As a standard spyware stopper, Acronis is simple to use - but it isn't exactly revolutionary. The secure deletion facility will be of use to the paranoid or those looking to wipe old hardware before disposing of it, but could be considered overkill for everyday use.

Agnitum Outpost Pro Security Suite 2008 remains in essence a top-notch firewall with some security features bolted on — some good, some not so good. Price-wise, it's not a compelling proposition. For the moment, Norton 360 remains the security suite of choice for the non-techie user.

The improved Agnitum Outpost Pro Security Suite 2009 offers good but not the best of breed security — and as with Avira, the bar for ease-of-use has been raised by the likes of Norton Internet Security 2009. OPSS’ lack of smartness and relatively high price makes it an also-ran in the AV stakes.

With a wide array of protections for your PC, Avast! works superbly to keep your computer safe, a rare thing in free software.

Even if it wasn't free, AVG Anti-Virus 8.0 Free would be a good antivirus product.

AVG Internet Security 8.0 is a long overdue update to v7.5. It’s easier to use and more effective but still has one or two rough edges. It still demands a degree of user intervention not found in its 'fit and forget' rivals. Even so, it remains a top-tier security bundle. If you’ve already bought AVG 7.x you can upgrade to the latest version for nothing.

A good, low-cost security solution, easily on a par with its rivals. Note that a free lite version of AntiVir is available – marry that with the free version of ZoneAlarm on the DVD and you have an effective but cheap security system.

Avira Premium Security Suite 8.0 is undoubtedly first-class at detecting malware but the AV game has moved on when it comes to factors such as usability, intelligence and hardware footprint. It's now looking relatively dated and awkward to use.

There are utility bundles and there are utility bundles, but BitDefender Total Security 2008 is definitely up there with the best of them. If you want high levels of security, excellent ease of use plus great VFM you should definitely try BitDefender Total Security 2008 -- or at the very least the 30-day trial version. You won't be disappointed.

BitDefender 10.0 provides comprehensive protection from all of its tools. However, it doesn’t come close to its rivals in terms of user-friendliness. The interface is not intuitive and documentation is overly complex.

BitDefender Total Security 2009 offers good but not state-of-the-art protection, which is a pity as the product boasts a raft of neat features that make a small but noticeable difference.

K9 is an effective Web filter for parents. It's easy to use, won't take up noticeable system resources and can even guard against keyword searches. With nothing to pay, it's well worth checking out.