Kaspersky Security Suite 1

Kaspersky is going head-to-head with Norton Internet Security with the release of Personal Security Suite 1. As with Symantec's software, this combines anti-virus and anti-hacker tools, protection from spyware and spam fighting utilities in a single package.

That said, Kaspersky's presentation isn't quite as slick as its rivals. There's no centralised console from which you can control all three elements; the only place they are combined is on the installation disc. Once loaded they operate as three separate tools, with three different manuals.

The anti-virus side includes all of the features we've come to expect. There's the option for a full system scan, a quarantine section for files that can't be cleaned straightaway and regular updates are available via the Internet. Email scanning is also included. The anti-hacker component is essentially a personal firewall, complete with a stealth mode to hide your system from other Internet users. There are predefined rules for common packages and it's easy enough to add your own.

Finally, Kaspersky's email filter works with Outlook and both SMTP and POP3 email accounts. It will attempt to filter spam as it arrives in your inbox, and adds options to the mail toolbar to classify or declassify messages as junk.

This looks good for under £50, but the annual licence renewal pushes the cost up. At 70 per cent of the cost of the package it comes in at over £30, which is expensive compared to rivals.

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