ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 6

The anti-phishing feature of the MailFrontier-driven anti-spam module has also been enhanced and was able to identify all the eBay/PayPal/banking fraud emails we threw at it, and represents an excellent defensive barrier against identity-theft scammers. In conjunction with the existing ID lock, which alerts the user whenever personal information is about to leave the computer, and the host file lock that prevents hackers from modifying the local host files, ID-theft protection is superbly covered here.

Elsewhere, Zone Labs hasn't fiddled too much. The automatic network detection has been tweaked for Wi-Fi and will now identify unsecured wireless networks, automatically setting the appropriate security levels to protect the computer. Instant Messaging protection, parental control features, ad blocking, cache cleaning, mobile code control and email attachment quarantining remain as impressive as ever.

Another area where version 6 impresses is value for money: at £50 including VAT, it's competitive with the latest security suites from Norton (£55), McAfee (£50) and the previous A-List title holder F-Secure (£45). While F-Secure is £5 cheaper, it lacks a privacy component.

This price competitiveness, together with the additional polish that Zone Labs, under Check Point ownership, has brought to this new version, lifts it above the competition. If you're looking for an all-in-one security suite, with all the central management and lack of compatibility problems that brings, ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 6 not only does everything efficiently and intuitively - it does it at the right price.

Author: Davey Winder