The Avira Premium Security Suite does a great job of detecting malicious
software--arguably a security suite's most important task.
But it doesn't do much else. Its firewall didn't completely
protect our Vista test PC, for example, and the suite entirely
lacks such features as Web antiphishing measures and parental controls.
Avira did shine at blocking security threats in our "All-in-One Security Suites:
Tried and Tested" roundup of security suites.
It halted 98 percent of the 674, 589 samples in AV-Test.org's zoo of malicious software,
just a hair behind the top performer, BitDefender Internet Security 2008.
It also did well at identifying unknown malware in tests that pit programs
with one-month-old virus databases against new malware such as Trojan horses and keyloggers.