A: Norton Internet Security 2012 offers customer service as part of their security suite package. And not only do they offer the service, they customize it to your particular software, so that you don't spend precious time searching their site for an answer.

After you select the software that you need help with, they first offer you personalized assistance via an online chat with their online customer service rep, Nathan. If Nathan can’t help you, there are other features that include common FAQs, a copy of the product manual, customer service forums and other specific categories to help you narrow down your search. In addition, they also have paid professional service that will fix the problem for you, so you don’t have to do any of the work. They also include an email and phone number so that you can contact customer service directly.

If you want to know more about Norton Internet Security, or compare it to other security software, check out our Internet Security Software reviews.

A: The best part about Internet Security Software is that it is constantly protecting your computer. Once you install the software, it will be constantly scanning your computer, your downloads and the websites you are visiting for viruses and malware. Most suites will send you updates and notifications to update you on the health of your computer. Some software, like BitDefender’s AutoPilot, will only notify when there is a serious threat to your computer.

If you don’t want to wait for notifications to check in on your computer, most security software allows you to launch the suite and check the status of your computer to see if there has been any unusual activity. Want to know more about the different security software products? Check out our reviews of the newest Internet Security Software.

A: Luckily, most Internet Security Software suites now allow you to download their products from their websites. To access your CA 2010 Internet Security Suite, you need your order number and password or your email address and the last five digits of the credit card you used to buy the suite. Then go to findmyorder.com and enter in the information. It will take you to a screen that lists the products that you have purchased from CA. Each product will have a download button so that you can easily re-download the software. If you have any issues, or don’t remember some of the information needed, CA has a dedicated support system to help you.

Q: How does internet security software affect the performance of my computer?

Any extra piece of software is going to affect the performance of a computer. Internet security software is no exception. It must analyze your computer's activities including firewall access, web browser traffic, as well as program behavior.  A completely uninfected, out-of-the-box computer running Internet security software will run marginally slower than the same computer without Internet security software. The problem is keeping the computer uninfected.

Consider this: spyware, adware and other types of malware will also slow down your computer, and can lead to far worse consequences. Not having Internet security software opens up the door to thousands of programs that can install themselves invisibly and use your computer for their own purposes. Those purposes can range from setting up annoying pop-up ads to stealing your personal information. On top of that, infected computers can be used to attack corporate and government systems without the user's knowledge.

Considering the consequences of stolen credit card information, annoying adware, and having your computer used to attack other computers (something which contributes to the slowdown of the Internet as a whole and can have very real consequences for essential services), the net effect of having an infected computer is far worse than the slight resource requirements of Internet security software.

All that being said, we would recommend that users who are highly concerned about performance, choose Internet security software that comes with a free trial.

Q: Can I run Norton 360 on my Toshiba NB 305 Netbook? I currently have Norton Internet Security and it doesn't offer idendity theft protection. I had one Norton tech person tell me I shouldn't upgrade to 360 because the files wouldn't be optimized for my netbook.

A: Actually, Norton Internet Security and Norton 360 have the exact same identity theft protection features, namely defense against hacking, phishing, and keyloggers, as well as an encrypted vault for protecting your logins and credit card info. It does not have the features of a full-fledged, stand-alone ID theft protection service like Trusted ID. The main advantages of Norton 360 are the inclusion of online storage and PC tune-up tools. There is a Norton 360 Netbook Edition, though we have not tested it so we don't know why the tech would say the files wouldn't be optimized for your netbook. We do know that, according to Norton, "phishing protection feature available only on 32-bit Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher or Firefox 3.0 or higher."

So, you may be happy re-subscribing to Norton Internet Security. Just make sure you have the latest version installed to get the ID theft protection features. Or, you may want to upgrade to Norton 360 Netbook Edition, at least for the 30-day trial to see how it works. Here are the system requirements for Norton 360 Netbook Edition:

Phishing protection feature available only on 32-bit Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher or Firefox 3.0 or higher.

Minimum Hardware Requirements

• 300MHz or faster processor

• 256 MB of RAM (512 MB recommended)

• 300 MB of available hard disk space

• Must meet minimum operating system requirements for Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/Win7

• Internet Explorer® 6.0 or higher, or Mozilla Firefox® 3.0 or higher

• Internet connection (a high-speed connection is required for online backup)

Microsoft® Windows® XP (32-bit) with Service Pack 2 or later Home/Professional/Media Center

Microsoft® Windows® 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium/Professional/Ultimate

Microsoft® Windows Vista® (32-bit and 64-bit) Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium/Business/Ultimate

Q: I have McAfee Security; I ran a Webroot scan and it indicated I have a virus Mal/FakeAV-CO but have to subscribe to clean it out. If I have this why doesn't Mcafee find it?

A: There are a number of reasons why this could be happening. The first thing you'll want to do is make sure that your McAfee virus definitions are up-to-date, and that you have the most current version of McAfee installed on your computer. If the auto-update is somehow disabled or your subscription has run out, it may be missing crucial virus-identification information. Once you're sure your virus definitions are up-to-date, run a full system scan.

Assuming your virus definitions are up-to-date, it might be best to get a third opinion. Try Norton's free virus scanner. It's possible that Webroot may be reporting a false-positive (something that's not a virus, but just looks like one). The other possibility is that Webroot may have found something that McAfee hasn't.

Q: Are Webroot and Trend Micro the same? Is it harmful to have them on at the same time? Or is it a waste of money, and am I doing double security?

A: This is a good question. It reminds me of a scene from a Billy Wilder movie called Ace in the Hole. In it, Kirk Douglas plays a scheming reporter who tells his prospective employer that, "I've done a lot of lying in my time. I've lied to men who wear belts. I've lied to men who wear suspenders. But I'd never be so stupid as to lie to a man who wears both belt and suspenders." His point being that you can't slip one by a man who has redundant methods for keeping his pants up.

Back in the world of Internet security software, Web Root and Trend Micro are actually different Internet security products put out by different companies. You can read our reviews and see a comparison here. You actually should not have two Internet security products of any brand running at once. It's not so much that you're doing damage, but the products may interfere with each other allowing something else to damage to your computer. Instead of doing double security, you might actually be cutting your security down.

Webroot may do something that Trend Micro sees as virus-like activity, or vice versa. Of course, Webroot is not a virus, but its activities could be misinterpreted. At the very least, it's a bit of a resource drain. At worst, it could interfere in detection of an actual virus or firewall intrusion. So choose the one you like best and uninstall the other one.

In Ace in the Hole, it turns out that Douglas actually is lying. So, while Internet security software is neither belt nor suspender, the moral of the story is the same: sometimes being twice protected doesn't help at all.

Q:I received a Windows security alert and it directed me to have a scan of my computer which alerted me to numerous Trojan and viruses and worms.  Now I am not able to open any of my computer files or access my virus protection. Is this site legitimate or is it a scam?

A: It depends on where that warning came from. If it came from reputable Internet security software that you installed on your computer, it's probably legitimate. If it came from a website that you came across, it's probably a scam. Either way, it sounds like you probably have a virus, or some other piece of malware on your computer. A good antivirus product would have removed any viruses or advised you on further action.

A good first step is to try running a free scan from a reputable company, such as the one from Norton. This should give you an indication of what's going wrong. Depending on the quality and age of your antivirus product, you may want to consider upgrading to a more robust Internet security software product.

Q: I have a possible virus on my desktop. How will the McAfee process work and what will I have to do? I am not abreast on all the computer literate info. Can I do this my self or do you have tech support who can talk me through the process if i buy the McAfee total protection package? I want protection, firewall, spam, malware, phishing, virus, trojans. Please advise!

A: A few days ago, we talked about signs of virus infections and some of the free virus scans available. A free virus scan from a reputable company is a good first step. Whether your machine is infected or not, you need Internet security software. While it seems you like McAfee, we recommend taking a good look at Norton. While more expensive, its new security suite is amazing.

In general, it's not difficult to install Internet security software. While it's been a while since we installed McAfee, we remember the process being pretty simple: go to the site, enter your billing info, download the program. McAfee has its own installer. You should be fine just following the on-screen prompts. Then, make sure the first thing you do is update your virus definitions and run a full system scan (which should be automatic).

As we mentioned above, McAfee requires that you enter your credit card and other personal info before you start the download. If you're concerned that you have a virus that may steal your credit card info, you may want to purchase and download McAfee from a computer you know to be safe and virus-free, and then copy the McAfee download file to your infected machine for installation (use a new CD, just to be safe). In fact, if your machine is infected, it's best to keep it disconnected from the Internet as much as possible. If you don't have access to a clean, trusted computer, consider downloading Kaspersky's Internet security suite; it does not require your credit card info for your initial installation. It also scored better in AV-Comparatives' 2009 Malware Removal test than McAfee did.

NextAdvisor does not have tech support. Since we're a product review site, we don't actually provide the software we review. McAfee does offer some tech support, but it's largely a collection of help documents. Both McAfee and Norton offer "expert" or "guided" installation, but it will cost you around $130 (depending on the product).

Q: Does either the AVG Free Antivirus program or the Avira Free edition have firewalls?

A: According to both websites, they do not. AVG Free Antivirus and Avira Free are anti-virus products, but are not meant to provide additional firewall protection beyond what Windows provides. They also seem to lack some more robust anti-malware and anti-spam solutions (again, we haven't reviewed these products, we're going off the online literature).  The security suites we reviewed do have firewalls as well as other features designed to protect your computer. For more information on those, please see our Internet security software comparisons and reviews.

Q: If windows is 64 bit, does antivirus software have to be 64 bit also?

A: That is a very good question. According to Microsoft, the answer is: yes. Anti-virus software in particular requires specific compatibility. The good news is that most Internet security software we've reviewed are compatible with 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7 (Webroot has yet to make its software Windows 7 compatible). Things get more complicated if you have an older system like XP. Many products are not compatible with the 64-bit versions.

Windows has so many variations in versions and service packs that we recommend that you check the vendor's website to make sure that your system is compatible with the Internet security service you plan on purchasing.

Q: How can you tell if it is safe to download antivirus software?

A: Funny you should mention this. I was just reading an article on PC World about a new piece of scareware that uses a fake endorsement on a real Microsoft site to entice users into installing fake antivirus software. The faux endorsement is part of the scareware's nasty bag of tricks. Installing the software just invites more problems.

With news like that, it's hard not to be skeptical about antivirus software. Scareware is everywhere, and it's doing an increasingly good job of looking like the real deal. The best way to protect yourself from bogus antivirus products is to do your homework, and always download from a reliable source. Make sure that the product comes from a well-known, respectable company. Check out our Internet security software reviews and comparison chart; the links go to the sites of vendors we recommend.

Q: Do you know anything about an online product called Registery Booster by Microsoft?  You can download it for 30 dollars to help clean up your computer. Is it also a security software?  Thanks for you help.

A: RegistryBooster is a program by UniBlue and it is designed to clean up and repair your Windows registry. We don't have any experience with that software,  but  it claims to speed up your computer by getting rid of data fragments that can bog down your computer. It's more like spring cleaning for your computer, but it It will not protect it from malware, spyware, viruses, or other attacks. For that you will need dedicated Internet security software.

What happens if my files are corrupted on my home computer and then they are backed up? Will the backup also be corrupted?

A: It depends on when your files became corrupted, when they were last backed up, and what kind of backup history your online backup provider maintains. Your online backup software will back up your data as-is, preserving any file corruption (just as it would preserve a deleted sentence in a Word document). Now, if you backed up on Saturday, and the files were corrupted on Sunday, you could simply restore the files from Saturday's backup. But what if your backup ran after the files became corrupted? What if your service backs up a file any time it's changed?

There's hope. Most online backup services such as Carbonite, SugarSync, Mozy, and IDrive offer "versioning" (sometimes called "history" or "time-line restore") meaning they save copies of different versions that you've backed up, essentially allowing you to go back in time. Here's how Carbonite works:

Carbonite will save one version for each of the previous seven days, one version for each of the prior three weeks, and one version for each of the prior two months.

So, it's possible you may be able to access older, uncorrupted versions of your files. The amount of time older files are kept depends on your service (Mozy, for instance, keeps 30-days worth, while Carbonite keeps three-months worth, and IDrive keeps the last 30 versions). You should check the individual help section of your service provider for details.

Also note that if the corruption occurred because of a virus, you should make sure you're running Internet security software and that your virus definitions are up to date. Do this before you restore your files, so you don't risk re-corrupting your backups.

I need to download new antivirus protection and I am wondering why you do not include VIPRE in your reviews. Is it because it doesn't work as advertised? Just trying to choose the best.

A: We haven't gotten around to reviewing VIPRE yet. While we can't comment on its effectiveness as anti-virus software, it does not seem to have a built-in firewall. While VIPRE has a separate firewall module available for purchase, we tend to prefer products that offer the firewall as part of the full suite. The combined price of the VIPRE anti-virus and the firewall would push the price into the $50.00 range (or more, if you're looking for multiple licenses), putting it in the same price category as many of the suites we reviewed, such as McAfee. Some, such as BitDefender and ZoneAlarm are even cheaper.

Q: Will Norton Internet Security 2010 software work with both the Windows Vista SP2 32 bit and 64 bit systems?

A: Yes, Norton Internet Security 2010 works with both 32- and 64-bit versions of Vista. Here's the official line from the Norton site:

Microsoft Windows Vista® (32-bit and 64-bit) Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium/Business/Ultimate

Norton Internet Security 2010 is our favorite of the current crop of Internet security software. It's been well-received by the press, including an Editor's Choice award from PCMag, and has captured a number of awards, including the AV-Comparatives Advanced+ rating.

You can read our review here, and you can use the coupon code SYM2010NEW to receive a 10% discount if you decide to purchase it.

Q: You state how many computers McAfee claims to protect. Do you have any info on the numbers of computers the others protect?

A: Thanks for the question. If an Internet security product has licenses for more than one PC, we list that in the chart with the price. We try to be current with all price/license information, but you should always make sure that the product you're purchasing supports the required number of PCs when you're at checkout. Here's a list of Internet security products we've reviewed that support multiple licenses:

Norton (3)
McAfee (3)
Trend Micro (3)
CA (3)
Webroot (3)
ZoneAlarm (3)
Kaspersky (3)

Q: Last night, I purchased SpyZooka. I have run it five or six times. During this session on the internet, I have 27 oops messages. I've been on for about an hour now. Is SpyZooka spyware?

A: We have not yet reviewed SpyZooka at NextAdvisor.com, so we can't offer specific or detailed advice on this particular software or its features. However, SpyZooka does not appear to be a Trojan horse, delivering spyware to your computer. We were unable to find any reviews for SpyZooka in reputable publications, but it has received high praise from some consumers.

Supposedly, SpyZooka is adept at locating spyware and viruses that other Internet security programs miss, so it is possible that you have either stumbled on to some malware in the past day or so, or that SpyZooka is simply finding malware that has already been infecting your computer for some time.

While we do not have reason to believe that SpyZooka is malware in disguise, we are not particularly familiar with this software and cannot vouch for it emphatically. To learn more about the Internet security software that we have reviewed at NextAdvisor.com, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Q: I have Norton security on my computer,if I want to download Identity Guard total ptotection in place of Norton will the Identity Guard program automaticaly remove the Norton program and install it self?

A: Identity Guard's Internet security software, which is powered by ZoneAlarm, will not automatically remove your existing anti-virus protection program. We would recommend installing the Identity Guard provided ZoneAlarm software first and then manually removing your Norton Internet security software once you have confirmed that the ZoneAlarm software was properly installed. This will ensure that your PC is never without Internet security protection.

We would suggest following the removal instructions provided by Norton when removing that software from your PC since the process can vary based off of your operating system and the version of the software you are running. That being said, the standard process to manually uninstall a software program from a Windows PC is as follows:

• Click on the "Start" button in the lower right hand of your screen and select "Control Panel" from the menu.
• Double click on "Add or Remove Programs".
• Find the specific software product you would like to uninstall and click on the "Remove" button.
• Follow the on-screen instructions provided by the software provider.
• After you have completed the uninstall process, you will be prompted to restart your computer.
• After restarting your PC, the uninstalled software should be completely removed from your system.

Q: Is there a promotional code needed for 50% discount on McAfee Total Protection?

A: There is no promotional code needed. Just follow the link from NextAdvisor.com's McAfee review for the exclusive discounted price.

To learn more about McAfee and other Internet security software, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Q: Where do I get the 20% coupon code for Norton?

A: NextAdvisor.com readers receive an exclusive 20% discount on Norton Internet Security 2009. To buy Norton for the reduced price, just follow the link from NextAdvisor.com and check out normally. Before you enter your billing information, you will see a field below your shopping cart that prompts you to enter a coupon code. Type the word "NEXT" into that field, and then click apply.

To learn more about Norton Internet Security 2009 or other Internet security software, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Q: Hello, We were thinking about getting [McAfee Total Protection] and we were wondering what does it mean when it says #39.99/ yr for up to 3 users AFTER 50% DISCOUNT? What does that last part mean? Thank You

A: The regular price for McAfee Total Protection is $79.99, but customers who sign up through NextAdvisor.com receive an exclusive discount and pay only $39.99.

To learn more about McAfee or other Internet Security Software, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Q: Does Identity Guard with ZoneAlarm have an 800 number if I need help?

A: Yes, Identity Guard with ZoneAlarm does offer toll free support for members. You can contact Identity Guard customer support at 1-800-452-2541. Identity Guard representatives are available through that toll free line between 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. EST Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST Saturday. Other Identity Guard contact information is available on the website.

Q: What is the most recommended software?

A: Our top rated Internet security software package is Identity Guard with ZoneAlarm. Identity Guard is different than any of of the other products we have reviewed because it includes not just a full Internet security software suite to protect your PC, but also three bureau credit report monitoring and other features to help protect your identity. Identity Guard is priced differently than other security software suites as well. After a free 30 day trial you will be charged $14.99 per month. However, the ZoneAlarm security software is yours to keep whether or not you decide to become a paying member of Identity Guard (keep in mind that you won't receive any of the updated virus definitions if you decide to cancel your Identity Guard membership).

If you are looking for a more traditional Internet security software option, we suggest McAfee. McAfee offers an excellent set of tools to protect your PC and is confident enough in its service that it offers a 30-day money back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied with the software for any reason they will refund your money, no questions asked. Additionally, McAfee is currently 50% off standard price for a limited time, so it is also a great deal at just $39.95 per year.

You can learn more about Identity Guard, McAfee and other providers by visiting our reviews and comparison of Internet security software services.

Q: Please tell me the cost of this service [Identity Guard ZoneAlarm] as can not find it listed in your ad.

A: Identity Guard with ZoneAlarm is priced slightly differently than the other Internet security software services we reviewed. Rather than paying an annual fee subscribers pay $14.99 per month which includes all of the features detailed above. The cost of this product is slightly higher than the other services we reviewed at about $180 per year, but it is actually quite a deal when you consider that you are essentially receiving three services- credit report monitoring, identity theft protection and Internet security software- for the same price that you would pay if you purchased Identity Guard as a standalone product. Plus, even if you choose to cancel your Identity Guard subscription within the 30 day free trial period you can keep the ZoneAlarm software (although you wouldn't receive any of the virus and spyware definitions which keep your computer safe against new threats), your 3-bureau credit report and score, and your public records report. All this alone would cost over $100 and they're willing to give it to you for free just to try the product.

You can read our full review of Identity Guard and compare it with other services by visiting our Internet security software comparison at NextAdvisor.com.