Review by Amanda Richards

If you have a home office or small business and need protection against the nasty bugs and sneaky worms that thrive in the cyberspace lottery, then McAfee Total Protection can help you make sure that your number never comes up.

The default settings provide very strong protection against viruses, Trojans, worms, malicious ActiveX controls and Java applets. The SecurityCenter has easy tabs which make it simple to review your computer’s security status, check for updates, and fix potential security issues. Besides the VirusScan tab there’s also Personal Firewall Plus, Privacy Service and SpamKiller.

McAfee automatically downloads updated virus definitions from the internet on a regular basis. Staying up to date will dramatically decrease any possibility that a virus will infect your computer. McAfee usually comes out with new virus definitions on a daily basis. A subscription is needed for this service, but this package includes licenses for three users. Techies at the office have also reported that McAfee uses less system resources than Symantec and also picks up viruses that Symantec might miss.

McAfee VirusScan offers a wide list of features. You can set VirusScan to scan your computer at a preprogrammed time. The program also scans for spyware and adware. The SpamKiller really knows its stuff, and also updates automatically.

With regard to installation, there are absolutely no problems when installing to a clean system (no previously installed Virus Suite.) However, when switching from Symantec to McAfee you may need to do some research online to get Symantec uninstalled.

Bottom line: Using McAfee improves your odds against the critters of cyberspace, so make sure you get it right the first time.

Amanda Richards, June 10, 2008