Security software: The 'problem child'
The survey found that among other software programs used at home, security software is most troublesome to consumers. Almost one third of the respondents said they had the most problems with security software over the past year. And while half of the respondents were not able to pick one computer software category that has the worst products, 12 percent of them perceived the computer software category to be most inferior compared to other consumer categories such as gaming, MP3 and video software.

For some respondents, a malware infection that couldn't be resolved led them to take the drastic measure - 30 percent of them simply have given up and bought a new computer. In addition, among those whose computers have been infected with malware in the last six months, 17 percent reported they had to format the hard disk and reinstall Windows to get rid of the
malware.

Despite dislikes, most consumers depend on their security software for protection. The majority of respondents agree that security software needs to be installed on their home computers, especially in an Internet-age where cybercrime is targeting both individuals and corporations. Eighty-two percent of respondents said that the best part about security software is that it protects their PCs against malware; 39 percent like the frequent updates their software performs; and only 4 percent found no redeeming value in security software.

Carol Carpenter, vice-president - consumer marketing, Trend Micro, said: "I'm extremely proud of our most recent consumer products for 2009 because this year, we focused on 'smarter' protection against data-stealing threats but with minimum impact on computer memory resource. We strive to deliver the best products we can create for our consumers."

PR News Wire