Panda Antivirus Pro 2012 Review

You may not think that a program called ‘Panda’ would be powerful enough to attack some of the meanest viruses and malware threats on your computer. After all, pandas are cuddly and furry creatures, and they don’t necessarily inspire a feeling of power and aggression.  While Panda Antivirus Pro 2012 is not the best program on the market, it is certainly among the top three or four most powerful programs available today.

A powerful firewall

One feature immediately distinguishes Panda from other leading solutions: a powerful two-way firewall. Some antivirus programs, like BitDefender, don’t have a firewall, and it’s a welcome inclusion in Panda Antivirus. No matter how effective a program’s antivirus capabilities are, it can be difficult to repel a concentrated attack with just your computer’s default firewall to keep you safe, and having this extra layer of protection is important.

Hackers expect you to use the basic Windows Firewall and they can take steps to avoid it or work through it. While the Windows Firewall is fairly powerful, no software is invulnerable to attack, and the more familiar a hacker is with your firewall, the better chance he or she has of breaking through. By adding another effective layer of protection onto your computer, you’re ensuring that your system is virtually bulletproof against a concentrated attack by hackers.

Of course, Panda’s built-in firewall can easily be turned off to accommodate those who would prefer to stick with the default Windows Firewall.

Comprehensive protection at all levels of performance

You use your computer for many different tasks, and you need antivirus software that is able to protect you no matter what you’re doing. Panda Antivirus Pro 2012 does just that, and takes a multipronged approach to antivirus support. It can automatically scan instant messaging conversations for malicious links, as well as emails and files that are already on your computer.

You can also modify your search to help you identify a specific kind of threat. It can be set to pick up only phishing malware, for example, or can scan for certain scripts, viruses, and warms. This option will likely only be used by advanced computer users, as the average user may not know how their PC is being infected, only that there is something wrong with it.

There is also a neat tool called USB Vaccine, which automatically scans incoming USB sticks, CDs, or DVDs for autorun-type malware. These types of viruses are spread so quickly because many users are unable to scan an object before they put it into their PC, even if they have good antivirus software installed. By the time you’ve put the infected USB stick into your system, the autorun utility has been enabled and your computer now has a virus. USB Vaccine is an innovative tool that prevents this problem at the source.

It may not have all the tools and functionality of some of the leading options out there, but Panda Antivirus Pro 2012 is a decent program for those who want effective, comprehensive protection, and nothing more.

Key Features

• Comprehensive antivirus and anti-malware protection, including a good firewall
• Runs quietly in the background of your PC
• Doesn’t use a lot of system resources
• Powerful and useful tools that will appeal to PC users of all levels of technical expertise

Pros

• Strong firewall
• Effective virus protection and some of the best malware detection on the market
• Innovative tools like USB Vaccine
• Low performance requirements

Cons

• Slightly overpriced
• Limited technical support

The Verdict

If you want excellent virus protection without all the bells and whistles that some of the higher-priced programs offer, then Panda Antivirus Pro 2012 is a great option. While it’s priced at about $10 higher than most other antivirus software on the market, it does a fantastic job of doing exactly what it promises to do.