In every fairy tale story, there are heroes and villains battling it out in a vast fantasy world, each one bent on gaining the upper hand. Well, in real-life, the fantasy world that we utilize the most is the Internet with its unlimited pool of resources vital both at work and at home. However, there are villains lurking at every corner, in the form of viruses, malware, and spyware. These malicious programs tirelessly find holes in every Internet user’s system, causing nightmares such as data loss, invasion of privacy, and unwanted ads or notifications. Security tools such as anti virus scan and removal programs have become indispensable tools that provide the user a wide arsenal to use against every threat the Internet has to offer. Enter Paretologic Anti-Virus Plus, the successor of Paretologic Anti-Spyware 5.0, another popular security tool. Paretologic Anti-Virus Plus claims to handle any threat effortlessly, whether it comes in the form of virus, malware, or spyware.

At first glance, Paretologic Anti-Virus Plus offers standard anti-virus features: the option for a quick or thorough scan, real-time protection, and free database updates via the Internet. With regards to aesthetics, Paretologic Anti-Virus Plus keeps fancy design to a minimum, relying on its simple yet trendy interface to attract no-nonsense users.  Its most potent weapon comes in the form of the anti-spyware technology that made its predecessor, Paretologic Anti-Spyware 5.0, a smash hit in the security software industry. Paretologic Anti-virus Plus automatically prevents the user from accessing malware-infested websites, as well as pinpoint and eliminates rootkits that are known to act as a mask for malicious programs. Another great asset of Paretologic Anti-Virus Plus is the small footprint it leaves in the user’s system memory. Other anti-virus programs usually clutter up system memory while performing scans or providing real-time protection: Paretologic Anti-Virus Plus stays silent but deadly in the background, ready to swing into action once a threat is detected.

West Coast Labs (WCL) has awarded Anti-Virus Plus Checkmark certification for virus detection and removal. WCL’s Checkmark is the world’s fastest growing certification system for security products and services. It is a highly regarded accreditation program that confirms a product’s effective functionality and performance.

Every hero has a downfall, however. Paretologic Anti-Virus Plus did have some scanning errors that lends doubt to its effectiveness as a hassle-free security tool. On several occasions Paretologic Anti-Virus Plus identified false positives – that is, mistakenly identified other security tools and system files as malicious, and recommended these for deletion. If a naïve user followed Paretologic Anti-Virus Plus’ recommendations, his or her system would have been seriously damaged by the deletion of these files. We also found the software warned us of nonexistent malware, and slowed down system start-up.

Screen Shot

Features-At-A-Glace

• In-depth scanning and detection of viruses, spyware and other malicious malware
• Detection and removal of known rootkits
• Blocking of access to malware related URLs
• Customizable scanning
• Quick, easy-to-use
• Free database updates to keep you protected against the latest threats
• Windows 2000, XP and Vista compatible

Price

• $39.95, and features full customer support upon registration
• 100% money-back guarantee

Pros

• Excellent e-mail support
• Free trial download
• Anti-spyware included
• Rootkit detection

Cons

• Identified some false-positives
• Slows system start-up