The website provides users with rough estimates of how long it could take a hacker to identify their passwords and hack into their account. It will also tell you if your password is one of the 500 most commonly used (e.g. 12345, house, smith and chicken).
Simply visit ‘How Secure Is My Password?‘ and then start typing your passwords for instant feedback. Ideally, for accounts which don’t have your important information (e.g. bank details or address), you want your passwords to be secure for at least a few hundred days. Otherwise, for very secure passwords, you ideally want at least a few hundred years.
The longer it takes to crack the safer you’re likely to be!
Hoax-Slayer is a website we discovered a couple of weeks back and a member of our team literally fell in love with it straight away. Graham described it as a ‘website after my own heart’! Therefore, I’ve been set the task to let you know what it’s all about! The description on the Hoax-Slayer website pretty much sums the site up in one paragraph:
“Hoax-Slayer is dedicated to debunking email hoaxes, thwarting Internet scammers, combating spam, and education web users about email and Internet security issues. Hoax-Slayer allows Internet users to check the veracity of common email hoaxes and aims to counteract criminal activity by publishing information about common types of Internet scams. Hoax-Slayer also includes anti-spam tips, computer and email security information, articles about true email forwards and much more. New articles are added to the Hoax-Slayer website every week.”
So in other words, Hoax-Slayer is out with a mission to remove any scams and hoaxes around on the internet to make it a better and safer place for all! The site has a variety of really helpful articles and guides to help you avoid any problems!
The site is really worth browsing over to prepare you for any potentially problematic emails/scams on the internet!
Anti-Virus Software for 2 Years on 3 Computers only £44.99!
Save your money in this credit crunching time by purchasing your AVG Antivirus and Security software from Brandstar!
With Brandstar’s offers you can save up to £38.99 on AVG Anti-Virus Software!!
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Product
RRP
Brandstar Price
Saving
AVG Internet Security 2 Year 3 User
£83.98
£44.99
£38.99!!
Want AVG Internet Security for 2 years for 10 computers instead? RRP is £225.99! Why not purchase 4 copies of the ‘AVG Internet Security 2 Year 3 User’ package at £179.96 saving you £46.03 and leaving you with 2 copies of AVG Internet Security left over should you need them for other machines!
Want to find out more? Click on the product image!
Over the past month we have been comparing antivirus software. Below is a table which summaries our findings! We’ve put all the results into percentages to make everything fair!
Alternative Software %
AVG % in Comparison
64%
86%
63%
88%
75%
94%
69%
88%
77%
82%
67%
90%
As you can see from the table, AVG is by far the superior antivirus software when compared to the others. Throughout the entire comparison process we were very impressed with the potential of some of the lesser known software like Avira and Kaspersky. In a few years time they could really be battling with the rest! Look out for our ratings table in coming weeks!
Today we’re comparing Trend Micro Internet Security Pro and the Award Winning AVG Internet Security! Many of you wouldn’t have heard of Trend Micro. They’re one of the less known Anti-Virus Software providers. For more information on Trend Micro visit their website! The comparison will involve an overview of the features each package has and then at the end we’ll tell you which we think is better through our rating system. Our ratings are worked out by the amount of ticks the product has. Further points are awarded for faster download, simpler/better installation and cheaper price.
Feature
Download Time
Very Long
Fast
Installation
Installation is of average length and is simple. However, it doesn’t take you through any setup.
Takes an average length of time. Quite extensive and helps you set up the basic features of the software.
Anti-Virus
Anti-Spyware
Anti-Spam
Blocks unauthorized programs
Web Shield
Toolbar
Authenticates wireless hotspots and Wi-Fi Networks
Overall I haven’t been that impressed with Trend Micro Internet Security Pro. It has a long way to go before it will compete with the liks of AVG. It may be cheaper but you have to buy the 3 PC package which is pretty pointless if you only have 1 PC. The features that the software offers aren’t as capable and advanced as that of AVG Internet Security. Trend Micro is however easy to use and have a very user friendly layout! However, to fight for a place in the top 3 they’ll need to bring something unique and some quality to the table neither of which they provide now. So my advice, if you’re stuck between the two go for AVG!
Today we’re comparing Avira’s Premium Security Suite and the Award Winning AVG Internet Security. Avira again are relatively unknown to the typical user but I think in a few years time it will be fighting AVG, Norton and McAfee for the most popular software providers. For more about Avira check out their website! The comparison will involve an overview of the features each package has and then at the end we’ll tell you which we think is better through our rating system. Our ratings are worked out by the amount of ticks the product has. Further points are awarded for faster download, simpler/better installation and cheaper price.
Feature
Download Time
Very Fast
Fast
Installation
Installation was long. You setup a couple of the basic features but most features you need for a decent performance are still left to be configured.
Also, very frustratingly it isn’t compatible with complementary anti-virus software such as, Windows Firewall. However, it does allow you to continue the installation process. A warning just appears to say they aren’t compatible.
Takes an average length of time. Quite extensive and helps you set up the basic features of the software.
Anti-Virus
Anti-Adware
Anti-Spyware
Anti-Phishing
Anti-Rootkit
Web-Shield/Guard (Protection whilst surfing the Internet)
Overall I have been very impressed with Avira’s Premium Security Suite! It’s really given AVG Internet Security a run for its money! As you can see, Avira’s feature’s aren’t quite as extensive as AVG’s, this is represented by the lower price. For Avira to really compete with the likes of AVG they will need to increase its compatibility and bring in features such as Identity Protection. Avira’s userface could also do with a ‘facelift’ to make it easier to user and generally nicer to look at.
To conclude, watch out for Avira in the next few years…it’s bound to be big!
Today we’re comparing McAfee’s Total Protection package with AVG’s Award Winning Internet Security Package. The comparison will involve an overview of each packages features and then at the end we’ll tell you which we think is better through our rating system. Our ratings are worked out by the amount of ticks the product has. Further points are awarded for faster download, simpler/better installation and cheaper price.
Feature
Download Time
Average
Fast
Installation
Installation time is long but happens automatically which discards any confusion. However, unlike AVG you still have to configure all the software features after the installation/setup process.
Takes an average length of time. Quite extensive and helps you set up the basic features of the software.
So after playing around with the two programs I can conclude that we think AVG Internet Security is better than McAfee Total Protection. It has a wider range of tools and equipment to give an overall better performance. McAfee looks nicer than AVG but we all know looks can be deceiving and AVG turns out to be far easier to use. A huge advantage of AVG is that you can buy it for 1 computer if you only have 1 computer, whereas you dont have the option to do that with McAfee Total Protection. Although the installation of AVG involves you having to make some choices it saves you having to do them in the long run and it helps provide you with an even better performance. Whereas with McAfee you spend ages doing the Automatic installation to find out you still have to configure all the features yourself!!
Next time we will be comparing AVG Internet Security with Kaspersky Internet Security.
Over the next few weeks we are going to run a series of comparisons between different Anti-Virus Software. In these comparison post’s we’re going to show you the main features that the two products provide and then tell you which we think is better through our rating system. Our ratings are worked out by the amount of ticks the product has. Further points are awarded for faster download, simpler/better installation and cheaper price. This time it is Norton’s 360 v3.0 vs AVG’s Award Winning Internet Security v8.5.
Feature
Download Time
Average
Fast
Installation
Quick but slightly tedious (you have to register for a second time.) Doesn’t help you set up the general running of the software.
Takes an average length of time. Quite extensive and helps you set up the basic features of the software.
So to conclude, from our investigations and playing around with the two software’s, we can announce that we think AVG Internet Security is the better software of the two. It may not have any backup software within the package but it works out cheaper to get AVG and then buy yourself a decent back up tool and external hard drive.
Next time we’ll be comparing AVG Internet Security with McAfee Total Protection.
We have recently come across and brilliant secure website called How Secure Is My Password.net.
Simply visit ‘How Secure Is My Password?‘ and then start typing your passwords for instant feedback. Ideally, for accounts which don’t have your important information (e.g. bank details or address), you want your passwords to be secure for at least a few hundred days. Otherwise, for very secure passwords, you ideally want at least a few hundred years.
So after playing around with the two programs I can conclude that we think AVG Internet Security is better than McAfee Total Protection. It has a wider range of tools and equipment to give an overall better performance. McAfee looks nicer than AVG but we all know looks can be deceiving and AVG turns out to be far easier to use. A huge advantage of AVG is that you can buy it for 1 computer if you only have 1 computer, whereas you dont have the option to do that with McAfee Total Protection. Although the installation of AVG involves you having to make some choices it saves you having to do them in the long run and it helps provide you with an even better performance. Whereas with McAfee you spend ages doing the Automatic installation to find out you still have to configure all the features yourself!!
