Valentine's Day Security Deals

Nothing says romance like dinner for two, champagne, a dozen red roses… and a sparkling new security utility. Right? IOBit and Norman can't help you with the champagne or roses, but they're both offering deals that will make the gift of security an easy one to give.

IOBit will kick in a free one-year subscription Advanced SystemCare Pro (normally $19.95) that you can give to your sweetheart. The campaign begins February 14, 2012 at one minute after midnight Pacific Time and runs for 24 hours. Norman's offer isn't a freebie, but $19.95 for Norman Security Suite PRO 9 gets you three licenses for a lot less than the normal $74.95/year price. Norman's offer is valid right now and ends February 15 at midnight.

Advanced SystemCare Pro promises "a complete solution for PC top performance." It includes protection against spyware and hacking, though not the full protection found in a dedicated antivirus. Optimization tools automatically configure the PC for top speed, and it also seeks and fixes erroneous settings that can slow the PC or leave it vulnerable. IOBit reports that "Advanced SystemCare was ranked one of the top two utilities on CNET Download.com’s annual list of the Top Downloads of 2011 for Windows, and also took the top position in the Utilities & OS category." Click here for your free copy. If you're too early, don't worry; the download page lets you know just how much longer you have to wait.

Norman Security Suite Pro 9 achieved excellent results in PCMag's antispam testing, but the rest of its components didn't measure up. We didn't consider it a worthwhile purchase at its list price, but for $19.95 you might consider it, especially if your sweetie is plagued by annoying spam. Shop with your Valentine's Day promotional price here.

Of course with either gift you're also promising loving, timely tech support to get the utility installed and keep it running. Isn't that great—another opportunity to spend time with your sweetheart!

About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

Principal Writer, Security

My Experience

When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.

Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my "User to User" and "Ask Neil" columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way, I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link.

In the early 2000s, I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years of working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions.

The Technology I Use

Much of the testing I do, particularly testing with real-world ransomware, is just plain dangerous. To perform such tests safely, I sequester them inside virtual machines managed by VMWare Workstation. For cross-platform testing, I use a MacBook Air, a Google Pixel 4, and a 6th-generation iPad.

I rely on my Delphi coding skills to create and maintain small applications. These include programs to check whether an antivirus correctly handled the malware it detected, launch dangerous URLs and record the security program’s reaction, and analyze the malware that I collect for use in testing. I also wrote a tiny browser and text editor for use in testing security apps that have predefined reactions for known products.

I do my writing and research on a Dell OptiPlex desktop, relying on Microsoft Word (my fingers know all the shortcuts). Many of my articles include charts and analysis; Excel is my go-to for those. When work hours end, though, I escape the bounds of Microsoft and Windows. There’s an iPhone in my pocket, I relax with my oversized iPad, and my Kindle Oasis is always loaded with the best science fiction and fantasy.

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