Panda Internet Security 2012 fills the gap between Panda’s Antivirus Pro and Global Protection products. It is a complete solution that combines protection with disaster recovery options. Installation of the program is straightforward. Users can customize the program during installation to disable some of the features that would otherwise get installed. They can also configure the firewall to allow Internet and net access for common programs. This is useful for all users who do not want to get bombarded with firewall requests on first run. Security conscious users on the other hand can configure Panda Internet Security 2012 to display a prompt for every application that tries to send or receive data.
Panda uses the same interface for all its security products. The main interface displays the system protection status, information about program updates and the modules that are currently up and running.
I have already reviewed the majority of security related features in the Panda Antivirus Pro review that is linked above. For this review, I’m going to take a closer look at the features that Internet Security 2012 offers on top of that.
When you look at the comparative chart over at the Panda Security website you will notice that Panda Internet Security 2012 offers six modules that the antivirus program does not include. This includes a backup and restoration option for disaster recovery, identity protection, parental controls, anti-spam protection and remote PC access.
Backups
A click on Automatic backup copy opens the backup configuration screen. Here you can create new backups, restore backups and save backups to CDs or DVDs.
A wizard walks you through the creation of new backups. Panda displays a list of data that it suggests to backup on the second screen of the wizard. This includes Office documents, contacts, Internet favorites and email. You can switch to folder backup mode instead to backup file folders on the system. There does not seem to be an option to combine the two though.
Once you have made the selection you are asked if you want to schedule backups or create an unscheduled copy. Backups can be saved on the local PC, network shares or at the online backup service Mozy, a cooperation partner of Panda Security. Panda Internet Security 2012 customers get 2 Gigabytes of storage space free of charge.
The backup module lacks advanced features like ftp server backups, password protection or encryption that one would expect from a backup service.
Parental Controls
Parental controls can be enabled for Windows accounts. Available are pre-configured filters for kids, teens and employees, and custom filters which offer the best flexibility. Pandora uses a content filtering system to allow or prevent access to various types of contents. Available for selection are for instance P2P, Instant Messaging and various types of websites. A whitelist and blacklist is available to allow or block access to specific websites, with the option to block access to all websites that are not on the list.
The parental controls module has been designed to complement parental controls in Windows. Users who know how can still circumvent protections, for instance by using a web proxy that is not blocked automatically.
Identity Protection
ID protection aims to block transfers of sensitive information over the Internet. This includes plain text passwords, credit card numbers and other information. Important information can be added to the Identity Protection module. This may include passwords, bank account numbers or the social security number.
Phishing protection has been integrated into the module as well. Panda’s identity protection module furthermore detects attempts to dial unauthorized numbers.
It does feel awkward to enter sensitive information into the program to protect them from being transmitted on the Internet. Especially so since there does not seem to be an option to password protect those information from local user access.
Anti-Spam protection
Panda’s anti-spam technology has been designed to protect users from spam messages. The program integrates into some but not all email clients available for Windows users. It does integrate with Outlook Express for instance and Mozilla Thunderbird.
Users can maintain a list of trusted senders so that the messages bypass the spam filter automatically.
Remote PC Access
Remote Access needs to be installed on at least two PCs before it can be used. It can then be used to connect to another PC running Remote PC Access over the Internet. Panda seems to have partnered up with Be Anywhere here. The remote access module can be used to access and manage the remote computer, to share and transfer files, and to create guest invites, which can be useful to allow tech support or friends to access your own computer temporarily.
Here is a short video demonstrating the Remote Access feature:
Download
You can download a 30-day trial of Panda Internet Security 2012 from the official Panda Security website.
Verdict
With Panda Internet Security 2012, users get all the features of Panda’s antivirus product plus the additional features listed above. Some of the modules are somewhat limited, which can be a issue for advanced users.
The program is ideal for users who want an all-in-one protection that includes disaster recovery options. Remote PC Access offers some interesting options, especially if you have friends or colleagues that have Panda installed as well. You could for instance ask your tech savvy friend to take a look at a particular problem on your PC using the technology.
Giveaway
We have ten Panda Internet Security 2012 licenses for this giveaway. Leave a comment below to take part in the drawing.
© Martin Brinkmann for gHacks Technology News | Latest Tech News, Software And Tutorials, 2011. | Permalink |
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