PC-cillin 2002

The program installs in less than a minute and conveniently organizes its many components in a single half-screen control panel. Accessed from the system tray, PC-cillin allows you to manually analyze and immunize drives and folders, or schedule a series of ongoing investigations. It creates a personal firewall to protect against hackers and other invaders, and automatically scans incoming e-mail for harmful attachments. It detects and cleans any Trojan horses that may already be present on your system, and cloaks your computer from future Trojans. It also keeps your surfing safe by guarding against malicious, interactive applets.

Contrary to its title, PC-cillin is not just for your desktop computer. Every time you connect a PDA, the included PC-cillin for Wireless utility will scan that, too. The program also offers a Web filter to block access to certain Internet sites, although it doesn't allow you to set general parameters for barricading a given category of sites. Instead, you must type each individual URL into a provided field.

It should be noted that even the most powerful antivirus software is potentially susceptible to new, undefined viruses. In this respect, PC-cillin operates on a "what they do" rather than "how they are written" concept, targeting viruses by tendencies rather than by recognized coding. Furthermore, the program keeps itself fresh and upgraded by systematically checking the Trend Micro Web site for new information.

In our tests, PC-cillin did not negatively impact performance, nor did it perplex us with multiple interfaces or unexpected operations. For a hassle-free arsenal of antivirus defense mechanisms, PC-cillin 2002 is a worthy choice. --Gordon Goble

Amazon.com Product Description
A complete security solution for your computer and PDA, PC-cillin 2002 protects against new, unknown, and script-based viruses through enhanced antivirus scanning. PC-cillin 2002 also includes a personal firewall for secure Internet computing. With adjustable security levels, a trusted-site list, and port-blocking capabilities, PC-cillin's personal firewall helps you keep your computer safe from malicious programs and Internet intruders.

Designed for both home and office use, PC-cillin 2002's friendly interface quickly familiarizes you with all of its powerful features. PC-cillin 2002 also protects your children from browsing offensive and inappropriate Web sites by giving you control over which Web sites they can visit. In addition, PC-cillin 2002 includes Trend Micro's PC-cillin for Wireless to provide portable, easy-to-use antivirus security for your PDA.