CNET Editors' review
Common Windows security wisdom says it's a bad idea to run multiple antivirus apps simultaneously. Generally that's true, but Immunet 2.0 intends to play nice with your existing protection and bolster it with help from the cloud and the crowd. Immunet's latest update introduces new scanning tools, detection engines, and support in a bid to persuade users that the program is the spackle they need to plug the holes in their security wall.
Installation and setup
The installation of Immunet 2.0 asks for registration, which you can skip to avoid sending your data up to the cloud without adversely affecting your security. However, the cloud-based defenses work better as more people contribute their data. This is a common defense tool from security vendors.
Immunet opts you in to the Ask toolbar and default search engine switch, so users who don't want them should go through the install process carefully. Otherwise, the installation process is straightforward and simple.
Interface
The interface is a blue wall behind three columns that provide access to Community, Computer, and Product settings. On the far left side of the interface, Immunet quietly informs you of your other installed antivirus program, while on the far right there are two bars keeping track of CPU and memory usage.
The new Immunet interface puts a lot of information at hand, but navigating within it could be smoother. (Note that the screenshot is from an release candidate and the yellow 'RC2' won't appear on the version you can download.)
(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)Annoyingly, much of the interface uses text that comes in varying shades of blue, which can make it harder to read than it should be. We also found that switching screens within Immunet, as well as tooltips, were slow to respond to clicks and mouse-overs.
Features and support
Similar to PC Tools' ThreatFire, which didn't originally address virus-related threats but does now, Immunet seeks to present a lightweight method to enhance already-installed protection.
On features alone, there's no doubt that Immunet 2.0 is a better product than its predecessor. The free version offers a new cloud-based detection engine called ETHOS, a heuristics engine that offers on-demand scanning, in-product updates, a visual representation of the Immunet community, a silent gaming mode, and a stream from the Immunet security blog.
Immunet also offers a bit of exploration of the program's community network, with an interactive visual representation of the friends that you're connected to. (Note that the screenshot is from an release candidate and the yellow 'RC2' won't appear on the version you can download.)
(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)There's also an unusual amount of attention paid to user-support issues for a free program, with free 24-7 telephone support. The service includes installation problems, assistance with potential virus issues, and sluggish computer performance that may not be virus-related. E-mail support has been dropped from this version in favor of online forums.
The new scanning tools come in the three standard flavors: the quick Flash scan, Full, and Custom. The Flash scan, which checks out only processes and the Registry, took just more than one minute to finish, while the full takes much longer because it checks your entire computer. Immunet doesn't lock you into a running scan, so you can hide it and use other parts of the program. However, Immunet restricts rootkit scans to its paid upgrade, sacrificing some of your security.
Immunet's new scans give the program much more appeal than before, but they do limit rootkit scans to the paid version. (Note that the screenshot is from an release candidate and the yellow 'RC2' won't appear on the version you can download.)
(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)The History window, under the Computer column, provides a reasonably in-depth accounting of what Immunet's been up to. This includes an option to view by all file events, which essentially acts as an Internet traffic log. We're fans of exposing as much data as possible about security behavior to users, but this could be improved by allowed users to access the folder location where the activity took place.
Performance
During a day of anecdotal testing, we noticed no unusual system slow-downs while running Immunet concurrently with Avast. Third-party security performance benchmarks are not yet available, but it's highly unusual when running multiple security programs not to see even slight anecdotal sluggishness. This suggests that at least on the performance front, Immunet does do all that it claims.
Conclusion
At this point, there's no one feature in Immunet that's impressive enough to make it stand out against the competitive security field. What it does offer though is an extra dose of peace of mind for those users who feel, for whatever reason, that their current security just isn't enough.
Publisher's Description
From Immunet:
Immunet Protect Free Antivirus is a free companion antivirus solution that combines the speed of cloud computing with the benefits of Collective Immunity to protect entire online communities against real-time virus threats. Immunet Protect adds an extra layer of fast antivirus protection that is always up-to-date using real-time cloud-based detection, so it won't slow down your PC. Stay protected against over 13 million viruses and thousands of new threats daily without ever downloading another virus detection file again. The product is lightweight with a small footprint of less than 10mb, and is also low in disk and memory use to keep your PC running fast. Immunet is compatible with over 18 traditional security solutions to provide extra, fast protection for free.
Immunet Protect is a community-based antivirus security product designed to protect a user's online community for free, and can be easily shared with anyone's social network contacts with a private invite, even if the contact already has existing antivirus installed. User have peace of mind knowing their closest contacts are safe from viruses and are less likely to infect them. Each time a virus is blocked on any computer in the Immunet Network, ALL computers are protected instantly from the same virus--providing Collective Immunity to all users.
What's new in this version:
The 3.0 release was primarily intended to sharpen focus on malware detection and to provide comprehensive protection to users who are not always connected to the cloud.
Complete Offline Protection
The 3.0 release adds an 'Offline' engine. This engine (which is ClamAV .97) once enabled will automatically pull down latest detections and allow for complete detection coverage, even when you are not connected to the Internet. New detections for 'hot' threats, prevalent on the net p... See all new features
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All versions:
3.6 starsout of 141 votes
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Current version:
2.9 starsout of 28 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"It has the worst kinds of false positives!"
Version: Immunet Protect 3.0
Pros
It has a good interface & it didn't have any problems running alongside Avast Antivirus.
Cons
It quarantined an important Windows file & caused my computer to start incorrectly.
I managed to restore the quarantined file & after that the computer worked fine. -
"considerably good"
Version: Immunet Protect 3.0
Pros
Blocks and removes good.
Cons
Not many features.
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"Horribly buggy, false positives"
Version: Immunet Protect 3.0
Pros
I don't see any pros to software that has countless false positives and is SLOW.
Cons
I finally stopped the software after 5 false positives and 4 hours of running. I'm deleting it. I can't restore one of the files that it quarantined, and it's part of the system files!!! This has caused a mess on my computer. Thanks goodness I stopped it!
Summary
I don't recommend it. It's slow, buggy, and causes a mess when it deletes vital files.
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"CPU Hog, long scans."
Version: Immunet Protect 3.0
Pros
I found nothing I liked.
Cons
Pegged my CPU at 100%
Summary
When I saw other highly negative reviews, I figured they were written by noobs that couldn't figure out the program. I found out the hard way, that this is a horrible program. From the start, it hogged my resources. The scan took 47 minutes, and I figured when it was over, my CPU usage would normalize. I was wrong. The complete takeover of my CPU commenced. I looked at task manager, and the funny thing was, it showed no program hogging my CPU. The usage was invisible, YET IT WAS AT 100%! The instant I uninstalled immunet, the CPU usage dropped to near zero. I would strongly recommend that you NOT INSTALL THIS APP!
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"cant load it !!! older version stops it"
Version: Immunet Protect 3.0
Pros
none what so ever
Cons
Can't down load
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"very good program"
Version: Immunet Protect 3.0
Pros
I like immunet. This is a good one.
Cons
Immunet work very good with Avast! Avast and immunet is the best!!
Summary
good work immunet!
Looking to add to my immunet community @ immunet.com :)
Updated on Aug 26, 2011 -
"Constant hard drive access"
Version: Immunet Protect 3.0
Pros
Free, supposed to work well in conjunction with other antivirus programs
Cons
Constantly accesses hard drive--not clear if this is an ongoing scan or some other routine function of the program, but I figure it can't be good for the hard drive in the long run.
Summary
If I could find out why the hard drive constantly accesses, and if the company could make it stop, I'd be more interested in keeping it installed.
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"Wiped out All Restore Points / CPU Hog"
Version: Immunet Protect 3.0
Pros
None detected.
Cons
Cannot remove program with System Restore.
Deleted All System Restore Points after uninstalling.Summary
Instantly made a newly formatted 1800mhz laptop grind to a halt. Every program took minutes to load. Uninstalled it and it wiped out every System Restore point thus making us believe it has a rootkit and with further investigation it seems to have infected Firefox and possibly System Files. Now Firefox browser sending significantly more data than before installing this program. A program that wipes out all System Restore points has dark intentions.
This software is NOT RECOMMENDED -
"All That Glitter Isn't Gold"
Version: Immunet Protect 3.0
Pros
This seemed to have been a pretty nice protection against threats the short time that I did run it which was for about 2 days. This Application ran without problem for the first 2 days or so after I installed it on my Notebook PC.
Cons
"Not" a good second protection at all. Cause system problems later on.
Summary
As stated I have been running this Application for about 2 days without problems of any kind. It wasn't until around that 3rd day when I notice my system was becoming very, very slow, To a point where it seem like everything was frozen (But wasn't). I don't know if this program wasn't agreeing with Avast, Zone Alarm Pro since the Pro version of Zone Alarm got that extra protection or if it wasn't agreeing with MBam Pro. All I do know it was causing my Notebook PC running Windows XP Service Pack 3 / 32 Bit system to not only slow up very, very badly but also shoot system errors. I took the program back off my Notebook and so far these problems that I was having seem to be gone so as others have said use this product at your own risk but I would avoid it all together if I was you. It's said that this product doesn't cause conflict with other security features on your system but that is just what it is doing hands down.
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"Great concept"
Version: Immunet Protect 3.0
Pros
Easy to install. So far no problems
Cons
None identified as yet.
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