Spent
May 13th, 2005, 09:46 PM
PCWorld June 2005 Issue (http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,120531,00.asp)
Windows IT Pro Magazine's April 2005 issue gave its Editors' Choice
to CounterSpy Enterprise, a version of the program that adds centralized management features. CounterSpy received a rating of 4.0 out of a possible 5.0, losing a point largely for omitting support for Windows 9x clients. Other business products tested were eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware Corporate Edition (3.5), DynaComm i:scan (3.0), Omniquad Antispy Enterprise Edition (3.0), and SpyCatcher Enterprise (2.0). Not tested were competing products from Microsoft, Symantec, McAfee, Webroot, Intermute, and X-Cleaner. These companies didn't have their enterprise editions ready or were between revisions.
CounterSpy and Microsoft AntiSpyware were re-tested head-to-head by PC World in its June 2005 issue. The magazine had tested different builds of the two products in its April 2005 antispyware roundup, making direct comparison meaningless. When the two apps were put up against each other using spyware databases of the same date, PC World found that Counterspy was once again the champ, detecting "an excellent 92%" of the target spyware. MS AntiSpyware detected 89%, missing two major adware programs CounterSpy caught, the magazine said.
These findings reinforce the four elements of the Security Baseline that currently make up a top-rated set. They are the Linksys or Belkin hardware firewalls, the ZoneAlarm Security Suite, CounterSpy, and an update-management tool of your choice. See details below.
Linksys BEFSX41 Router
1. Hardware firewall. For wired home and small-office networking, the 4-port Linksys BEFSX41 firewall (photo at left, about $65 USD street price) with NAT and SPI boasts PC Magazine's Editors' Choice award. For wireless networking, the new Belkin Wireless Pre-N router ($120) also offers NAT and SPI as well as WPA and is currently top-rated at CNET.
ZoneAlarm Security Suite
2. Software firewall. ZoneAlarm Security Suite (left, $60) holds PC Magazine's Editors' Choice as the best all-in-one software firewall, antivirus program, and antispam filter. For software firewall protection only, ZoneAlarm Pro ($35) is number one according to several testers, including PC World's Best of 2004 awards.
PC-cillin Internet Security
3. Antivirus program. Trend Micro's PC-cillin Internet Security 2005 antivirus suite ($45), which also includes a personal firewall, recently won head-to-head comparisons in PC World and CNET against McAfee's and Symantec's offerings. Note: If you have ZoneAlarm Security Suite (see above), you don't need a separate antivirus program.
CloudmarkSafetybar
4. Antispam program. Cloudmark Safetybar (available in versions for Outlook and Outlook Express, $30) is currently rated as a PC World Best Buy and a PC Magazine Editors' Choice. Note: If you have ZoneAlarm Security Suite (see above), you don't need a separate antispam filtering program.
CounterSpy 1.0
5. Antispyware program. Sunbelt Software CounterSpy 1.0 (left, $20) is the most effective remover of spyware, according to reviews in PC World and Laptop Magazine. When used with the free HijackThis program, PC World says the two apps caught 100% of the nuisances tested. HijackThis is an advanced program that's supported by free technical forums. For small to medium businesses, Sunbelt CounterSpy Enterprise ($255 for 10 machines) is top-rated by both eWeek and Windows IT Pro as a centrally managed program.
GFI LANguard Network Security Scanner
6. Update management. For small to medium networks, Microsoft's free Software Update Services is currently the best way to automate the downloading of critical Windows patches, according to a Network Computing review. (Microsoft announced last month that its release date for an upgraded SUS, renamed Windows Server Update Services, will be in June.) SUS, unfortunately, doesn't scan PCs for problems or distribute fixes for applications. GFI LANguard Network Security Scanner (left, $375 for 25 users) builds on SUS, checking your network for vulnerabilities and pushing out updates. LANguard NSS is top-rated by WindowSecurity.com and MCSE World. The latter site also publishes a helpful tutorial on augmenting SUS with LANguard NSS or Shavlik's HFNetChkPro ($620 for 25 users). Individual users should simply turn on the auto-download features of Windows Update and any installed apps they may have.
Windows IT Pro Magazine's April 2005 issue gave its Editors' Choice
to CounterSpy Enterprise, a version of the program that adds centralized management features. CounterSpy received a rating of 4.0 out of a possible 5.0, losing a point largely for omitting support for Windows 9x clients. Other business products tested were eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware Corporate Edition (3.5), DynaComm i:scan (3.0), Omniquad Antispy Enterprise Edition (3.0), and SpyCatcher Enterprise (2.0). Not tested were competing products from Microsoft, Symantec, McAfee, Webroot, Intermute, and X-Cleaner. These companies didn't have their enterprise editions ready or were between revisions.
CounterSpy and Microsoft AntiSpyware were re-tested head-to-head by PC World in its June 2005 issue. The magazine had tested different builds of the two products in its April 2005 antispyware roundup, making direct comparison meaningless. When the two apps were put up against each other using spyware databases of the same date, PC World found that Counterspy was once again the champ, detecting "an excellent 92%" of the target spyware. MS AntiSpyware detected 89%, missing two major adware programs CounterSpy caught, the magazine said.
These findings reinforce the four elements of the Security Baseline that currently make up a top-rated set. They are the Linksys or Belkin hardware firewalls, the ZoneAlarm Security Suite, CounterSpy, and an update-management tool of your choice. See details below.
Linksys BEFSX41 Router
1. Hardware firewall. For wired home and small-office networking, the 4-port Linksys BEFSX41 firewall (photo at left, about $65 USD street price) with NAT and SPI boasts PC Magazine's Editors' Choice award. For wireless networking, the new Belkin Wireless Pre-N router ($120) also offers NAT and SPI as well as WPA and is currently top-rated at CNET.
ZoneAlarm Security Suite
2. Software firewall. ZoneAlarm Security Suite (left, $60) holds PC Magazine's Editors' Choice as the best all-in-one software firewall, antivirus program, and antispam filter. For software firewall protection only, ZoneAlarm Pro ($35) is number one according to several testers, including PC World's Best of 2004 awards.
PC-cillin Internet Security
3. Antivirus program. Trend Micro's PC-cillin Internet Security 2005 antivirus suite ($45), which also includes a personal firewall, recently won head-to-head comparisons in PC World and CNET against McAfee's and Symantec's offerings. Note: If you have ZoneAlarm Security Suite (see above), you don't need a separate antivirus program.
CloudmarkSafetybar
4. Antispam program. Cloudmark Safetybar (available in versions for Outlook and Outlook Express, $30) is currently rated as a PC World Best Buy and a PC Magazine Editors' Choice. Note: If you have ZoneAlarm Security Suite (see above), you don't need a separate antispam filtering program.
CounterSpy 1.0
5. Antispyware program. Sunbelt Software CounterSpy 1.0 (left, $20) is the most effective remover of spyware, according to reviews in PC World and Laptop Magazine. When used with the free HijackThis program, PC World says the two apps caught 100% of the nuisances tested. HijackThis is an advanced program that's supported by free technical forums. For small to medium businesses, Sunbelt CounterSpy Enterprise ($255 for 10 machines) is top-rated by both eWeek and Windows IT Pro as a centrally managed program.
GFI LANguard Network Security Scanner
6. Update management. For small to medium networks, Microsoft's free Software Update Services is currently the best way to automate the downloading of critical Windows patches, according to a Network Computing review. (Microsoft announced last month that its release date for an upgraded SUS, renamed Windows Server Update Services, will be in June.) SUS, unfortunately, doesn't scan PCs for problems or distribute fixes for applications. GFI LANguard Network Security Scanner (left, $375 for 25 users) builds on SUS, checking your network for vulnerabilities and pushing out updates. LANguard NSS is top-rated by WindowSecurity.com and MCSE World. The latter site also publishes a helpful tutorial on augmenting SUS with LANguard NSS or Shavlik's HFNetChkPro ($620 for 25 users). Individual users should simply turn on the auto-download features of Windows Update and any installed apps they may have.