Laptop internet security

The product is also a relatively quick download , and it installed quickly on our test Windows laptop. Bitdefender Total Security includes some excellent internet security features and is worth checking out. McAfee is definitely a strong internet security suite , and its slick, fast-loading UI makes it a great choice for laptop users. Total Security comes with a password manager so that you can store your internet passwords in a secure, encrypted space.

Panda remains one of our top antivirus and internet security recommendations and truly excels in both. Panda Dome Complete features an easy to use password manager and a device location and remote-control tool.

That makes it perfect for laptop users. The device location tool sends its coordinates to the cloud-based dashboard and the results are pinpoint accurate. The remote-control tool can be useful in both normal use and when attempting to recover files and folders from a misplaced or stolen device. Most of the products on this list are primarily intended for Windows although they all work well on Mac , so I decided to add one more that focuses on protecting Macs.

Intego has excellent real-time malware protection which blocked all of the Mac-specific malware samples I threw at it — including newer spyware samples that macOS antiviruses from competitors like Panda missed. I also really like the phishing detection feature, which blocked more suspicious sites in my tests than Safari or Chrome. Internet security is important because of the huge amount of valuable data most users keep online, and the increasing number of hackers targeting unprotected online accounts.

Without proper internet security protection , you could fall victim to one of these hacks, leaking banking info and credit card numbers, compromising social media accounts, and ultimately becoming a victim of identity theft and fraud. Antivirus software protects against computer-based malware like viruses and trojans.

Internet security software protects against network-based malware like spyware and ransomware. That said, today, many internet security suites like all on this list offer both an antivirus engine and internet security protection in the same product. Free internet security software usually comes with a couple of caveats.

It either has severely limited functionality, major product flaws, notifications that prevent you from normally using your device, or a secret agenda like stealing your data. That said, not all free security software is bad. Internet security protections from Google and Apple and Microsoft have come a long way, but none of them are even close to as good as those offered from major cybersecurity brands like Norton and Bitdefender. Most antivirus software in offers far better protection than anything found in Google Chrome.

Professional Reviews. Affiliate Commissions. Reviews Guidelines. Ben Martens Updated on: January 1, This article contains. Short on time? Comes with a VPN, parental controls, secure storage, a password manager, and a lot more. Quick summary of the best internet security software of 1. It even includes bare-bones antivirus software for Linux machines, and its Windows malware-detection engine does very well in lab tests.

The only downside is that the parental controls don't work on iOS. Most antivirus brands tier premium subscriptions at five, 10 and sometimes 15 devices. So do you really need all these extra features with your antivirus software? Well, it's hard to argue against using a password manager.

Beyond that, you have to consider your personal circumstances. If you've got young kids or teenagers at home, then you might want parental-control software to keep tracking of what your children are doing online or to track the physical location of their phones. If you're a person of means, then investing in identity-theft protection might be wise.

If you travel a lot, you'll want to use a VPN while in hotel rooms and airport lounges. To get a better idea of the stand-alone services these premium security suites compete with, visit our buying guides for the best identity theft protection , best cloud backup services, best parental-control apps and best password managers. You just have to decide which ones you really need. Paul Wagenseil is a senior editor at Tom's Guide focused on security and privacy. He has also been a dishwasher, fry cook, long-haul driver, code monkey and video editor.

He's been rooting around in the information-security space for more than 15 years at FoxNews. One of the best internet security suites you can buy right now will protect a household's worth of PCs, Macs, iPhones and Android phones from malware, phishing scams and malicious websites.

Norton with LifeLock Ultimate Plus. Specifications Anti-theft: No. Backup software: Yes. Firewall: Yes. Game mode: Yes. Hardened browser: No. But the most important way to protect against phishing is to be informed. No reputable company will ever ask their customers for account numbers, credit card numbers, logins or passwords.

A Smart Firewall is the network security in Norton that monitors the traffic to and from your network and can either allow or block that traffic based on a defined set of security rules. Norton Smart Firewall helps protect your device and your data from malicious attacks and intrusive eyes by monitoring and blocking suspicious network traffic. Keeping your devices free from viruses is at the heart of what we do.

Cloud Backup for PC stores and protects important files and documents as a preventative measure to data loss due to hard drive failures, stolen devices and even ransomware. Norton comes with easy-to-use Parental Control that allows you to set screen time limits for kids 11 , block unsuitable sites, monitor search terms and their overall activity history.

Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information for their gain and your loss. Personal information can include your Social Security number, birth date, email address and passwords. Criminals could potentially steal from retirement accounts, rent property and even commit crimes — all in your name.

Sometimes it could take months or years before anyone notices and the restoration process can also be lengthy. LifeLock identity theft protection uses innovative monitoring technology and alert tools to help proactively safeguard your credit and finances. If identity theft does occur, a U. This is an underground online community where criminals can go to buy and sell your personal information.

A stolen wallet could mean a stolen identity. You will be covered for personal expenses you incur and money stolen as a result of identity theft, up to the limits of your plan. We recommend that you help protect additional family members with their own membership. Having credit monitoring is a good proactive step but you could miss certain identity threats by just monitoring your credit. With Norton with LifeLock Ultimate Plus, we monitor key changes to your credit file at the three leading credit bureaus and alert you to help detect fraud.

Any credit monitoring from Experian and TransUnion will take several days to begin after your successful plan enrollment. Secure VPN helps protect your online privacy by blocking intrusive activities like tracking or controlling your online activities or location by Internet service providers, mobile carriers, advertisers, and websites. A Virtual Private Network VPN creates a private network within a broader network, adding security by using encryption and tunneling mechanisms.

And this number is growing. Additionally, each country has at least two servers, so you won't always connect to the same IP or data center when you turn on the VPN and connect to any specific region. In addition, with the evolving threats facing consumers as well as the proliferation of free public Wi-Fi, the timing is right to provide consumers with a strong trusted VPN-focused product like Norton Secure VPN.

Connecting your device to a password-protected Wi-Fi access point does not protect your data as it is broadcast from your device to the hotspot. Passwords on Wi-Fi access points only ensure authorized users are connecting to the hotspot. So, your data may be at risk as it traverses the airwaves between your device and the hotspot. Also, if you are using public Wi-Fi where all users have access to the same password, it may not be secure from hackers and snoops.

Free is not always free. Often, free VPN products trade your information to help offset their costs. Norton Secure VPN does not impose data or bandwidth limits or advertisements on you.

An unlimited data and bandwidth VPN service has significant ongoing costs. Those costs are necessary to ensure your privacy. We also offer a day money-back guarantee for annual subscriptions if users are not satisfied with the product. The webcam on your PC is a great way to keep in touch with family, friends or business associates.

But it can also be vulnerable to hacking. For detailed instructions on how to install and turn on Norton , please visit our Support Page. For detailed instructions on how to remove Norton , please visit our Support Page.

The system requirements for the Norton plans are not significantly different from our current offerings, please visit our Support Page. Not all features are available on all devices and platforms. Some protection features are not available in Windows 8 Start screen browsers. Current and previous two versions of Mac OS.

Norton Secure VPN may be used on the specified number of devices — with unlimited use during the subscription term. No one can prevent all cybercrime or identity theft. Policy terms, conditions and exclusions at: NortonLifeLock. If a Norton expert is unable to remove the virus from your device, then you may receive a refund based on the actual price paid for the current term of your qualifying subscription.