Product Description

With the wide variety of viruses, hackers and blended threats lurking on the Internet today, you need more than a simple anti-virus program to keep your PC and files secure. McAfee VirusScan Plus 2007 provides the essential protection you need to surf the Web and download files safely. With McAfee VirusScan Plus powerful integrated technologies work together to combat and defeat even the most sophisticated multi-pronged attacks. McAfee's trusted PC protection blocks and removes threats automatically, and identifies spyware and adware before they can run on your PC. Plus, to keep things extra simple, the new McAfee SecurityCenter gives you at-a-glance control over all your McAfee applications. Get the confidence you need to surf the Web, knowing McAfee is always on, always updating and always protecting you.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2944 in Software
• Color: 1-user
• Brand: McAfee
• Model: VSF07EMB1RUA
• Released on: 2006-08-25
• Platforms: Windows XP, Windows 2000
• Format: CD-ROM
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 2.00 pounds

Features

• Automatically blocks, cleans, and removes viruses so you can surf the Web the safely
• Blocks spyware before it can install on your computer, and removes existing spyware
• Protects and conceals your computer from hackers so you can connect to the Internet safely
• The SecurityCenter shows you your protection status with just one click
• SiteAdvisor's Web safety ratings help you stay safe from adware, spyware, spam and online scams as you search, browse and shop online

Amazon.com
With the wide variety of viruses, hackers and blended threats lurking on the Internet today, you need more than a simple antivirus program to keep your PC and files secure. McAfee VirusScan Plus AntiVirus, Firewall & AntiSpyware is the essential combination of protection to combat and defeat even the most sophisticated attacks. Surf the Web and download files safely knowing McAfee shields your computer around the clock.

The McAfee SecurityCenter lets you view your protection status with just one click. View larger.

McAfee offers a variety of software solutions to give you the level of protection that's right for your family or small business. View larger.

3-in-1 Protection
McAfee VirusScan Plus is 3-in-1 protection from viruses, hackers and spyware that you can trust. Relax knowing that you always have the latest protection updates, software upgrades and enhancements delivered to you automatically. With McAfee you always have the most up-to-date protection.

Stop Viruses. McAfee VirusScan Plus automatically blocks, cleans, and removes viruses so you can surf the Web the safely. It cleans files, e-mails, Internet downloads and instant messaging attachments, and prevents the spread of viruses to co-workers, friends and family.

Block Spyware. McAfee also blocks spyware before it can install on your computer, and removes existing spyware. Secure your identity and privacy – while also keeping your PC from getting clogged with unnecessary programs and files.

Stop Hackers. McAfee VirusScan Plus protects and conceals your computer from hackers so you can connect to the Internet safely. The built-in firewall automatically denies Internet access to malicious applications, while allowing trusted programs to connect without unnecessary alerts or false alarms. In addition, you are fully integrated with Hackerwatch.org, an anti-hacking database that provides additional tools and resources on hacker activities.

Security, Simplified
The new McAfee SecurityCenter makes security easy. With one-click, you can view your protection status. You can also check for updates and fix potential security issues.

Safe Searching With McAfee SiteAdvisor
In addition to 3-in-1 protection, you get McAfee SiteAdvisor’s Web safety ratings, which help you stay safe from adware, spyware, spam and online scams as you search, browse and shop online.

Always On, Always Protecting, Always Updating
When you install McAfee VirusScan Plus, you are subscribing to the most up-to-date security software delivered to you by McAfee’s patented Security as a Service (SaS) technology. Daily threat protection and updates are delivered to you 24/7 from McAfee’s world-class research center, McAfee Avert Labs. Free software upgrades and enhancements are provided as long as your subscription is active.

McAfee offers a variety of renewal options to keep your McAfee protection current. Teams of experts are available 24/7 via Internet chat and e-mail by visiting www.mcafeehelp.com.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you are not 100% satisfied, McAfee offers a full refund.

New and Improved Features
For 2007, McAfee VirusScan Plus includes these new and improved features:

• New: Integrated anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall technologies.
• Improved: Spyware protection detects, blocks and removes spyware and adware.
• New: Complete inbound and outbound firewall protection automatically trusts known good applications and helps block spyware, Trojans, and key loggers.
• New: McAfee SystemGuards watch your computer for specific behaviors that may signal virus, spyware, or hacker activity.
• New: McAfee X-Ray for Windows detects and kills rootkits and other malicious applications that hide from Windows and other anti-virus programs.
• New: McAfee SiteAdvisor adds safety ratings to sites and search engine results based on comprehensive spam, adware, and online scam safety tests.
• New: Stealth mode hides your presence on the Internet.
• Improved: McAfee SecurityCenter.
• New: McAfee Network Manager monitors PCs across your network for security weaknesses so you can easily identify network security issues.
• New: Built-in computer health and performance tools.

Customer Reviews

Will NOT play well with other programs you may want to keep
Pro: Buy this only if you need all 3 programs and do not already have any of them.
Those being:
1. anti-virus
2. firewall
3. anti spyware

CONS: several (read on)

My antispyware from mcafee expired sept 2006.
I contacted mcafee and found out that you cannot buy it separately anymore.

You have to buy a stupid "suite" of mcafee softwares in order to get the
antispyware program.

So I bought this particular mcafee "suite" .

[Remember now, I bought this ONLY for the antispyware program.
(maybe down the road, I'll use the mcafee firewall. But at present
my ZA6 is still good for 6 months).

Just the Antispyware program].

What mcafee did NOT tell me is that this "Suite" will want to install
what it thinks I should install, not what I tell it I want/need installed.


Surprise #1 !

The antispyware does not have it's own install program.
(probably tied in as part of the anti-virus)

Surprise #2 !
Tried to install as a CUSTOM install and once it sees that
zone alarm 6(my firewall) is loaded, it gives me the option to "Skip" this item, leaving the current installed program in place.

I did so and then it tells me:
a. it cannot load the virusscan due to the zone alarm being found????

[What kind of "CUSTOMIZED install" is this?
CUSTOMIZED means that the installer dictates what gets installed.
Not according to this software pkg].

b. What does the a competitor's firewall have to do with mcafee's virusscanner not installing ??
They are 2 different function programs.

What kind junk is this????

c. Who cares whether ZA6 firewall is found? It should NOT prevent the viruscan and anti-spyware from loading/installing.

Surprise #3
Looks like mcafee won and I lost.
I want the stinking ANTISPYWARE and only the antispyware.
They don't want to give it to me as a single program.

Good thing the box says they have a 30 day moneyback guarantee.

REMEMBER :
If you need all 3 programs because you got a new pc, or your old subscription for a whole "suite" of programs has expired,
This package MIGHT work for you.

If you are looking for ONLY the anti-spyware application;
FORGET IT!

Consider the Mcafee Antispyware application part of
"SUITE installation only" package.
It doesn't install by itself as a standalone program anymore.

Go get webroot's spysweeper or sunbelt's counterspy.
Both/either are good
--------------------

UPDATE 10-06-2006

I installed this onto a 2nd pc, since it is not worth my efforts and postage costs to return it to mcafee for a refund.

As a suite that exists by itself, without any other conflicting applications, it does a decent job.

I was testing it a bit more and it does give a nice display of my home network - router, modem, other pc's, and such. Active or disconnected network links on the home network,IP addresses and network names, ect.

For this 2nd pc that I installed it on, when it failed to install onto my primary pc, it works fine.

In that respect, I would give it 4 stars.


-----------------------------------

Sometimes You Get More than You Pay For - Unfortunately
I upgraded to this latest version of the McAfee product, wanting only the VirusScan, which has served me well over many years. Unfortunately, you must now accept a "suite" of solutions that McAfee deems in your best interest. If you need the functionality of the whole suite, you may be satisfied - or not. If you only want one component, you bought a truckload of trouble. It claims to be user-configurable. You will get a lot of practice at this because the product resets to McAfee's default configuration every few days. It requires considerable time and effort to drill down and disable each item in that configuration. But you have little choice. The program will nag you without mercy until you are "fully protected" - every time you boot up. One McAfee-dictated setting is a deep scan of your system every morning. You probably know that can pretty much tie up your processor for the rest of the day. McAfee Customer Service has been, well, politely quiet. In my view McAfee VirusScan has become a virus with an innovative Auto-nag feature.

This thing gets worse and worse with every ''upgrade''
No matter what the configuration screens say, you *CANNOT* get this software to stop using your network for anything it wants without your approval.

No matter what the configuration screens say, you *CANNOT* get this software to stop popping up those annoying-as-hell messages on the bottom right hand corner of your screen. Beyond being terribly annoying with their in-your-face display of how you don't have control of your own computer, these pop-up messages can mess up full-screen graphics software.

McAfee customer support is offensive. They treat you like you're an idiot, as if you don't know what you're talking about. Then after weeks of several people trying to explain the problem (this is in the McAfee message forums), once McAfee DOES understand the problem, they dismiss you like you're incompetent. Then in the next software update not only aren't these horrible, glaring, disgusting problems with the software not fixed, they're WORSE THAN EVER.

I gave this software/company/service a couple of years worth of the benefit of the doubt. But with every change to their software, especially the most recent one, it's worse than it was before.

I was tempted to give this product two stars in stead of one, but when the basic purpose of defensive software is to help the user defend their machine, and *NOT* to ignore the user, and open up MORE network ports and use even MORE of the user's network resources for stuff the user does NOT want, clearly the product is NOT doing what is wanted by the user. So no, this gets the lowest rating.

The other reviewers must not have any idea what resources this software is helping itself to when they give it an absolutely frightening five stars.

If I hired a security guard for my home, and every day when I came home I caught him going through my daughter's underwear drawer, I'd feel about the same way as I do about McAfee. Maybe he did keep OTHER people from breaking into our home, but the total creep-out cost is far, far, FAR too high!