Eset Smart Security 5: effectively protecting your computer

ThreatSense and HIPS to protect your system and files in real time

The strong point of the Eset Smart Security 5 security suite is its antivirus (NOD32 core). ESET currently holds the record for the number of VB100 awards they have been given by the Virus Bulletin laboratory for their proactive detection tests (www.virusbtn.com) which certainly highlights its potential. The real time protection monitors all background tasks while rarely exceeding 100 MB of memory consumption when running. ThreatSense is the antivirus/antispyware which monitors all files, local drives, removable drives, network drives, running, opening and creation of files. Its use and updates are also transparent to the novice user, never disrupting them. It also meets more advanced user’s needs, with the intelligent analysis and customisation possibilities being available, while some file extensions may be excluded and blocking rules for removable drives also being possible. The Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) is completely configurable via the rule editor with it monitoring applications and registry while alerting the user if required.

Web Protection on HTTP and HTTPS ports and advanced URL management

The welcome panel and reinforced Configuration Panel will provide you with everything you need to know about the running Internet Protection. The Web protection works by monitoring communication between Internet browsers and remote servers over the HTTP and HTTPS protocols. By default, port numbers 80, 8080 and 3128 are predefined, with novice users not needing to change anything! The Advanced Configuration menu (F5 keyboard key), Internet and email/Web access protection can be useful for adding other ports to monitor, authorising or blocking specific URL addresses. The active mode examines data transfer between browsers via the Protocol Filtering option, with it also deeply filtering installed applications which can be selected by checking the boxes on a case by case basis by entering compatibility mode – with it even possible to exclude IP addresses (to be used with caution).

Email and antispam protection including address books

ThreatSense filters incoming and outgoing emails while maintaining control over the POP3 and IMAP protocols while eradicating threats by notifying the user if infected messages or attachments are received (text object "[virus %VIRUSNAME%]"). The email protection is compatible and integrated into MS Outlook, Outlook Express/Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail and Thunderbird with the "Eset Add-in" plugin. It also works depending on the reliable addresses found in your Address Book. This antispam protection has been optimised compared to the previous version to filter unwanted messages. The auto-learning is linked to the Bayesian filter, with messages marked as unwanted or legitimate, with it possible for the user to create their own words database which classifies the word on either of these categories. The larger number of messages that are sorted, the more precise the antispam results become.