Comodo Internet Security
Encyclopedia
Comodo Internet Security (CIS), developed by Comodo Group, is an Internet security suite available for Microsoft Windows
. It offers anti-malware protection
, a personal firewall
, a sandbox
and a Host-based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) called Defense+.
However, Comodo Internet Security, the standard edition, is the only freeware
edition. It has no more than 60 days of technical support (dubbed "GeekBuddy"). The Plus, Pro, and Complete editions, on the other hand are commercial software
and have unlimited technical support.
The Complete edition comes with an online backup service subscription.
Comodo has also offers Comodo Firewall and Comodo Antivirus which are the same as Comodo Internet Security. All four can be used to install a standalone antivirus, a standalone personal firewall or both together.
and provides the following layers of protection:
Antivirus: Comodo's Antivirus Software was publicly released along with the Comodo Internet Security Suite on October 23, 2008. Ever since CIS 3.8, it offers a heuristic
s engine built into the scanner. In CIS 5.0, it offers cloud antivirus protection and spyware scanning capabilities. The antivirus had great detection but its cleaning capabilities weren't that great. For that purpose, Comodo developed Comodo Cleaning Essentials to supplement CIS.
Firewall: Comodo's Firewall, Comodo Firewall Pro, generally wins high scores on Firewall testing sites, such as Matousec
, and has regularly been included in the top three firewalls. The firewall component has been declared Editor's Choice by PC Magazine and Gizmo's Tech Support Alert.
HIPS (Defense+): Comodo's Host-based intrusion prevention system (HIPS), known as Defense+, is designed to provide protection against unknown malware. It is designed to restrict the actions of unknown applications, and restrict access to important files, folders, settings and the Windows Registry
. Defense+ employs Default Deny Protection, by default refusing any unknown file permission to install or execute except when specifically allowed by the user or when the file appears on Comodo's whitelist. In CIS 4.0, a sandbox was added to Defense+ to isolate and run unknown applications.
Remote assistance (GeekBuddy): Comodo GeekBuddy, which is also available as a separate stand-alone product, comes with Comodo Internet Security. It allows a Comodo technician to connect remotely to the users' computers and help fix their problems.
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. It offers anti-malware protection
Antivirus software
Antivirus or anti-virus software is used to prevent, detect, and remove malware, including but not limited to computer viruses, computer worm, trojan horses, spyware and adware...
, a personal firewall
Personal firewall
A personal firewall is an application which controls network traffic to and from a computer, permitting or denying communications based on a security policy. Typically it works as an application layer firewall....
, a sandbox
Sandbox (computer security)
In computer security, a sandbox is a security mechanism for separating running programs. It is often used to execute untested code, or untrusted programs from unverified third-parties, suppliers, untrusted users and untrusted websites....
and a Host-based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) called Defense+.
Editions
Comodo Internet Security (CIS) is available in four editions: Comodo Internet Security (the standard edition), Comodo Internet Security Plus, Comodo Internet Security Pro and Comodo Internet Security Complete. All editions contain a personal firewall which prevents unauthorized connections from/to the Internet, an antivirus that seeks and eliminates malicious software and the Defense+ monitors software for suspicious behavior and can "sandbox" certain programs, thus preventing them from making permanent changes to the system.However, Comodo Internet Security, the standard edition, is the only freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
edition. It has no more than 60 days of technical support (dubbed "GeekBuddy"). The Plus, Pro, and Complete editions, on the other hand are commercial software
Commercial software
Commercial software, or less commonly, payware, is computer software that is produced for sale or that serves commercial purposes.Commercial software is most often proprietary software, but free software packages may also be commercial software....
and have unlimited technical support.
The Complete edition comes with an online backup service subscription.
Comodo has also offers Comodo Firewall and Comodo Antivirus which are the same as Comodo Internet Security. All four can be used to install a standalone antivirus, a standalone personal firewall or both together.
Components
Comodo Internet Security was designed around the concept of layered securityLayered security
Layered security, also known as layered defense, describes the practice of combining multiple mitigating security controls to protect resources and data....
and provides the following layers of protection:
Antivirus: Comodo's Antivirus Software was publicly released along with the Comodo Internet Security Suite on October 23, 2008. Ever since CIS 3.8, it offers a heuristic
Heuristic
Heuristic refers to experience-based techniques for problem solving, learning, and discovery. Heuristic methods are used to speed up the process of finding a satisfactory solution, where an exhaustive search is impractical...
s engine built into the scanner. In CIS 5.0, it offers cloud antivirus protection and spyware scanning capabilities. The antivirus had great detection but its cleaning capabilities weren't that great. For that purpose, Comodo developed Comodo Cleaning Essentials to supplement CIS.
Firewall: Comodo's Firewall, Comodo Firewall Pro, generally wins high scores on Firewall testing sites, such as Matousec
Matousec
Matousec is a personal firewall testing group, known also as Matousec Transparent Security.- History :...
, and has regularly been included in the top three firewalls. The firewall component has been declared Editor's Choice by PC Magazine and Gizmo's Tech Support Alert.
HIPS (Defense+): Comodo's Host-based intrusion prevention system (HIPS), known as Defense+, is designed to provide protection against unknown malware. It is designed to restrict the actions of unknown applications, and restrict access to important files, folders, settings and the Windows Registry
Windows registry
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform: the kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user...
. Defense+ employs Default Deny Protection, by default refusing any unknown file permission to install or execute except when specifically allowed by the user or when the file appears on Comodo's whitelist. In CIS 4.0, a sandbox was added to Defense+ to isolate and run unknown applications.
Remote assistance (GeekBuddy): Comodo GeekBuddy, which is also available as a separate stand-alone product, comes with Comodo Internet Security. It allows a Comodo technician to connect remotely to the users' computers and help fix their problems.
Comodo Cleaning Essentials
Cleaning Essentials is a separate product that has the same antivirus engine and database as CIS. It was created in response to the criticism of Antivirus's cleaning power which was mediocre. Cleaning Essentials can be run from a USB device and updated as long as there is an internet connection. There is the standard full scan which requires a reboot to scan for malware and rootkits, a custom scan, and KillSwitch. KillSwitch is a task manager-like program that can determine if a process in safe, unknown, or dangerous. It allows for the termination of stubborn processes that normally cannot be closed with Task Manager. In the new Killswitch 2.0, it has been improved to wipe out more types of files. An autorun analyzer has also been added as well as a smart scan option.Critical reception
Comodo Internet Security is currently ranked number 1 in Matousec's Proactive Security Challenge, and passing 100% of the 148 software firewall tests, and is the only firewall and host intrusion prevention system to consistently score number 1 or tie for number one (usually with Online Armor) in all independent tests; it has never left first place since version 3.14.13009 released in June 2008, and as a firewall and HIPS application, even this nearly three-year old software still passes 100% of the latest security tests, the only software of that era to pass more than 70% (Zone Alarm Pro v7 from the same time passes only 27%).Reviews
- Comodo Internet Security Review, Bright Hub, May 5, 2010.
- Comodo Internet Security 4 Beta Review, Bright Hub, January 16, 2010.
- "The Best Security Suites for 2009", PC Magazine, October 29, 2008, updated August 24, 2009.
- Comodo Internet Security 4.0 CNET editors' review, CNET, June 22, 2009
- Comodo Internet Security Pro 3.8 (Review) Robert Vamosi, PC World, May 28, 2009.
- Comodo Internet Security 3.5 (Review), Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, November 3, 2008.
- Comodo Firewall Pro 3.0 (Review) by Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, December 18, 2007