F–Secure TOTAL
Can this security app compete with the big boys?
From $89.99/year (3 devices) From f-secure.com
Needs macOS 10.11 or later
TOTAL is F-Secure’s top-of-theline security product for Mac, and comprises three products, which you install separately. F-Secure SAFE offers core antivirus protection, backed up with ransomware protection, browsing and banking protection, and parental controls. It’s easy to install, and steps you through giving the app the access it requires. The interface is straightforward, but bare, and configuration is virtually non-existent. There are two types of virus scan: Full, or ‘choose what to scan’. Most other controls are on/off, with a handful of advanced controls in System Preferences. Parental controls offer more tweaking, although even here you’re limited to setting time and usage limits, plus filters, for other Mac users.
TOTAL’s ‘bonus’ tools are a password manager and VPN software. ID Protection protects passwords and other sensitive info — everything is double-encrypted, but there’s no additional security in the form of two–factor authentication. The app also betrays its Windows focus by failing to provide a Safari add-on.
Similarly, FREEDOME VPN can’t match dedicated VPN services. On the upside, you can use it on both your iPhone and Mac to encrypt your internet connection on public Wi-Fi networks, and it can also block tracking attempts via insecure HTTP traffic, plus scan for malware, tracking cookies, and other threats. Weaknesses include restricting you to 28 servers across 22 countries. Performance is noticeably affected too: Speedtest reported a 25-30 per cent drop-off over our fiber connection when using FREEDOME. Nevertheless, it’s competitively priced as part of TOTAL, and can bypass geo-restrictions abroad too.
Overall, TOTAL is fine. However, SAFE’s AV-Labs test scores of 5.5/6 for protection and performance reveal two issues. The first is protection — a 99.6 per cent malware detection rate isn’t bad, but four products (Norton, Trend, Bitdefender, and Avast) score 100 per cent. Then there’s an impact on accessing files and opening programs thanks to SAFE’s real-time scanner.
THE BOTTOM LINE. TOTAL provides adequate protection, but there are plenty of better options out there. NICK PEERS