Product Description

Combines Superior Proactive Protection from e-Threats with Backup and PC Tune-up for the Ultimate in Security that won't slow you down. BitDefender Total Security 2009 provides comprehensive proactive protection against all Internet security threats, along with system maintenance and backup, without slowing down your PCs. Confidently download, share, and open files from friends, family, co-workers and even total strangers. Scans all web, e-mail and instant messaging traffic for viruses and spyware in real-time. Proactively protects against new virus outbreaks using advanced heuristics. Manage the security of your home network from a single location. BitDefender software from other computers in the network can be remotely configured, while tasks such as scans, backups, tune-ups, and updates can be run on-demand or scheduled to run during off-hours. Hourly updates ensure that you are protected against the latest threats without pushing a button. Lost program files are not a problem either. In the rare event of file damage due to PC problems, BitDefender automatically repairs and updates itself. Backs up files and folders locally Provides secure on-line storage Connect securely to any network at home, in the office or away Automatically modifies firewall protection settings to suit location Wi-Fi monitor helps prevent unauthorized access to your Wi-Fi network Blocks access to inappropriate websites and e-mail Schedules and limits kids' access to Internet and to applications Reduces the system load and avoids requesting user interaction during games Get fine-tuned performance from your computer Removes unnecessary duplicates of files and registry entries Irrecoverably erases unwanted files and traces of files System Requirements - Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (32/64 bit) or higher, 800-MHz or higher processor, 512MB RAM, 300MB free space, Internet Explorer 6.0 (or higher), and. NET Framework 1.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #118 in Software
• Brand: Bitdefender, LLC
• Model: MB11052003EN-M2
• Released on: 2008-08-15
• Platforms: Windows XP, Windows Vista
• Format: CD-ROM
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .30 pounds

Features

• Shop, bank, listen, watch privately and securely
• Blocks attempted identity theft (phishing)
• Prevents personal information from leaking via e-mail, web or instant messaging
• Guard your conversations with top-of-the line encryption
• File Vault securely stores personal information or sensitive files

Amazon.com
BitDefender Total Security 2009 Family Edition provides 3 PCs 2 full years of advanced protection against viruses, spyware, hackers, spam and other e-threats... without slowing them down! It's our most complete security offering and includes: online and local backup, to safeguard your important data against hardware failure or theft; firewall; IM Encryption, to keep your private communications private; File Vault, to secure and encrypt your personal documents; Parental Control, to limit Web access; system maintenance tools, to keep your PC humming along; and more!

Provides 3 PCs 2 full years of advanced protection against viruses, spyware, hackers, spam and other e-threats... without slowing them down. Click to enlarge.

Scans all Web, e-mail and instant messaging traffic in real-time. Click to enlarge.

2GB of encrypted storage to safeguard your files from fire, theft and computer crashes. Click to enlarge.

System maintenance tools to maximize system performance. Click to enlarge.

Easily manage the security of your network from one PC. Click to enlarge.

Securely download music, movies, and files from the Web, friends, and family

• Scans and removes viruses and spyware
• Scans all Web, e-mail and instant messaging traffic in real-time
• Proactively protects against new virus outbreaks using advanced heuristics

Protect your identity: shop, bank, listen, and watch... privately and securely

• Blocks attempted identity theft (phishing)
• Prevents personal information from leaking via e-mail, Web or Instant Messaging

Eliminate the worry of your financial records, taxes and personal documents falling into the wrong hands

• File Vault (New)--encrypts and secures your personal and sensitive files

Maximize secure system performance

• Uses minimal system resources
• Laptop Mode (New)--gives you more power when on the go by automatically postponing battery draining actions such as scheduled scans, backups and tune-ups
• Removes unnecessary duplicates of files and registry entries
• Irrecoverably erases unwanted files and "traces" of files

Online Backup

• Backs up your important files to a secure website
• 2GB of encrypted storage to safeguard your files from fire, theft and computer crashes
• Allows you to share your online files with family, friends and colleagues

Guard your files and conversations with top-of-the-line encryption and backup

• Instant Messaging Encryption (New)--stops eavesdroppers from snooping in on your personal communications

Connect securely to any network at home, in the office, or on the road

• Automatically modifies firewall protection settings to suit location
• Wi-Fi monitor helps prevent unauthorized access to your Wi-Fi network

Parental Controls

• Blocks access to inappropriate websites and e-mail
• Schedules and limits kids' access to Internet and to applications

Gamer Mode

• Reduces the system load and postpones updates, allowing for secure gaming at top speed

Be in control, stay in control

• Network Security Management (New)--allows you to manage the security of your entire home network from one PC
• Use the dashboard to fix security issues with just one click
• Automatically decides best security actions to take

Let our professionals assist you with your security issues

• Free technical phone support, 24/7

Features / Benefits

New--Family network protection
Manage the security of your home network from a single location. BitDefender software from other computers in the network can be remotely configured, while tasks such as scans, backups tune-ups and updates can be run on-demand or scheduled to run during off-hours.

Hassle--Free Hourly Updates
Hourly updates ensure that you are protected against the latest threats without pushing a button. Lost program files are not a problem either. In the rare event of file damage due to PC problems, BitDefender automatically repairs and updates itself.

FREE 24/7 Support
Got a question? Our security experts are available to help you 24/7 via phone, email or chat at no additional cost.

Customer Reviews

Not ready for primetime
I do love BitDefender; the malware detection engine is top notch, and 2009 comes with a few useful new features in addition to the ones I liked in the 2008 version. The user interface has again been revamped, and can be alternated between advanced mode, which gives the user full access to all settings, and a more basic view that provides the layman with just the essentials.

Indeed, BitDefender 2009 is easily a four star piece of software, and maybe even a five ...when it works. Herein lies the problem. BitDefender has earned a reputation for releasing its new software versions when they ought to be, by most standards, still in beta. I had some issues with 2008 early on, and the company never quite worked out all the kinks. 2009 has taken these problems to a new level. Current bugs include certain settings reverting to defaults after every update, failed updates, interface display problems, and, perhaps most annoyingly, a tendency to deselect the window in which one is working, periodically causing the cursor to disappear from the text field when one is typing.

These problems may be more or less severe depending on the specific type and configuration of your computer, but the general fact is that though the underlying defense capabilities of BitDefender 2009 are excellent, the program itself is littered with bugs and can even become unstable. For advanced users it's a nuisance. For beginners it can be practically unmanagable. I have no doubt that matters will improve in the future, but at the time I write this review I cannot recommend BitDefender 2009.

If you want to take advantage of most of BitDefender 2009's capabilities and have a much more functional product, I suggest BitDefender 2008. Unfortunately, my trial period has expired, so I will not be able to update my review in the future to report on which problems are fixed and which persist, but if you'd like to see for yourself whether BitDefender 2009 is right for you, I encourage you to download the 30 day trial for free on the company's website before making a purchase.

Best security software yet
I had BitDefender AV 10 for a couple of years and ran it with Spyware Doctor and Zone Alarm free firewall. This combination worked well for me. I started having problems with the spyware doctor new versions. Found it ran heavy on my system.
I decided to go with a suite to avoid compatibility issues. I tried BitDefender Internet Security 2008 for awhile but I had a hard time configuring the firewall. My ISP uses a denial of service modem and the IP address changes each time I sign on. The permissions in the BD firewall would not stay. Must say the tech support was excellent. They were relentless in trying to find a solution to my problem. In the meantime the BitDefender Total Security 2009 came out of beta and I gave it a shot. The techs at BD thought the changes made to the firewall would correct my problems which it did. They gave me a deal to allow me to upgrade from BDIS 2008 to BDTS 2009 and I could not be happier. Making sure I had no trace of other security apps on my PC I downloaded and installed without a hitch.
The thing I like about BD is they have a pretty basic display for people who want to go with the defaults, set it up and forget it. Then they have an advanced view that allows you to tinker a bit which I like. This company is known for good heuristics and real time protection. Their ratings have always been high and you cannot beat the price.
I like the Tune Up features also. I run the registry cleaner a couple of times using ERUNDT application which is a great freebie that backs up your registry every time you boot up. Just as a side note I would not run without ERUNDT. I used to use a separate utility to monitor my registry for changes but I can now opt to have BD do this. I am particularly bad at backing up my documents so wanted the total security just to make it easier so I would be more apt to do it.
I highly recommend BitDefender products.
Use the 30 day trial first to make sure it does not conflict with your PC configutation and setup. What works well on one PC does not always work well on another. There are still a couple of bugs because BDTS 2009 is relatively new but to me they are minor and I have full confidence that this company will fix bugs and stand behind their product. I ended up with a 1 PC 3 year license.

Still in beta - not recommended
This review can become quite long if I elaborate too much so I'll stick to bullet points to explain my experience with the program. I was optimistic because this program received high marks from Consumer Reports but they're not known for being as thorough with software as they are with other products. I gave this program the college try but I found numerous problems and cannot recommend it. For instance:

1) My DVD/CD player was unable to detect the presence of this program on the provided CD so I needed to download it from their website.
2) During installation, the program asked if I wanted to update everything but the update failed with an error message (future updates worked ok)
3) At random times it would steal focus from whatever I was doing (like typing this review). I'm not sure but I believe this happens every time it updates.
4) When it scans my system for viruses (2 1/2 hours for a full scan) it doesn't prompt you for action, it simply deletes the file without your input. The settings can be changed to quarantine the file, but given the number of false positives that come from antivirus scanners, deleting is a horrible default choice and they need to give us the option to skip the file if we know it's safe.
5) Speaking of defaults, it doesn't scan http traffic by default and real-time antivirus and antispyware are not enabled by default. Not sure why.
6) On the other hand, it doesn't seem to detect what programs are installed in your system as I had Yahoo Messenger scanning enabled by default even though it's not installed.


So far these are just minor annoyances, however, the following leads me to believe there are more systemic problems:

1) In spite of Bitdefender clearly stating it supports my email client (Thunderbird), it rendered it unusable. When I open Thunderbird, a message pops up saying, "In order to manage spam, it is necessary to select one or more emails." This box steals focus and prevents you from doing anything else on your computer. There's a box to check to it wouldn't show this message again, however even when checked the box keeps popping up over and over until you terminate Thunderbird.
2) When running the antispam "wizard" it does not detect either my Thunderbird email folder or my address book and it provided no avenue for me to point out the correct folders. Since the filter could not be trained, the constant popup boxes rendered Thunderbird unusable and I was prevented from checking my emails.
3) Bitdefender allows no option to pause or disable protection. In fact, even when these are disabled manually in settings they continue to load in the background. In other words, even when I tell it not to load antispam (since it didn't work) it would continue to load, generate popup boxes, and render Thunderbird unusable.
4) Bitdefender adds toolbars to your email and web clients and, while they may be useful, they take up an entire row of space for just one icon and they don't allow you to move the icon to a different toolbar.
5) Like others, I was only given 250MB of online backup space as opposed to the 2GB promised on the box.
6) Worst of all, it is impossible to disable Bitdefender from running. There is a box to check in settings to tell it whether or not to load at startup. This is ignored and Bitdefender will load regardless of what you want.

Similar problems exist when you try to get web based support. If you go to chat support, they will not accept any messages longer than 128 characters. Unfortunately, they don't tell you this beforehand. Even when you correct this, the support client stops working. You have to close your web browser and start over from scratch. I finally jumped through all the hoops and connected to support. The first time I connected I waited for five minutes with no response. Eventually I was prompted to leave them an email message. The second time I connected someone named "Bob" connected. I explained the problems I was having and he simply left the chat session with no response whatsoever. Later I receive an email response to my first session saying I need to set up an account before they would respond (I already did this).


In short, I believe this program wasn't tested properly before release and support was not helpful. There are too many bugs that need to be fixed before I could recommend it to anyone.