Protecting your family and personal information with the best internet security is increasingly important. As technology advances we are moving more and more of our information online. We are communicating online more, using our PC's, tablets and phones to talk banks, share information on social media and providing personal information to official service to verify our identity. It is important that we trust that our details aren't tracked or shared with people who'd use it to harm us.

In partnership with Bitdefender

Bitdefender Total Security 2019 has all the tools in Bitdefender’s basic internet security suite, including a password manager and parental controls, plus it includes secure online storage for important files.

Bottom Line: ESET Internet Security offers a full array of suite components. The latest edition has an enhanced home network scanner, adds anti-theft protection, and even scans your firmware for. Comodo Internet Security is a combination of powerful Antivirus protection, an enterprise class packet filtering firewall, and an advanced host intrusion prevention system. How to Enable and Secure Remote Desktop on Windows. Over which accounts get to use Remote Desktop. And security settings need to make Remote Desktop.

Many people see the problem of internet security escalating with the transition into a 5G network, with many technology companies like HTC manufacturing blockchain phones to bolster their phone's security. So if you want to protect your data, internet security software is going to be increasingly important.

If our information is stolen, we could be facing loss of privacy, issues with access to our own user accounts and even financial trouble. The best internet security software will help protect your data from fraudsters and your devices from harm.

To find the best internet security suite we tested 14 programs to see how well each one detects and blocks malware. We also considered whether the software slowed our computer and evaluated the quantity and quality of its advanced security tools.

Based on what we found, Norton Security Deluxe is the best security software. It does a good job protecting against malware, plus it has an impressive toolset. Add in its minimum of three user licenses, mobile compatibility and 100-percent virus protection guarantee and Norton becomes a great value pick, too.

More guides for staying safe online:

Best Overall

Norton Security Deluxe

Norton Deluxe performed well in our malware detection tests, didn’t noticeably slow our computers and is easy to use. It also comes with a virus protection guarantee and several advanced tool.

Best Value

McAfee LiveSafe

McAfee LiveSafe comes with unlimited user licenses, plus it earned a perfect score in our in-house malware detection tests. It also comes with a protection guarantee, which adds to its overall value.

Premium Security

Rdp Over Internet Security Issues: Full Version Software Download

Bitdefender Total Security 2019

Bitdefender Total Security 2019 has all the tools in Bitdefender’s basic internet security suite, including a password manager and parental controls, plus it includes secure online storage for important files.

1. Norton Security Suite Deluxe: Best overall

Norton Security Deluxe

Powerful and versatile, Norton's Deluxe package gets our top prize.

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

Norton Security Deluxe goes beyond basic antivirus protection by including several advanced tools that keep you and your family safe online.

Overall, the program earned high scores for malware detection and protection. During our tests, it blocked sites with phishing schemes and stopped Trojans, rootkits and other malicious downloads.
A few viruses snuck by, even when Norton claimed to have stopped them, which was disappointing. However, the program successfully found and removed these threats during deep virus scans. Norton also displayed warning messages when we attempted to visit websites with known malware links and downloads on them and marked search results when we used search engines, such as Google, to let us know if a site was safe to click through to.
Norton Security Deluxe includes a personal firewall and can run vulnerability scans to prevent hackers from entering your system through your internet connection or outdated software. It also includes a password manager and safe banking tools.
This internet security program comes with a minimum of three user licenses and is compatible with Windows and Mac computers as well as Android and iOS phones and tablets. As such, you can protect multiple devices with one purchase of the program.

2. McAfee LiveSafe: Best Value

McAfee LiveSafe

Good virus defender that doesn't break the bank, McAfee offers very good value

Reasons to Buy

Rdp Over Internet Security Issues: Full Version Software Free

Reasons to Avoid

Overall, McAfee LiveSafe is a good program for protecting your computer against threats like Trojans, viruses and ransomware.

It’s also a good value because it comes with unlimited user licenses and a virus protection guarantee.
McAfee found and blocked every threat we used during our in-house testing, and other security testing labs have reported an uptick in McAfee’s detection rates. When a threat starts to download, the program stops it before it gets too far into the process and either quarantines it or immediately removes it from your system. A detailed report of the threat displays the moment it is blocked, or you can view it from the McAfee dashboard later. This report tells you the type of threat the program blocked, how dangerous it was, and webpages and server IP addresses where the same threat has been found so you can avoid visiting them.
When you use a search engine, such as Google or Bing, McAfee places an icon next to each search result to let you know if the site is safe to visit. McAfee LiveSafe also includes parental controls and a password manager.

3. Bitdefender Total Security: Best premium security

Bitdefender Total Security 2019

For that little bit extra, you get a great security suite from Bitdefender

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

BitDefender Total Security

On top of providing excellent protection against both Mac and Windows malware, Bitdefender Total Security 2019 has a personal firewall to monitor what comes in and goes out through your internet connection.

It also includes parental controls, so you can keep tabs on what your kids see online and set when they can access the internet.
The program’s VPN keeps your search and browser histories hidden so they can’t be logged or tracked. As such, adware can’t create targeted advertisements based on the sites you visit. Bitdefender Total Security also has social networking tools that check links posted online and let you know if they lead to a malicious site.
When Bitdefender finds a threat, it immediately scrubs it from your computer so the malware can’t revive and reinfect your system. The software also provides the most comprehensive protection for all your computers, laptops and mobile devices. The biggest difference between this premium program and Bitdefender’s Internet Security suite is the premium version includes 2GB of online secure storage you can share between all your protected devices.

4. Kaspersky Internet Security: Best mobile protection

Kaspersky Internet Security

Kaspersky offers a good option for on-the-go security

Reasons to Buy

Kaspersky Internet Security

Kaspersky Internet Security is compatible with both Android and iOS cell phones and tablets.

Further, all the program’s tools that work on computers also work on these mobile devices, including its antitheft alerts, password manager and parental controls.
Kaspersky’s parental controls are some of its best features. You can use them to block inappropriate websites by selecting filter categories, such as pornography, drugs or suicide, as well as set when you child can be online and for how long.
The program also earned high scores for malware protection and is simple to install and use.

The basic Internet Security package comes with a single user license and is comparable with other security suites. Kaspersky offers decent discounts if you purchase multiple licenses at once, which makes the software more cost effective. Unfortunately, it doesn’t include online backup storage, though this feature is available with Kaspersky’s premium program, Total Security.

5. Avast Internet Security: Best gaming protection

Avast Internet Security

We are very impressed by Avast Internet Security’s gaming tools, especially its gamer mode, which automatically enables.

When you begin playing a game, Avast Internet Security senses it and suspends some functions so more of your computer’s resources can be used while playing. It also doesn’t interrupt you with pop-up messages, reminders or alerts. However, it continues to work in the background so your computer is protected.

You don’t need to add your gaming sites to a whitelist because Avast automatically does it for you. Each subsequent visit triggers the gamer mode to enable faster so you can quickly start your games.
Avast does a good job of protecting against malware, earning a near-perfect score in our in-house tests. It also uses DNS technology to make sure you land on legitimate webpages instead of fake ones that are designed to look real to trick you into providing sensitive login credentials. Avast offers webcam monitoring and protection, which are helpful features if you’re an avid gamer and spend a lot of time online interacting with other players. However, these features aren’t standard and costs extra.

Why trust us on internet security software?

We have been researching and testing internet security programs for 15 years. In addition to testing the software ourselves, we monitor the test results from independent labs. We also subscribe to security and IT news outlets and blogs, which means we receive quick alerts about any security breaches or newly discovered malware. Further, our team attends trade shows and conventions specific to computer protection to stay on top of what’s evolving in the industry

Before we started testing internet protection programs, we spoke to several industry experts to learn how most computers are infected with malware. These experts have combined professional experience that spans several decades. Using the information we gathered from these software developers and IT personnel and a professional hacker, we developed our in-house tests to accurately mimic real-life scenarios. We know exactly how each anti-malware program keeps your system clean.

How we tested the best internet security software

We are continually testing all kinds of internet security programs, from antivirus solutions to premium security software and their Mac versions. Recently, we tested these program over a five-month period using 352 live malware samples. We attempted to download threats and visit malicious websites using our internet browsers. These tests simulated real-world attacks and showed us how well each program stops threats from infecting your computer in the first place. Each test was performed a minimum of 12 times on multiple computers using the three most common internet browsers: Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.

More than half of the programs we tested earned a malware protection score of 98 percent or higher. In general, the applications had the most trouble with completely blocking malicious sites. For example, some programs recognized and blocked a webpage with a virus download or phishing scheme on it but still allowed us to access other pages on the site. The best programs blocked the whole site, even the unaffected pages, so there was no chance of accidental infection.

After we gathered our results, we compared them to results from several third-party testing labs, including AV-Comparatives and AV-Test, to calculate average scores for virus protection and loss of computer resources. Our results usually mirrored those of other testing facilities.

What is the difference between antivirus software and an internet security suite?

The biggest difference between basic antivirus software and an internet security suite is the number of extra protection tools included with the program. For example, Kaspersky Anti-Virus doesn’t include a personal firewall or parental controls, but the more expensive Kaspersky Internet Security does.

Typically, internet security programs build on the same engine used in the developer’s antivirus software, so the level of protection doesn’t change with the more expensive internet security program. But this isn’t always the case. During our in-house tests we learned that F-Secure Anti-Virus isn’t as capable at stopping internet threats from downloading and infecting our computers as its internet security solution, F-Secure Internet Security. This is because the basic antivirus program lacks secure browsing features that are included with the other program.

One other difference between basic antivirus software and internet security suites is the number of user licenses you get. Most antivirus solutions come with a single license to protect one computer. Internet security suites, however, usually come with at least three licenses, and are sometimes compatible with mobile phones and tablets so you can protect multiple web-enabled devices at once.

What should internet security software come with?

Because internet security programs are a step up from basic antivirus software, they should include several additional malware protection and privacy tools – typically a personal firewall, a password manager and a system vulnerability scanner. These tools give you added protection against hackers and identity thieves who try to sneak into your system by swiping passwords, piggybacking on your internet connection or exploiting out-of-date software.

We spoke with Mitch Stephens, a security consultant with Emagined Security. He suggests that keeping your system and program patches up to date is a good way to stay secure from online threats. Programs, such as ESET and Avast, use vulnerability detection scans to make sure the most recent software versions are installed on your computer, and if not, they provide you with a legitimate link to where you can download the latest updates. Without these patches, hackers and ransomware can take advantage of these weak points and use them to attack your computer.

Parental controls are also good to have. These tools allow you to limit the time your child is online as well as block inappropriate content. They are also good for blocking cyberbullies and predators. Kaspersky Internet Security includes internet filter categories that make it easy to quickly block harmful content, including vulgarity, profanity and violence.

The best internet security software comes with multiple licenses or a single license that can be used to protect multiple computers or mobile devices at once. Sometimes, the only difference between a top-rated security program and the best premium security suite is the number of licenses you get.

How much does an internet security program cost?

Internet security software costs about $80 for a year subscription and should include a minimum of three user licenses. These programs are a step up from basic antivirus software, which costs less but typically doesn’t include advanced tools like a firewall, safe banking features or a password manager. Premium-grade software typically goes one step further to include all the security tools a developer has to offer. For example, Trend Micro Internet Security doesn’t include a password manager, but Trend Micro Maximum Security does. Because premium security solutions have more tools than internet security software and include additional user licenses, they typically cost $20 more.

Full list of the best internet security suites

Product	Price	Overall Rating	Value	Test Results	Malware Protections	Privacy Tools	Minimum Licenses Included	Virus Protection Guarantee	Mobile Compatible	In-House Malware Protection Score	Overall Malware Protection Score	Effect on System	Ease of Use	Ransomware Detection	Antiphishing	Spam Filters	Personal Firewall	Secure Browsing	Vulnerability Scans	USB	Gamer Mode Enabled	Social Network Protection	Password Manager	Parent Controls	Secure Delete	Safe Banking Tools	Webcam Protecton	VPN	Weekday Phone Support Hours (Eastern Time)	Weekend Phone Support Available	Live Chat
Norton Security Deluxe	View Deal	5/5	9.3	10	10	10	3	✓	✓	97%	99%	100%	90%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Manual	$	✓	$	✓	✓	$	$	24/7	✓	✓
Bitdefender Internet Security 2019	View Deal	5/5	9	10	9.3	10	3	99%	100%	100%	80%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Manual	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	24/7	✓	✓
McAfee Total Protection (LiveSafe)	View Deal	5/5	10	9.8	9.3	7.3	Unlimted	✓	✓	100%	100%	85%	80%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	$	✓	Manual	✓	✓	✓	24/7	✓	✓
Trend Micro Internet Security	View Deal	4.5/5	9	9.8	10	8	3	100%	100%	80%	85%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Manual	X	$	✓	✓	5am - 8pm*	✓	✓
ESET Internet Security	View Deal	4.5/5	8.3	10	10	8.8	1	99%	99%	100%	90%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Automatic	$	✓	✓	✓	✓	- 5pm	-	-
Kaspersky Internet Security	View Deal	4.5/5	8.5	10	10	8	1	✓	98%	99%	85%	90%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Manual	$	✓	✓	✓	5am - 11pm	✓	✓
Avast Internet Security	View Deal	4.5/5	8.5	9.8	10	7.5	1	X	98%	99%	85%	75%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Automatic	✓	✓	$	$	$	24/7	✓	-
eScan Internet Security	View Deal	4.5/5	8.5	9.8	9.5	8	1	92%	99%	100%	70%	✓	✓	✓	✓	$	$	✓	Manual	✓	✓	✓	✓	24/7	✓	✓
Panda Dome Advanced	View Deal	4.5/5	8.8	9.8	9	8	1	X	97%	99%	75%	65%	✓	$	✓	✓	✓	✓	Manual	✓	$	✓	✓	$	9am - 5pm*	$	$
Webroot Internet Security Plus	View Deal	4.5/5	9	10	8.3	7.8	3	98%	98%	100%	80%	✓	✓	✓	✓	$	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	24/7	✓	-
Avira Internet Security	View Deal	4.5/5	8.3	9.8	9.3	8.8	1	96%	99%	85%	70%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Automatic	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	24/7	✓	-
BullGuard Internet Security	View Deal	4.5/5	8.5	9.5	10	7.3	1	85%	92$	75%	80%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Manual	✓	✓	✓	24/7	✓	✓
Comodo Internet Security Pro	View Deal	4.5/5	9.3	9.8	7.8	7.3	3	95%	97%	75%	80%	✓	✓	✓	✓	Manual	✓	✓	✓	✓
F-Secure Internet Security	View Deal	4.5/5	8.5	9.8	7.8	7.3	1	98%	99%	84%	65%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	$	✓	✓	$	9am - 6pm	-	✓

Related Product Reviews

An antivirus software must be efficient in detecting and blocking a malicious software to ensure that the computer stays safe while connected to the Internet or network. Other than that, the antivirus must also be very good at protecting itself to prevent its processes from being forcefully terminated or modified by an external application so that it can continue to run on the system and monitor for suspicious activity.

A simple example is attempting to end the avp.exe process that belongs to Kaspersky using the Task Manager and it shows an “Unable to terminate process” error window with the message “Access is denied”.

The example above is only a very basic self defense mechanism and it actually protects much more than that. A unique feature found in Kaspersky but is not available in other antivirus such as Avast, Avira, AVG, ESET, Bitdefender and Norton is the ability to prevent most third party remote access software from interacting with the program’s interface. If you’re connected to a remote computer using a remote access software, you won’t be able to configure and control Kaspersky as the graphical user interface does not respond to mouse clicks.

While this is a safety feature to protect Kaspersky, it can also be a possible annoyance when an administrator legitimately wants to remotely configure the antivirus or internet software.

From what we’ve tested, Kaspersky versions 2010, 2011 and 2012 block all remote control programs except for the Remote Desktop Connection that is built-in to Windows from controlling Kaspersky. Starting from version 2013 onwards, it has started allowing some third party remote desktop applications such as TeamViewer and LogMeIn to remotely control and configure Kaspersky. As for other remote access software such as Ammyy Admin, ShowMyPC, NoMachine, Radmin, imPcRemoteInstant, Firnass, Google Remote Desktop, GoToMyPC, DameWare Mini Remote Control and RealVNC, they are all prohibited from remotely controlling Kaspersky.

Since this restriction is due to the self protection system, disabling Kaspersky’s Self-Defense will allow any third party remote access program from controlling the software remotely. Kaspersky’s Self-Defense can be disabled by clicking Settings from the main GUI.

Select Additional from the left hand sidebar and click on Self-Defense.

Uncheck the “Enable Self-Defense” checkbox and the setting takes effect instantly.

While disabling Self-Defense in Kaspersky will allow third party remote access applications to control the program, it is not an ideal solution because this will also potentially allow malicious software that is hiding in the system to terminate or modify the antivirus program. A safer and recommended solution is to add the remote access program to the “Trusted applications” list allowing it to interact with Kaspersky’s interface.

Click on Settings from the Kaspersky’s main graphical user interface. Go to Additional and click on Threats and Exclusions.

Click on the “Specify trusted applications” button that is located below the “Configure exclusion rules”. Do take note that you want to add the remote control software into the trusted applications list and not as an exclusion. Click the Add button from the “Trusted applications” window and click Browse to choose the files that belongs to the remote control software. Finally tick the “Allow interaction with Kaspersky Anti-Virus interface” checkbox and click OK.

The file will be listed in the trusted applications and will be allowed to remotely control Kaspersky software. Which files need to be added to the trusted applications list varies. If the server/host file is only a single executable file, then adding that file alone to the trusted zone will work. However for some software such as RealVNC server, multiple files are installed in the program directory, you need to add the correct working server executable file to the trusted zone.

Final Notes: As we’ve mentioned earlier, we’ve tested a number of popular remote access software and found that only a very small number of software is allowed to remotely control Kaspersky software and they are Remote Desktop Connection, TeamViewer and LogMeIn. If you know of any other remote access software that can control Kaspersky without disabling self-defense or adding it to trusted zone, please do leave a comment and we’ll add it to the list.

You might also like:

5 Ways to Remotely Access Apple Mac OS X from WindowsTop 8 Remote Access Software for Providing Online SupportRemotely Enable or Disable Windows Remote Desktop4 Tools to Fully Defrag System Partition with Kaspersky InstalledSilently Push Install VNC Server to Remote Computers

It’s all a bit hit and miss. I was able to access Kaspersky Total Security via LogMeIn on a client’s computer and renew the licence even though the Self Protection box was ticked. When I first saw that Self Protection was on, I disabled it which was also no problem, but after installing the licence and then turning Self Protection back on I was locked out of the programme. Tried several times to log back in and access Kaspersky but no luck. I now have to get the client to disable Self Protection in order to address a couple of messages that the programme has thrown up. Very strange!

Reply

Rdp Over Internet Security Issues: Full Version Software 2017

Hey I was facing the same issue since long.

Thanks Very Much for this,…

Reply

Thanks , It helped me a lot in KAV 2013

Reply

Thanx Buddy great help

Reply

Rdp Over Internet Security Issues Full Version Software Download With Crack

I made an interesting find just before googling this issue and reading this article. Your information seems to be mostly correct, however there may be some exceptions to this behavior. Here’s the nutshell version of what i found…

While working on a clients workstation using teamviewer, i ran in to the same issue as you, i could open Kaspersky, but that was it, couldnt close it couldnt change any settings, nothing. I even tried using the repair feature in add/remove programs, this looked promising at first, then once it finished copying files it started again.

Being a little after midnight and needing to get this done, i was just about to start uninstalling Kaspersky, but thought to myself i hadn’t tried every route available to me. so, before blindly whacking the security software, i decided to try another route first, i first tried to remote desktop directly in to the PC but that failed, as i had added a second RDP port (3390) to that computer, forwarded it thru the firewall and was trying to configure Kaspersky to allow it as well, exactly how i discovered this problem. So i decided to take one last shot and opened a remote desktop session to their server and then opened a remote desktop session in to the PC. once connected to the PC’s desktop, (which took a while, rdp over rdp is very slow) I was able to access Kaspersky like normal without any restrictions at all, i finished the repair install, reconfigured all the special settings that were needed, added the firewall exception for the new RDP port. no problem.

When i was done, i figured it was Teamviewer conflicting Kaspersky, so i googled it and found this article. after reading your story and knowing what i just discovered, i decided to do a little more testing on this, my findings proved quite interesting! I set teamviewer up on another PC in their office and enabled incoming lan connections, i then connected to the problem pc and was able to open Kaspersky and make changes without a problem… so It would seem that these restrictions are source based. If the incoming connection is from the internet / public network, access to Kaspersky is restricted, if the connection is coming from a local / trusted network access is not restricted…

So the moral of this story is: use Teamviewer’s built-in VPN option to establish the connection, then you’ll be considered local and not restricted.

Reply

Thank you so much!! I was trying out the trial version because I’ve heard a lot of nice things about Kaspersky and the trial version reminder kept coming up and disabled all remote input into my computer. I am seriously annoyed by this “harassment”. All the more because it made me uninstall Zonealarm due to “compatibility issues”. Strange how I haven’t had any problems after I reinstalled Zonealarm after installing Kaspersky.

Reply

thank for tips…

Reply

Thx Raymond very helpful

Reply

thanks for sharing raymond

Reply

Just another reason to use KasperSky :)

All AV’s should protect themself agains “remote access”.

Reply

Thank you !

Reply

thanks for tips about fasten the Kaspersky…
the remote configuration tips is good.

Reply

Thanks Raymond, I finally understand what happened with my Kasperky when I try remote connection to my PC.

Reply

Thanks appreciated this article…

Reply

Thanks for info. I have same problem with one of my customer, so I remotely uninstall kaspersky.
Nice antivirus, but strange self-defence. You can’t modificate KAV settings, but you can uninstall protection?! :-/

Reply

Thanks Ray!

This is a very useful tip to me. Cos I faced same problem while i was working with my friends Laptop via team viewer. But I could not realize the problem that time.

Thanks alot. Share some more as well.
Good Luck!

Reply

thank u

Reply

Thanks. Your articles are always amazed me.

Reply

thanks for the great info ray! :D

Reply

thanks Raymond…
Good info.

Reply