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ThreatTrack Vipre Antivirus 2016

Neil J. Rubenking
 & Neil J. Rubenking Principal Writer, Security

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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65 EXPERTS
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ThreatTrack Vipre Antivirus 2016 has added some new components that clearly improve its protection in some areas, but its ratings from the independent testing labs range from mediocre to dismal. - ThreatTrack Vipre Antivirus 2016
2.5 Fair

The Bottom Line

ThreatTrack Vipre Antivirus 2016 has added some new components that clearly improve its protection in some areas, but its ratings from the independent testing labs range from mediocre to dismal.

Pros & Cons

    • Very good scores in our antiphishing and malicious URL blocking tests.
    • Clean interface, simple installation.
    • Effective new Edge Protection component.
    • Useful bonus features.
    • Mediocre score in our hands-on malware blocking test.
    • Fair to poor scores in independent lab tests.

ThreatTrack Vipre Antivirus 2016 Specs

Antispam
Backup
Behavior-Based Detection
Firewall
Malicious URL Blocking
On-Access Malware Scan
On-Demand Malware Scan
Parental Control
Phishing Protection
Product Category Antivirus
Product Category Security
Product Category Software
Product Price Type Direct
Tune-Up
Vulnerability Scan
Website Rating
All Specs

Vipre has been a name to conjure with in the antivirus business for quite some time. The product has changed over the years, bouncing from company to company and, at one point, incorporating spyware protection from the well-regarded CounterSpy. Perhaps all that moving around wasn't the best for its health. The current incarnation, ThreatTrack Vipre Antivirus 2016, isn't your best choice for comprehensive protection. It did improve its antiphishing and malicious URL blocking scores significantly over the tests we ran on last year's edition, but it fared poorly in tests by independent antivirus labs.

You have plenty of purchase options with Vipre. You can pick one, three, five, or 10 licenses and subscribe for one, two, three, or four years. There's a discount for more licenses and longer subscriptions, of course. Protecting a single PC for one year costs $39.99, while a 10-license four-year subscription goes for $269.99, quite a bit less than what you'd pay for 40 single licenses (almost $1,600!).

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Final Thoughts

ThreatTrack Vipre Antivirus 2016 has added some new components that clearly improve its protection in some areas, but its ratings from the independent testing labs range from mediocre to dismal. - ThreatTrack Vipre Antivirus 2016

ThreatTrack Vipre Antivirus 2016

2.5 Fair

ThreatTrack Vipre Antivirus 2016 has added some new components that clearly improve its protection in some areas, but its ratings from the independent testing labs range from mediocre to dismal.

About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

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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