• Price: Free to try (15-day trial); $69.95 to buy
• Operating system: Windows 2000, Windows 7, Windows XP
• Date added: August 31, 2009

ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010 gives users a full-bodied feature set that focuses on immediate security, but a clunky interface makes some key features hard to get to and activate. Among these are the virus scan, the cornerstone of any security product, and the new gaming mode. ZoneAlarm is boasting of scan times that it says are 80 to 90 percent faster than in previous versions because developers have finally unified their antivirus and antispyware engines. ZoneAlarm has also made improvements to its download scanning protocol, and has included an optional add-on for encrypting laptop hard drives as well as keylogger protection so that only the intended program can read your keystrokes.

Other features include an identity protection module to encrypt personal information and alert you when it leaves your computer–as well as helping you set up an eBay fraud report, if you’re an eBay user. There’s also an outbound e-mail alert, in case your account gets hacked, parental controls, and the browser toolbar for Firefox and Internet Explorer. Unfortunately, the browser protections only work in those two browsers. ZoneAlarm’s well-known firewall is included, and after spending half a day with it on a Windows 7 computer we didn’t notice any of the usability problems that have notoriously plagued it. That doesn’t mean they don’t exist, of course, but we didn’t experience them on the latest version.

In terms of threat detection and removal efficacy, independent data isn’t available yet for this version. On ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2009, the program scored better than average but not in the upper percentiles on malware detection, removal, response times, and only average on false positives. The trial period is shorter by half than its competitors, but if you’re looking for big-name protection, ZoneAlarm Extreme isn’t a bad place to start.

Publisher’s description

ZoneAlarm Extreme Security is a comprehensive suite protecting your PC, your browser, and your data. The OSFirewall monitors changes within your computer to spot and stop new attacks that bypass traditional anti-virus protection. The Advanced Download Protection analyzes browser downloads in three unique ways before they can infect your PC and warns if they are malicious. Virtual Browsing allows users to surf with full protection against malicious software like drive-by downloads and browser exploits. Hard Drive Encryption keeps your identity and data private in the event of PC loss or theft. Credit Bureau Monitoring Services protect your identity with daily credit report monitoring and provides victim recovery services. Two-way Firewall keeps hackers out by making your PC invisible online and blocking intrusions. Anti-phishing and Site Status blocks fraudulent websites including “phishing” sites that trick you into entering personal data. Keylogger / screengrabber jamming feature protects your passwords and other key strokes from being stolen by identity thieves. Private Browsing erases your surfing tracks and allows you to surf the Internet in complete privacy. Secure Online Backup backs up files and restores your data in the event of hardware malfunction. PC Tune-up cleans, organizes and streamlines your computer for improved performance. Parental Controls filter and block inappropriate websites. Anti-Spam filters out annoying and potentially dangerous email.

What’s new in this version:

Version 9.0 adds hard drive encryption for laptops, more browser security features, new unified anti-virus and anti-spyware engines, timing attack protection plus many performance improvements.