Australian Review: Trend Micro Security Suite Pro Plus
No matter what version or where you buy, you need a Trend Micro Account. This is important as AV software needs extensive permissions to protect the underlying operating system.
But remember that what you buy is linked to that email login in and if you have had different versions of Trend Micro before, it will assume you want to make changes to that setup. As a tester, I have had to use several email addresses to partition purchased products from review products. It is not an issue for most, but if you have used Trend Micro before, check the login you want to associate this with.
Let’s work through the Trend Micro Security Suite Pro Plus
Scan – This is typical anti-virus, malware detection
It is an essential and quick scan to cover critical files and ignore unchanged files. You can change protection settings, but defaults are fine. It also has scheduled and full scan options.
But the key here is real-time scanning of all files, emails, and data streams going to the device. It stops things from getting into the system and increasingly uses its AI cloud to detect suspicious behaviour.
PC Health Checkup
It is like a visit to your doctor who checks you out and recommends new therapies. It can close security loopholes.
Device
More about settings like web filtering and mute mode (stop non-critical notifications),
Privacy
Here, you control the privacy scanner, which works with the browser to help you not share too much on social media. It also has Social Networking protection.
PayGuard opens a secure browser window for online banking that cannot be seen by cybercriminals.
Data Theft prevention can stop the exfiltration of credit card numbers, phone numbers and more personally sensitive information.
Data
AI app protection safeguards AI activity from malicious malware.
Folder Shield backs up critical folders to the cloud that could be lost to ransomware. It also stops suspected ransomware, but it can’t stop the user from making a mistake.
Secure Erase allows you to permanently erase files so no one can recover them.
Family
It is all about parental controls like blocking websites, inappropriate images, setting access times and much more.
ScamCheck for Android and iOS
It provides real-time AI protection against scams in mobile devices. It analyses emails, websites and apps.
VPN
This is one feature that many already have in a third-party product.
Trend Micro’s servers are located in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, Taiwan and the Netherlands.
They feature
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Automatic Web Threat Prevention
- Public Wi-Fi protection
- Theoretically, access to geo-blocked sites (some sites can detect VPNs)
- Now works with Torrent downloads, but the AV/Malware detection may prevent some downloads.
- Runs on any device the package is installed on.
Using the VPN
- (OpenVPN) increased ping from 8 to 11ms (good) and reduced speed from 534.48 to 385.64 Mbps (acceptable).
- WireGuard option ping 11ms and speed from 534.85 to 463.31 (good)
If you use a VPN, there are better standalone options with more features, but if you just use a VPN for protection, this is pretty good.If you use a VPN, there are better standalone options with more features, but if you just use a VPN for protection, this is pretty good.
Overheads
All up, it uses about 200MB of RAM and very little CPU power. When scanning, this adds about 40MB of RAM and 15% CPU. It has reasonably low overheads.
CyberShack’s view: Trend Micro Security Suite Pro Plus is the latest iteration of a very effective product
As a rule, we do not review apps because we would be inundated, and frankly, it is tedious. We made the exception for Trend Micro Security because Charlie Brown and I both use it, and readers need to have confidence in what they are buying in such an overcrowded market.
We like Trend Micro because
- You can buy the basic AV/Malware if that is all you need.
- You can buy bundles that add more features or use separate third-party apps like VPN and password managers
- It’s available retail and online and has occasional promotional pricing. For example, it has the Security Suite Pro Plus 3 users for 1 year at Harvey Norman for $119.
- Its use of AI detection gives superior results to signature blocking
- It provides relevant local consumer advice and support
Trend Micro Security Suite Pro Plus Rating
We won’t rate it as we have so few benchmarks. It gets a 10/10 from Charlie and me.
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