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CNET editors' rating:
3.0 stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 1.5 stars out of 25 reviews
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Product summary
The good: Provides adequate antivirus protection; offers a three-user license; runs on Windows 98, ME, 2000, and XP.
The bad: No anti-spyware protection; doesn't specifically protect against root kits; can be fooled into thinking your system is protected when it is not; technical support underwhelming.
The bottom line: CA Antivirus 2007 provides a good antivirus engine, adequately protecting your desktop from basic malicious viruses and worms. But the application has a few interface glitches and provides less-than-optimal technical support.
Specifications: License type: Complete package; Min Operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3 or later, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows XP SP1 or later; Min processor type: 300 MHz, 300 MHz Intel Pentium; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 11/15/2006
Setup
We downloaded CA Antivirus 2007 in a matter of minutes. We like that during installation, the CA privacy policy won't allow you to accept or deny the EULA until you actually scroll through the text (even if you don't read it, at least you are aware of it). Unlike Norton Antivirus 2007, which only runs on Windows XP, CA Antivirus 2007 runs on Windows 98, ME, 2000, and XP. And unlike other $39.95 single-license antivirus programs we've seen this year, the $49.95 CA Antivirus 2007 comes with a three-user license. What's more, CA has decided to offer their CA Anti-spyware 2007 application as a separate $29.95 purchase--while Norton and McAfee VirusScan Plus both include anti-spyware along with antivirus protection.
Do note: should you purchase CA Antivirus 2007 online and use a credit card, CA will automatically renew your annual subscription. You will receive an e-mail before renewal explaining the automatic billing. If you do not want CA to automatically renew your subscription, you need to discontinue the Continue Protection program (details on disabling the program are contained with your online order receipt). Boxed retail versions are also available.
Should you decide to uninstall CA Antivirus 2007, there is unfortunately no uninstall icon in the All Programs directory,. You'll need to use the Control Panel's Add or Remove Program function. Fortunately, unlike Norton and McAfee which both leave unnecessary files and registry keys behind, CA Antivirus 2007 uninstalls completely.
Interface
The CA Antivirus 2007 interface is clean and straightforward. The left-hand navigation icons offer a choice of Overview, Quarantine, Options, and Reports. The Overview screen contains Main Tasks (Scan my Computer, Select files, and Folders to Scan), Status, Top 5 Virus Threats, and Latest Threats (which includes phishing and non-viral threats). Like McAfee and Norton, CA offers a one-button Secure Now, designed to bring your security status up to speed quickly.
In the course of our testing, we sometimes needed to stop a complete system scan. In doing so, we witnessed our security status change from a yellow triangle with exclamation point, warning us that we had not completed a system scan, to green, indicating that we had completed a full scan and that our system was clean. We were able to replicate this error several times. We also discovered that CA Antivirus 2007 will run up to seven days before it will flag you that it's missing the latest antivirus update. We suspect these are minor interface glitches; however, this problem could expose users to unchecked dangers.
Continue reading- See more CNET content tagged:
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- Average user rating: 1.5 stars out of 25 reviews
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