Labs

We always get a sense of deja vu when testing NOD32. The unusual interface of past versions remains and it won't appeal to everyone, but that's certainly not the most important factor when choosing an anti-virus program. The version we tested was for Windows 2000, XP and Vista; there is also a version for older operating systems from Windows 95 up to Me. You can even get a version for MS-DOS.

The program uses a modular approach, with different windows available to change settings for the email, document, real-time and on-demand scanners. It supports scheduled scans and there are tons of settings to play with. This will be of more interest to serious hobbyists

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than regular users who just want to install a program and leave it to run in the background.

The ability to create and switch between profiles is a nice touch. This lets you make changes to settings and apply them quickly and easily. You could load strict settings for times when you believe your PC is most at risk and choose a more relaxed profile when the emergency is over.

The last time we tested NOD32, it impressed us with its accuracy and, in our latest and most comprehensive tests, it holds on to its position as one of the front-runners. It detected 76 per cent of the email viruses and 46 per cent of the web-based threats. This means that its email virus detection is in the top five, just beating the Norton and McAfee products. It is also one of the better programs for detecting spyware and similar files, and is just beaten by Kaspersky and Steganos. NOD32's results are virtually identical to those of F-Secure Anti-Virus, which costs £5 more. NOD32 put less strain on our test system than F-Secure's product did.

NOD32 is a serious contender to win this anti-virus group test. However, we cannot ignore the fact that Steganos not only detects more email viruses but costs significantly less to buy and renew.