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Most security suites makers have already released their 2011 version, even though 2011 is still months off. A few major players have yet to ship: ZoneAlarm Extreme Security and Norton 360 tend to arrive several months after the rest, for example. McAfee also runs on a later schedule; no telling whether the company's recent acquisition by Intel will change that. We'll be sure to review those suites when they've available, but, in the meanwhile, you need protection now. If you've recently bought a new system for your personal life, office, or for back to school, you've got to keep it secure. So we've rounded up eleven in-depth suite reviews so that you can see which will keep you safe, and which just aren't secure enough.

Firewalls, Ancient and Modern
The personal firewall component is the most important element of a suite. Without a firewall you've got nothing but an antivirus with benefits. I expect a firewall to protect against outside attack, prevent network abuse by local processes, detect and prevent malicious exploits, and stand up to direct attack.

Windows Firewall, especially in Windows Vista and Windows 7, does a great job stealthing ports and protecting against outside attack. A suite that can't match the built-in firewall is a flop; fortunately that doesn't describe any of the current group. Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security 2011 avoids duplication of effort and simply relies on Windows Firewall for network protection.

PC mag has the details HERE!