Bitdefender Total Security

The core discipline of any security program is defined by the detection and removal of viruses. The Bitdefender program has achieved top marks in this area for years. AV-Test is an independent test laboratory which recently awarded 17.5 out of 18 points in a series of tests. AV-Comparatives even awarded the highest mark, the Advanced* rating. In the last 12 of 12 tests Bitdefender also achieved VB-100 certification from Virus Bulletin. Dennis Technology, a security laboratory in London, gave Bitdefender the second highest mark (AA) in the test series. Basically there is no test laboratory from which Bitdefender did not make it into the top 3. In most cases the program emerged as the number 1 manufacturer in the test series.

The malware and spam protection of Bitdefender

The same protection technology is used in all Bitdefender software products. The used technology is partly based on heuristic systems, which allow to detect even unknown threats quickly. The technology used is called Active Virus Control and analyzes the active processes. In case of suspicious activities an immediate reaction takes place. But a premium security software has only earned the title if the desired protection against malware is limited to the Internet. The cloud-based spam protection sorts out the corresponding mails even before they reach the inbox. In addition, the program takes a closer look at the entire system to scan for security gaps and weaknesses. These are primarily vulnerabilities caused by risky system settings or outdated software. Total Security thus guarantees the user solid all-round protection.

The Premium Features

As befits a premium package, the security software naturally also contains interesting extras that make it more convenient to use in various areas:

Encryption: The encryption of files is not only useful in the business area. Especially mobile devices should be sufficiently protected. It doesn't matter whether it's an entire folder or just individual files, thanks to the wizard function, encryption works quickly and without long training.
The online backup: To save important Data online, 2 GB are made available to the user.
Theft protection: Via a web-based user interface, users can remotely locate and lock their protected devices. For security reasons, confidential data can also be deleted remotely.
The privacy protection: The user has the possibility to define passwords and data in the program, which should not be sent from the PC to the Internet. This function also checks the privacy security settings in social networks very carefully. In addition, the Bitdefender contains a data shredder that deletes the desired data irretrievably and reliably if necessary. The

Performance

An important criterion for the purchase decision is defined not only by the protection performance but also by the performance of a security software. At this point, the question naturally arises whether the extensive performance of the security software does not have a negative effect on the performance of the computer. According to AV-Test, Total Security should be very quiet and also extremely fast. No wonder that Bitdefender also achieved the highest score in the test category performance.

An integrated PC optimization additionally ensures improved system performance. The user has the option of controlling this option manually and detail-oriented or by one-click. This not only cleans up the browser history, but also the registry file. However, the cleanup also applies to all duplicate files. In the end, this means that the computer runs like clockwork.

The supported system requirements:

Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1. and Windows 10

The following software is also supported:

Google Chrome 20 or higher
Skype 6.3 or higher
NET Framework 3.5 (is installed automatically)
Yahoo Messenger 9 or higher
Internet Explorer 8 or higher
Mozilla Firefox 14 or higher
Thunderbird 14 or higher
Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013
Outlook Express

Bitdefender Total Security is a pure Windows product. If you also use other operating systems and want to protect your devices, you should consider the Total Security Multi Device package, which also offers OneClick protection. If you also want to involve other users in the protection program, you should take a closer look at the Family Pack.

The operability

In the 2015 version, the user interface has only a small potential for improvement. Only a few cosmetic optimizations should be made here to adapt the version to the previous version. The tiles that decorate the main menu are still there. This means that the user with a modern touch-enabled computer also has the possibility to control the security software suite. And this directly via the screen. And the protection status is also quickly visible. At the top of the screen the user can activate his profiles and start the autopilot.

The main menu items include privacy, extras and protection. In the submenu the user finds the items Update, Safepay, Scan and Optimization. Basically, the user interface is clearly designed and clearly defined. With the autopilot function, even inexperienced users have the opportunity to quickly get to grips with the principle of control, as it is given out of the hand and the software takes care of the rest completely independently.

In the test, both the download and the installation proved to be uncomplicated. The installation file is only 6.7 MB in size. A small drawback: The installer also downloads additional data required for the installation. For the installation, a total of 1 GB free disk space must be available. 800 MB of this must be available on the hard disk.
The support

The support was basically convincing in the test. There is a separate area for both private and business customers. The FAQs have already been adapted so that information about the 2015 version is also available.

To the Bitdefender product page