Bullguard has been producing Windows anti-virus and internet security software for the last nine years. Its latest IS product, Bullguard Internet Security 12, adds a firewall, parental control, PC tune-up, backup and a vulnerability scanner to the AV, spamfilter and browser protection in its anti-virus package.
BullGuard Internet Security is a complete Internet security solution. BullGuard IS 12 Comes with an award-winning Antivirus program, Parental Control for your kids’ safety and 5GB of Online Backup for your most valued files and precious photos – it protects you and your computer from all online threats: identity theft, credit card fraud, hackers, viruses, spyware and many more.
The main control screen of Bullguard Internet Security 12 is simple and well organised and although things get a bit more complex as you work your way down through the menus, it’s still comparatively straightforward to find your way around this suite.
Bullguard Internet Security 12′s full virus scan, which, like the quick scan can be scheduled to run when a PC isn’t in use, took over three hours on our test machine and even a quick scan took five minutes.
There’s a custom scan available, too, which is the Bullguard Internet Security 12 feature we used to check our 50GB basket of files.
Security Features
BullGuard has recently improved their security suite by adding parental controls and a generous 5GB of online backup. The internet provides safe and educational resources for children, and standing over your child’s shoulder the entire time they are online may not be practical. Parental controls can help you manage how your child interacts with the internet. Capable parental controls such as those included with BullGuard can block your child from visiting dangerous websites, prevent them from engaging in online conversations with strangers and manages how much time they spend online. This internet security software will also keep a log of when your child attempts to visit restricted sites, disable the parental controls or share protected information. With this report, you can know exactly what your teen attempts while you are away and how much time they spent online.
This internet security suite also includes all required basics such as custom scans, a game mode, automatic updates, device and disc scanners and the ability to create a rescue CD. This software also comes with a few liberal extras such as 5GB of online storage, backup and restore tools, and a PC tune-up tool. The PC tune-up tool can remove traces of uninstalled software, erase temporary files, remove broken registry entries and more. This tool can help you maximize your hard drive space and decrease startup time. Though we did not see configurations specifically for laptops, it can secure your laptop. In fact, with one BullGuard license you can secure three PCs or laptops.
Vulnerability Scan
By default, BullGuard’s vulnerability scanner runs once a week. It scans the system for outdated software that exposes the system to risk. For each found item it offers a link to download the secure updated version.
Strangely, this scan does not check for missing Windows patches. I ran it on a test system that hasn’t had updates for months. The Windows Update Web site found 20 important updates not reported by BullGuard. Panda Internet Security 2011 ($79.95 direct for three licenses, 3 stars) specifically checks for missing patches. Bitdefender Total Security 2012 ($79.95 direct for three licenses, 4 stars) finds outdated browsers, missing Windows patches, and weak passwords.
Game Mode
Can’t get a decent game experience without shutting down your Internet Security? Maybe it’s time you had both. BullGuard Game Mode directs the resources towards the game without compromising your safety. It makes sure you’re not interrupted by alerts, scans or updates. And you can tailor it to your needs by editing the existing game profiles and creating new ones.
Parental Control
Your kids may seem to be pros when it comes to computers and web browsing, but how much do they actually know about what they’re getting into? That’s where you, the parent, come in. You need to educate them about managing their online activity, but there’s only so much you can do. Let BullGuard handle the hard work! With the new feature, you can get a grip on their online activity, without snooping in or nagging them. You can set schedules for their time online, prevent them from stumbling upon shady websites or content and stop them from giving away too much information about themselves.
Kids need to benefit from all the advantages the world-wide web has to offer, but they also need to be protected from its dangers.
PC Tune Up
Does your computer seem kind of lazy lately? Perk it up with BullGuard PC Tune Up! This feature scans your computer for any program leftovers or unnecessary files that take up a lot of space on your hard disk. Then, it either starts cleaning your computer or lets you know what you can do to improve your system and make it run faster.
Not Recommended
While BullGuard Internet Security Suite 12 did an impressive job keeping malware from infesting my clean test system, it wasn’t very good at rooting out already-present malware. Phishing and spam protection proved less than accurate, and the old-school firewall could be taken out programmatically by malware. I like the look of BullGuard’s suite, but I just can’t recommend it.
Summary
The BullGuard Internet Security Suite provides everything you need to protect your computer, identity and family. Their interface is concise and simple to navigate. They have proven through third-party testing to be able to protect adequately against known and zero-day threats. Give them a few years and they will likely break into one of our top spots.