The line between simple antivirus and full-on security suite continues to blur, as some vendors load up entry-level antivirus tools with features more typically found in a full security suite. For example, McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2014 ($49.99 direct; $69.99 for three licenses) adds a powerful firewall and a number of useful security tools. In testing, it was better at blocking malware attacks on a clean system than at hunting down and destroying existing malware infestations.
McAfee's large main window devotes large panels to four important functional areas: Virus and Spyware Protection, Web and Email Protection, McAfee Updates, and Your Subscription. Smaller panels represent Data Protection and Backup and PC and Home Network Tools. The display is just fractionally misleading, in that this product doesn't actually include backup and the link to "firewall and anti-spam settings" reveals that anti-spam isn't present either. To get those features you'll need McAfee's actual full-scale security suite.
A separate "navigation" view simply lists all of the product's numerous features along with links to settings, reports, and online resources. If you know what you want to do but don't know where to find it in the program's user interface, this view is a godsend.
CleanBoot to the Rescue
On over half of my malware-infested test systems, my initial McAfee installation failed to complete successfully, for one reason or another. Tech support recommended that I run McAfee's CleanBoot rescue disk, a Windows-based bootable antivirus.
For all but a couple of the problem systems, CleanBoot totally did the job. Once I got McAfee installed I ran a full scan. Interestingly, every full scan after a CleanBoot scan found nothing at all, suggesting that CleanBoot incorporates McAfee's very latest technology. I mention this because the bootable rescue systems offered by many vendors run in retro text-only mode, and a subsequent full scan often finds traces missed by the bootable solution.
On one system, a virtual fistfight between McAfee and malware sucked up all the CPU cycles. Tech support took some very detailed diagnostic logs and, after quite a bit of back and forth, supplied a one-off solution. Another system lost all connectivity after its full scan. I supplied diagnostic files requested by tech support and they came back with a fix. Overall I give McAfee three stars for installation experience; it would have been four except for the very lengthy repair process on the CPU-impaired system.
CleanBoot seems to have exactly the malware-fighting power of the McAfee antivirus, packaged in a bootable form that doesn't have to contend with malware running alongside it. That being the case, I'd suggest running a CleanBoot scan before any attempt to install McAfee on a system that's' not guaranteed clean.
Decent Malware Removal
With installation problems solved, I went on to run a full scan on each of my twelve malware-infested test systems. McAfee missed a fair number of the resident samples, and didn't remove all the executable traces of some that it did find. In a few cases, I found a malware process still running after supposed cleanup. With a 75 percent detection rate and 5.9 points overall for cleanup, McAfee is in the middle of the pack, much as it was in last year's test.
It did beat out Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus+ 2014 by a tenth of a point. However, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus (2014) managed 83 percent detection and 6.6 points against the same collection of samples.
Tested with my previous collection of malware, Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus 2013 also scored 6.6 points. Top score among that group was 7.1 points, earned by the free, cleanup-only Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70.
Cleaning up the mess when malware has already invaded is clearly a tough task. For an explanation of how I set up this type of test, please see How We Test Malware Removal.
McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2014 malware removal chart
