Bitdefender has announced the availability of Windows 8 Security (priced from $59.95), a new suite which the company has called “the first Windows 8 antivirus”.
And while of course there are plenty of other antivirus tools which run under Windows 8, what Bitdefender are claiming is that this one is specifically designed for the new operating system.
Perhaps the key addition to Bitdefender Windows 8 Security is support for Microsoft’s new Early Launch Anti-malware (ELAM) feature, which means the program is launched before other boot drivers and can vet them for safety.
In addition, the program can also analyse your Windows 8 apps for security problems, and integrates with the Windows 8 Security Center to keep you in touch with your system’s status.
Windows 8 Security also provides everything else you’d expect from a security suite (no surprise, as it’s essentially an extended version of Bitdefender Internet Security 2013): real-time and on-demand virus scanning, a firewall, spam filter and more. While Bitdefender SafePay protects your online banking and shopping account details via a secure and isolated browser.
And this is all packaged and presented in a marginally revamped interface. Although if you’re not a fan of the Windows 8 Modern UI then you’ll be pleased to see that the Bitdefender console lives on the desktop, as usual -- no apps needed here.
Of course, if you’re a Bitdefender fan running Windows 8 then the company’s product range may now seem a little confusing. Bitdefender Internet Security 2013 and Total Security 2013 both run under Windows 8, for instance, but lack the latest additions: so which is best for you?
As a suite, though Bitdefender Windows 8 Security seems capable and effective, and if you’d like to find out more for yourself then 30-day trials of the new package are available now.
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