Bullguard Internet Security 9.0 is the latest version of Bullguard’s well known internet security software. While I frequently write about free software options, Bullguard is one of the few paid apps I can definitely suggest. The price is about $60/year and the subscription is worth every penny. The latest version has a great new look with a new interface that’s simple, clean and easy to use. The main screen presents you with a number of icons – each of which allows you to perform a different security task with a simple click of your mouse.
The icons on the main screen are:
- Scan for viruses
- Backup your data (to 5GB of space in the cloud)
- Allow/Block programs
- Contact support (free during your subscription)
- Online Drive
- System status
- Check for updates
- Your Bullguard Account
- Upgrade
Each of these icons when clicked takes you through what needs doing without being complicated. On my geek girl scale, I always test software assuming that I’m my grandmother. This internet security software just works well because there are no multiple layers of menus to work through, and the software has been designed with the average user in mind, so that whether you’re a computer novice, or an IT enthusiast, you can easily use this software to keep your system safe.
A number of key features within this software offer various methods of keeping your computer secure, they are:
- Antivirus
- Antispyware
- Antiphishing
- Spam filter
- Instant messaging protection on Yahoo!, MSN and Skype
With the number of hackers targeting people via their instant messaging software these days, the instant messaging protection offered with this package is very important and my favorite feature of the software. While you can’t avoid spammers, you can make yourself safer. When you exchange pictures, files and other data through this method, this software will check them just as it would if they were being downloaded from a website, or had come in via an e-mail.
The system also offers a backup system as well where you get 5GB of backup storage space with your account to store all your highly valued data, such as documents and photos. This means that even if you don’t have an external drive to back your work up onto, you will have one here giving you added security so that if the worst did happen and your computer got infected with a virus, you would know that your most important data was protected.
One of the things that Bullguard believes in is that most people really don’t care how something works as long as it does work, and I’d agree with this. Most people aren’t tech savvy, so Bullguard makes it easy to protect yourself with internet security software.What they’ve done is to take all those fussy little yes or no questions away where most people just click to agree with the recommended option anyway. Instead, the system just gets on with securing your PC and doesn’t worry you with information you don’t need. One feature they have brought in which gives greater control to the user, is that Bullguard has done away with the three tier virus scanning options on other clients. Instead of choosing between quick scan, complete scan, and deep scan, you can customize your scan – choosing what gets scanned and what doesn’t putting you in control instead of the system.
Overall, this software has saved my geek girl life several times. A few months ago I was cleaning a friend’s PC and installing Bullguard. She always had problems with spyware and had her email account hacked twice. I accidentally backed up a bunch of files important to her work in my over-zealousness to get her computer back in working condition. Then, I remembered that I backed them up online. 5GB of storage space is more than sites like Dropbox, so you can store more files and data with ease.
Since I Skype with my family a lot, I can rest assured that my mom isn’t sending me infected files. Now, I can rest a little easier when swapping files with my loved ones.
Have you tried Bullguard? What are your favorite features? Bullguard is available for about $60 for a one year subscription and also comes with a 30 day trial, so you can decide if this is software you can’t live without.
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