Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition

The most notable feature in Symantec’s Norton Internet Security 2005 is Norton AntiVirus 2005, which offers an incredibly comprehensive virus scanning feature that links to Norton’s renowned virus database to give you very detailed, yet easy to understand, explanations of any viruses found on your PC. It scans both incoming and outgoing e-mail and instant messaging attachments as well.

The suite includes a spyware and adware module that impressed us with its tight integration with the rest of the components. Rather than make you load a completely separate module, Norton’s anti-spyware tool is simply another option on the main screen, listed right below Norton Antivirus. We found that it did a very good job of detecting, removing, and blocking both adware and spyware.

We were equally impressed with Norton Personal Firewall; it provides very strong protection against hackers trying to gain access to your PC, and stops Trojans and spyware programs from uploading your personal data. With a database that includes around 2,000 known, legitimate programs, the firewall is refreshing in that it doesn’t annoy you by constantly asking if you want to allow a new program to access the Internet.

Norton’s parental controls rival those of Panda for the best in this roundup, and its anti-spam component comes in a close second to ZoneAlarm. In all, this is the most tightly integrated Internet security suite on the market and one that’s very well-rounded. Its only drawback is that it’s a bit of a resource hog, making it a poor option for PCs that are more than two years old or for gamers who need to draw every last bit of performance they can from their PCs.