Trend Micro Internet Security

Review summary

Good points

Bad points

Our verdict

Trend Micro have produced a lightweight, easy to use security suite that is aimed at protection for the whole family. Excellent parental controls, a good level of security and a low price tag, make this the perfect package for parents or the average user.

Full review

Trend Micro Internet Security, is the mid-level package in Trend Micro’s new 2019 range, falling between the Antivirus+ (‘Essential’) and the Maximum Security (‘Maximum Protection’), this package is classified by Trend Micro as ‘Advanced’. Trend Micro’s 2018 package was excellent when it came to defence against web-based malware and core functionality, but came in for a bit of criticism due to the lack of it’s own Firewall (choosing instead to integrate with Microsoft’s Windows Firewall). Let’s take a look below to see what changes Trend Micro have made this year.

Setup

Installation of Trend Micro Internet Security was a breeze on our machine, installing in a couple of minutes with very little difficulty. The interface employed here is very user-friendly, with a simple, clean look that is very easy to navigate. It doesn’t have some of the more advanced options or configurations that a lot of internet security suites now carry, which on the one hand, will disappoint more advanced users, but for less-advanced users this is a huge plus, as some suite’s interfaces can be intimidating. It seems that Trend Micro Internet Security is aimed towards protection for a family, and the interface therefore will be a hit with parents that just want to install and run security with little technical know-how.

Protection

As with the majority of suite’s we are looking at this year, Trend Micro Internet Security employs cloud-based technology to combat emerging threats before they reach your computer. It protects against viruses, Trojans, Spyware, malware and malicious links effectively.

Firewall - Trend have again opted to not include a Firewall in this suite, and have continued along the same path as the 2019 packages, with an integrated system that uses Microsoft Windows Firewall along with the suite’s defences. Trend Micro Internet Security uses a Firewall booster that activates the network-level Firewall in Windows, to improve protection further. None of this is a real issue, as the Firewalls in Vista and Windows 7 are excellent and the suite integrates well with these.

Parental controls - Offers some of the best parental control tools we have seen this year so far. Profiles can be created for each individual family member, allowing parents to configure website filters and different protection options, based on the age of their child. This enables the parent to block specific websites, and also set the profile so as to allow emailing, but restrict or block instant messaging and chat. All profiles are password protected so the child cannot change the settings.

Effectiveness

AV-Test.org have so far only tested the Maximum Security suite in the range, which was scored at 13.5 out of 18 points, with the software losing points on the removal section.

AV-Comparatives.org rated Trend Micro Internet Security as ‘Advanced’.

Trend Micro Internet Security scored highly on detection and blocking of malware at 92%, but removal results were somewhat disappointing, as is reflected in the points dropped in the AV-Test results.When it came to false positives, Trend Micro’s suite did identify five safe files out of 200,000 as potentially malicious, which is a low percentage but not quite as good as some of the other suites tested this year.

Performance

Trend Micro Internet Security had little impact on our computer’s boot time, adding only a few seconds to start up. The same was true of shutdown speeds, with Trend Micro’s suite having the least effect of any suite on this time in our tests. The quick scan employed on this suite was the fastest of any quick scans we have tested this year, and during the full scans we ran, browsing speed was barely affected, making this the ideal package if scanning speeds and computer performance are your main priorities.

Features

Data Theft Prevention tool – Stops protected data from going into webpages, emails or instant messages. Users can enter part of the information, for example the last four digits of a credit card, and this can prevent Spyware from getting the whole number.

Trend Micro Vault – A remote file lock that can seal off files if your laptop has been stolen.

Help & support

Support for Trend Micro Internet Security comes in the way of comprehensive support information on their website, which includes instructional videos, malware removal tools and a threat encyclopedia. 24/7 email support is available, and telephone support is available during standard working hours.

Overall

In short, this is a great security suite for users who want to install and protect their computer with minimum fuss or effort. The parental controls are fantastic, and combined with the low price, this will be a very attractive package for families. Advanced users may be put off by the lack of features, but the core security of the suite is still well above average.

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