Antivirus software: choose the right one for your business 3

3. Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 2013

£380/US$500/AU$725 - 10 PCs, 2 years

Symantec's small business antivirus package is flexible and easy to install. It can be managed locally, or in the cloud; you can install it on a single local machine, download a distributable package for your whole network, even send email invites to your prospective users. Whatever you choose, setting it up is very straightforward, with no complex settings or other hassles (it didn't even require us to reboot our PC afterwards).

This doesn't mean the package is short on features, though. It has a strong antivirus engine, an intelligent firewall, browsing protection and USB device control. There are handy conveniences, too, such as the ability to give one computer the job of downloading updates, which it then shares across the network with your other systems.

There have been questions over Symantec's malware detection abilities, with AV Comparatives rating the engine poorly in one test. That's not typical, though, and AV Test recently rated Symantec Endpoint Protection as one of the best business antivirus tools around. When you also factor in the very reasonable price, we tend to agree: if you only take one package for a trial, make it this one.

Score: 4.5/5

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4. Bitdefender Cloud Security

£440/US$375/AU$710 - 10 PCs, 2 years

If you're looking for reliable protection above all else then Bitdefender Cloud Security has to be on your business antivirus shortlist. Its capable engine does a great job of finding and removing malware, and independent testing labs consistently rate it very highly. Better still, Cloud Security also includes a firewall, as well as a basic content filter to help prevent sensitive information being leaked online.

All this can be easily managed from Bitdefender's web-based Cloud Security Console. You can install the clients, configure the modules you need to use, create various policies (banning access to particular websites, say) and then apply them to some or all of your installations in a click or two.

You don't always get the fine control you might expect from a consumer antivirus product, unfortunately. You can't set a precise time for updates, for instance, or tell the system to scan only at a scheduled time (if a scheduled scan is missed, it'll try again when your user next logs on). And the program isn't cheap, either. Bitdefender's excellent core engine means it's still worth a try, but be sure to test the cloud management console in detail, to make very sure that it suits your needs.

Score: 4/5

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5. Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business Core

£450/US$620/AU$920 - 10 PCs, 2 years

Kaspersky Lab's basic endpoint package is strictly essentials-only: antivirus, a host intrusion prevention system, firewall and network attack blocker, with the Kaspersky Security Centre to help manage it all centrally.

The antivirus engine alone is worth a great deal, though, as Kaspersky software regularly receives top marks from independent testing labs for its detection and repair abilities. There are mixed opinions on its performance impact - some say it's more than average, others say less - but we didn't find any noticeable slowdown on our system.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business Core is easy to manage, with plenty of configuration options available (both locally and centrally). The price is arguably a little high for the functionality, but Kaspersky's engine is so strong that it's still worth a look. And if your needs are simple, there's always Kaspersky Small Office Security, which is more similar to the consumer product, but protects up to 10 computers.

Score: 4.5/5

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6. Panda Cloud Office Protection

£450/US$630/AU$680 - 10 PCs, 2 years

Panda's antivirus protection is generally rated as only mid-range by independent testing labs, and yet Panda Cloud Office Protection is one of the most expensive solutions here. So what's going on?

The package contained more features than we expected. And so along with antivirus and a firewall, you also get device control - a simple way to define how any system may use removable drives, CDs and DVDs, Bluetooth, image capture devices or modems. An excellent web-based management system provides a host of installation options (stand-alone installers, emailable links, network distribution tools), enables you to quickly configure program settings and gives access to your current security status, detailed reports, and more.

The management console even has integration with common remote access tools (LogMeIn, Team Viewer, VNC), so if there are problems then you can log in to check them out right away. Its core antivirus protection isn't our favourite, then, and the price is high. Still, if you need powerful remote management that's also easy to use, then Panda Cloud Office Protection is worth a look.

Score: 4/5

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