows (including McAfee's omnipresent My Security Center) crowding each other. We prefer the neater NIS 2004, which opens only one window on the desktop, then shows each screen within that window.
Finally, MIS 6.0 automatically retrieves and installs updates from McAfee.com, including the crucial virus definition files that keep VirusScan up-to-date.
MIS 6.0 sports four major components that tackle security from nearly every direction. VirusScan 8.0, McAfee's antivirus software, protects the PC from incoming viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. McAfee Personal Firewall Plus 5.0 (also available separately), makes sure that attacks such as the recent MSBlast don't get through to the computer, hides the PC from hackers, and lets you decide which applications access the Internet from your side of the firewall.
We were disappointed with the suite's spam-filtering tool, SpamKiller 5.0, given that it represents the merger of the SpamKiller and the award-winning SpamAssassin Pro technologies. But SpamKiller failed to stop a lot of our incoming spam and required various unnecessary steps to execute even the simplest task. Instead, we recommend Norton AntiSpam (NAS) 2004, which is a much superior product.
But MIS 6.0's Privacy Service tools are impressive and more comprehensive than those included in NIS 2004. For example, MIS 6.0 sniffs out spyware, irritating and potentially dangerous software, often installed without your knowledge, that tracks your Web habits--something NIS 2004 doesn't do. In fact, MIS 6.0 found and wiped out several spyware apps on our test system. And we love the Privacy Bar, an Internet Explorer sidebar that shows how many ads MIS 6.0 has blocked and lets you selectively allow cookies only from sites you trust. And there are parental controls that allow you to block selected Web sites from minors.
McAfee Internet Security 6.0
Company: Network Associates
Price: US $69.99 via download.
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1. Totally locked up my computer.
2. Blue screens on every reboot.
3. I finally ran McAfee's Uninstall to get it off my system. The uninstall blue-screened midway. McAfee's website says if you "cancel" an uninstall (I didn't--the software did), you cannot uninstall.
4. McAfee's "help" costs $2.95 a minute--on a 900 number. My company's phone system blocks 900-number calls. (And an email I sent for help was never answered.)
5. Ultimately, we paid a computer consultant $270 for the 2 hours he spent restoring my computer to working condition.
6. My company will never buy another McAfee product. Never. (And I'm delighted to mention that I'm the decision-maker on that.)