Product Review: WEBROOT INTERNET SECURITY ESSENTIALS

Webroot’s security suite is relatively new, and while it shows a lot of potential, so far it is still a bit lacking in features. This suite includes just the basics, combining an antivirus scanner from Sophos, a firewall from Privacyware and the same antispyware protection found in Spy Sweeper. It doesn’t include spam and phishing protection or parental controls. Webroot Internet Security Essentials does include automatic local and online backup and offers a free 2GB of online storage space, which differentiates it from other security software.

Webroot also offers a cleanup tool, which clears your browsing history, cookies, Windows file history and other records by default. Users may be unpleasantly surprised by what gets deleted, though, so they should be sure to deselect the items they want to keep before running the cleanup. There is also an optional browser toolbar, which doesn’t offer much value and makes Ask.com the default search engine. Installing the toolbar is not recommend. Webroot also includes Gamer Mode, which prevents interruptions, but this mode does significantly reduce your security. We found that, aside from a few firewall glitches, the normal mode is less disruptive than most Internet security software.

While Webroot Internet Security Essentials is generally good at catching malware, it is particularly weak at identifying new viruses. Users can schedule a full system scan to run daily, weekly, or monthly, but the default setting was set to run a full sweep once a week, and a system cleanup once a week. This is worth noting, since most security software runs an automatic scan once a day. Please note that the default weekly cleanup removes all cookies.

In general, Webroot Internet Security Essentials is a fairly solid basic security option. It runs quietly in the background and doesn't noticeably slow down your computer. The interface is neat and easy to navigate. The lack of features may make this software ideal for users who really do want just the basics, and the online backup is an interesting addition. But users looking for more robust protection will probably want to consider an alternative option. Webroot offers a 30 day money back guarantee and free U.S.-based online and phone support.

System Requirements: Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista

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