ESET releases Smart Security and NOD32 4.0

by Steve Ragan - Mar 3 2009, 15:30

ESET, the company behind NOD32 anti-Virus and ESET Smart Security, launched the fourth version of their two flagship products on Monday. Recently The Tech Herald reviewed ESET Smart Security 3.0, and while it’s still a stand up product, the newest version blows it out of the water.

The Tech Herald has not reviewed the full version of Smart Security 4, however just using the trial offers a huge difference compared to Smart Security 3. (There will be a full review later this month.)

This new version adds some twenty new tweaks and enhancements to improve on earlier versions. As you can tell in the screen shots below, they even gave the software a visual facelift. The enhancements, for the most part, are spent on detection. ESET has added layers of detection to the new engine, which drill down into the operating system.

During the review of ESET Smart Security 3, one test lost points because the software would not adequately scan archived files. Now, in the latest version, that issue is addressed with a new feature called Advanced Archive Scanning (AAS). AAS allows users to customize how the NOD32 engine scans their system (NOD32 is the engine that drives Smart Security as well), including the ability to target and scan archive files.

Not only will it scan the archive files, it allows the user to control the level of archive scanning including sending alerts about an archive, how deep it will scan into an archive, and how long it should spend on an archive before moving on.

Smart Security 4, both the consumer and business version, has the ability to single out removable media. This feature, not present in earlier versions, will allow a business admin the ability to block USB drives or other external storage from running on a system.

Home users can use the removable media controls to protect their systems from AutoRun threats, and to ensure security by allowing ESET to scan the attached drive the second the system detects it.

The newest line of ESET’s software also comes with two new tools to help home users deal with support and system issues.

SysInspector, which offers a granular look at the system highlighting potential problems, is the first of the two. It can drill down into the system and locate infections and other problems without launching a full scan. You can then view the information based on severity, using a color coded slider to locate information.

SysInspector is also used by the support team at ESET, which helps them diagnose issues for the customer faster. When a new ticket is opened within the application, the ability to attach a SysInspector log is included.

SysRescue is the second new tool. With this, you can create a recovery CD and clean up serious infections. While this is an option in more than one security application, the idea behind this new tool is to keep the system from being reformatted due to infection.

Unlike rescue CD’s that will force you into safe mode on Windows, SysRescue will run outside of the OS, and will scan and clean the system without the need to access the operating system, as it launches and runs before boot.

Both NOD32 and Smart Security 4 are available now. The price will depend on version, but NOD32 starts at $39.99 USD and Smart Security will start at $59.99 USD.

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