Trend Micro Mobile Security – Good iOS Anti-Phishing Protection

Trend Micro Antivirus Full Review

Trend Micro’s malware scanning and real-time protection are excellent. You can also enjoy privacy features that increase online and offline security.

Trend Micro’s additional features may not be as powerful as other antiviruses available, but it is still user-friendly. Its core features perform well, and the plans will suit most users’ requirements.

Trend Security Features

Virus scanner

Trend Micro’s antimalware scan is very effective. It crosses-references files against Trend Micro’s large virus database and uses machine learning. It protects against known malware and zero-day threats as well as variants of malware.

Trend Micro 3 scan options

• QuickScan scans areas where security risk is often detected. These include your system folders. Background processes. Registry.
• Full scan Scans the entire disk (not encrypted files or password protected).
• Custom scanner:Scans files into folders that you choose.

I downloaded over 1000 malware samples in order to test different scanning options. Each of the malware samples were stored in different places so they could all be found in my registry or system folders.

First, I ran Trend Micro’s quick scan. The scan was quick and took less than 3 minutes. This is amazing considering other antivirus products take between 10 and 30 minutes to perform a quick scan.

It was amazing that my scanner caught every malicious item in my critical folders.

It took me just 40 minutes to run the Trend Micro full scan. McAfee took almost an entire hour to complete the Trend Micro full scan. This was faster than McAfee. Trend Micro was able to detect about 97% malware on mine, even though it wasn’t as fast as Norton.

The scan did not affect my computer’s speed. I was still able stream HD video.

You have other options that can be helpful for the scanner. You can adjust the level or sensitivity of protection. You can also adjust the notification settings. Trend Micro will even allow you to delete any files that are not needed or PUPs (potentially unwanted program), or disable machine-learning.

I love the variety of scan settings Trend Micro provides.

Trendmicro’s malware scan doesn’t drain system resources. Although the Trend Micro malware scanner’s detection rates aren’t 100%, they are very close.

Real-Time Protection

Trend Micro’s malware protection instant is simple, but effective. It monitors your internet activity to stop you from downloading or modifying malicious files.

Trendmicro’s instant protection is able to protect against the following:

• Malware.
• Possible unwanted programs (PUPS).
• Ransomware.
• Exploits.

To test the real-time protection, I deleted all leftover samples from the antivirus scanner test. I then tried to redownload the archive (which contained over 1,000 samples) to verify it. Trend Micro’s Real Time scanner detected all files of malware and prevented them from being downloaded.

Trend Micro’s online security against WICAR’s Web-Based Execits Database was also tested. It was impressive to me that Trend Micro blocked all exploit attacks before they could target my browser and plugins.

Trend Micro real-time security was extremely effective in preventing malicious programs from running on my system.

Phishing / Website Protection

Trend Micro’s Web Protection is a background program that blocks fraudulent and malicious websites. Trend Micro’s Web Protection compares all websites visited to an online database of blacklisted sites. It will block your access if your website is included in the database.

I tested the protection on Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox Firefox, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. Trend Micro blocked me access to all the phishing sites that I visited using Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox.

I love how easy it is to whitelist secured sites. Trend Micro displays an alert box every time it blocks a website. You can choose to ignore any warnings or continue browsing the site. Or, you can whitelist the entire site.

I was overall impressed by Trend Micro’s anti-phishing protection. It is easy to use and it blocked all phishing websites I tested.

PC Health Check-Up

Trend Micro’s PC Health Check up, a PC-only system optimization tool, optimizes your PC four ways. You can activate PC Tune up in one click.

• Repair Security Vulnerabilities.Checks that your OS is current and that the firewall settings are safe.
• Speed up computer startup:Changes the order in which applications are launched when you log into your computer.
• Delete duplicate files, empty recycle bins, clean out temporary directories, and delete duplicates
• Removes private data from Windows, messenger applications and Windows.

This feature didn’t impress me. Even though it took 5 minutes for my PC Health Checkup system to run a full scan of my hard drive, I was unable to save nearly 300MB when it ran on mine.

The “Reduce Computer Startup Time” option lists the programs that can manually be disabled at startup to speed up startup. It is standard in Windows and Mac. Therefore, it does not add any value to the tuneup feature.

Trend Micro’s PC Health Monitor is not very useful. Many of its features work on Windows and Mac as well. They are generally more efficient. PC Tune-Up has one advantage: it allows you to access all of the optimization functions from one location. You can still use your system’s built in clean-up tools if that is not an option.

Privacy Scanner

Trendmicro’s privacy scan allows users to change their web browsers or social media privacy settings. Trend Micro will scan the account, then display a popup window that allows you to address privacy concerns.

• Who may have access to your personal data?
• If your social media account appears in search engines.
• Who can look up your email address?
• Call your number to reach someone.
• Advertisers could be able show targeted ads that are based upon your activities.

I downloaded Trend Micro Toolbar Chrome on Google Chrome and ran a scan across all my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other accounts.

The scanner took only a minute to scan and showed all privacy issues along with an easy option for adjustment. It is very handy, especially considering that privacy settings on social media sites can be quite complicated.

Privacy scanner’s browser scanner component was not as satisfactory. I tested it with Internet Explorer and Chrome. However, the browser scanner component of privacy scanner was less satisfactory.

These features are very useful, but can also be found in individual web browser settings. They are not required by Trend Micro. Trend Micro’s browser scan may not prove as useful due to Internet Explorer being a dead browser. Microsoft has invested all of its resources in the new Edge browser based on Chromium.

However, Privacy Scanner is able to help you modify your privacy settings in social media accounts.

Trend Micro ID Security Mobile Only

Trendmicro ID Security scans every inch and immediately alerts it if it finds any personally identifiable information.

• Email addresses.
• Passwords.
• Numbers for credit cards.
• Bank account numbers.
• Passport information.

However, it’s not as extensive and comprehensive as Norton. It uses AI technology and covers additional information like insurance numbers. Trend Micro is more powerful than TotalAV, which relies on Have I Bened Pwned to scan emails for potential breaches.

Trend micro’s data monitor will send you an alert if there’s a security breach to your email or mobile.

I tried the email security scan with an older email address I deliberately entered into many suspicious websites. The email scanner performed well, and revealed 20 other websites that had stolen my email address.

Trend Micro ID Safety can only be used on iOS or Android. This was a bit odd to me. Trend Micro’s site offers access to only basic email scanners for Mac or PC.

Trend Micro’s ID Security offers more coverage than other products but is not as thorough or comprehensive as Norton. You should consider a service that provides live support for additional information protection if you care deeply about your identity.

Password Manager

Trend Micro’s password management software protects passwords and other sensitive data with 256 bit AES encryption. Trend Micro’s password manager software only supports 5 passwords. Trend Micro Premium Package offers unlimited password storage.

Trend Micro’s password administrator includes:

• Unlimited password storage (premium version).
• Password generator.
• Automatic form filler.
• Secure note.

The password manager cannot be used as a desktop program. There are browser extensions that can be used on a desktop and mobile devices for Android and iOS. Once you’ve installed the browser extension or the app you want, the password manager will prompt you to create your master password.

Trend Micro’s password management software works with zero knowledge protocols. If your master passcode is lost or forgotten, you will not be able reset it. This is great for security. But, it can create problems if you forget or lose your password. This is a problem, in my opinion. LastPass and Dashlane each offer account recovery options to those who have lost access.

Trend Micro’s password storage/auto-fill function is basic, but it works well. When you log back in, you will be asked whether it is okay. I was able to identify all the saved sites that I visited during my testing.

Trend Micro offers a password-generator. It can generate passwords ranging from 8-20 characters. You can use symbols and upper- or lowercase letters, numbers, or both. This is a great feature. However, Bitwarden doesn’t offer a passphrase generator.

Trendmicro’s password management tool does a great job but lacks many features. It doesn’t offer 2FA (two-factor authentication), password vault inspector, or password sharing that are common in top password managers.

Parental Control

Trendmicro’s parental controls can be used for your benefit:

• Block Websites.
• You can limit how much internet access you have. You can limit the number of apps you use or the entire device.
• Block Applications.

Once parental controls have been set up for the first time, a wizard will help you navigate the process and let you choose the apps or sites you wish to block. You can also choose from different age presets if Trend Micro is what you need to set up.

I created an imaginary account for a preteen boy aged between 8-12. He could only access my computer for four hours on weekends. I also blocked certain applications access from the test profile denial.

The website filtering worked well. It can block 31 different types of websites, including:

• Adult websites.
• Communication media sites.
• Web sites that have been criticized.
• Shopping sites.
• Entertainment websites.

Trendmicro displayed a pop-up message at the bottom of the screen telling me that a blocked website had been blocked.

To access the blocked website, you must click the “Temporarily Allowed” or the “Permanently Allowed” links in your message. This is a great feature. This is a great feature that parents will love to temporarily whitelist certain sites.

Trend Micro’s content-filtering system was inconsistent. It only worked for some categories, like adult websites. However, it was still possible to access other websites or videos about weapons. But, parental control applications can make it hard to filter YouTube videos deemed unsafe. Please visit our blog post about keeping your children safe on YouTube.

Trend Micro’s Image Search Filter didn’t work. Even though the filter was disabled, I was still able to see adult images via Google Images.

The time restrictions worked well. I could set limits on the time my child can spend online and also make it easy to schedule their internet access. Entering your password will allow you to extend the time that your child spends online.

Similar to the above, if users’ computer/device usage is ending, a warning timer will display telling them that only 5 minutes remain before they are logged out. For an additional hour, you may be asked for your password in order to regain control.

Trend Micro’s Program Access Controls are also very effective. I tried many methods to trick Trend Micro’s app blocking software. These included moving, deleting, and installing blocked applications again.

Trend Micro’s parental control screening screen was disappointing. It doesn’t report attempts to access blocked sites — so if your children access other inappropriate websites that haven’t yet been filtered, there is no way for you to know. It does not monitor the use of applications so it’s impossible to see what your kids are doing with their time (e.g. It will monitor if your child is using educational apps, or playing video games.

The best parental control programs will display all websites visited by your child and every app they’ve tried. They also show how long each app was used. These are great features that parents will value and Trend Micro’s product lacks.

I find Trend Micro’s parental surveillance to be poor. The content filtering was not consistent. The report screen should be more detailed. It is simple to use and customizable using web-filtering presets. You can also set up automatic age-based defenses.

Trend Micro VPN

Trendmicro’s VPN comes only with the premium plan.

It does transmit data via secure cloud server that uses 256-bit AES encryption. This encryption standard is also used by many governments and banks. The VPN doesn’t offer protection beyond standard HTTPS pages.

Trend Micro’s VPN cannot give you a virtual address or allow connections from different regions. It runs your connection via one of the four VPN servers it has listed in your network settings.

It is impossible for you to choose the server that you want to connect. Trend Micro will ask to see your username and digital certificates if you want to manually change the server. It was frustrating because my connection was constantly dropping. It wasn’t possible to fix it by switching servers.

Trend Micro’s VPN offers very few customization options. These options are also available:

• ManualVPN: Turn on the VPN manually.
• Automated VPN: Connects automatically with unsecured networks.
• VPN Always On: Connects when you turn on the device.
• VP Always On: VPN won’t turn on unless it is manually activated.

DNS leak protection or kill switches are not possible. Your activity could be revealed if your VPN connection goes down. Hackers could be able to intercept data. ExpressVPN, for example, has both a DNS leak protection feature and a kill switch. This means your data will be protected even when the VPN connection is lost.

Kurz: Trend micro’s VPN has a lower effectiveness rating than other VPNs. It isn’t as efficient as other antivirus-bundled VPNs, such as McAfee/Nova.

Additional Features

Trendmicro also offers some great additional features.

• Pay Guard:Opens your browser in a safe manner to shop online or bank (Chrome Firefox Edge Internet Explorer).
• Data security: Protects your personal data, such as credit card numbers, from being stolen via the Internet.
• Protects folders from ransomware.
• Trend vault: Stores sensitive data within a password protected folder
• Safe Erase permanently deletes a file, so that it can’t be recovered. Customers with the Premium Security, Maximum Security and Internet Security plans are only eligible for this feature.
• Firewall Enhancer:Enhances Windows’ built-in firewall and stops botnets from stealing the PC.

These features are great. Pay Guard will open whenever you go to a bank, finance website, or other financial institution. This window protects you from both exploit attacks and pop ups. TotalAV and Bullguard offer secure browsers. All of them do not offer Pay Guard’s one-button functionality.

Trend Micro’s file vault and erase features are fantastic. Unfortunately, I was not impressed with the data theft prevention, firewall booster, and folder protection. Trend Micro provides many additional security features, which I appreciate.

Trend Micro Plans & Pricing

Trendmicro offers 4 plans. Internet Security is an option that comes with a slightly higher price, but is only available for Windows. Two premium plans, Maximum Security and Premium Security Suite, work on both Macs as well as PCs. They are compatible with Androids, iOS and Chromebooks.

Trendmicro does offer a paid plan but it doesn’t offer any free services. It offers some useful features like House Call which is an internet security scan and Safety Filter For Kids extension browser extensions. All its packages require a subscription lasting one to two years. Trend Micro offers a free 30-day trial of all plans. Trend Micro offers a free 30-day trial on all plans.

Trend Micro Setup and Use Ease

Trend Micro is easy to use and set up. It took just five minutes to set it all up. After the installation was complete, I was directed to an easy-to-use user interface (UI). It displayed the main features of the program in 4 easily-readable icons.

It takes only a few steps to access each feature. You can access security settings such as the computer optimizer, real-time scanning, and the mutes option, which temporarily disables Trend Micro notifications.

The Privacy Scanner & Social Media Protection buttons are located at the top of your main UI. This is where your Payguard settings can be configured. Trend Micro’s secure web browser lets you choose which websites will be opened.

The Privacy tab contains the Data Theft Prevention options. Trend Micro will protect all data provided, similar to Pay Guard.

The main interface allows you to access Folder Shield, Secure Erase and the “Data” button.

Click on the “Family” button to access the Parental control. It took me only a few minutes to set this up.

Trend Micro’s interface is simple to use and intuitive. All features can be accessed and adjusted in a matter of seconds.

Trend Micro Mobile App

Trend Micro’s mobile Security for Android or iOS is part of the Max Security Suitepackages. However, you can purchase it separately. You can choose from the following features:

• Malware scanner. Only Android
• Website protections.
• VPN.
• Blocker to SMS Phishing.
• App manager.
• Anti-theft protection.
• Parental control.

I was very pleased with the results of my malware scanner tests. Trendmicro was able to detect most viruses in my archive.

Trend Micro’s mobile security solutions are excellent. I particularly like the smishing based phishing stopper. Trend Micro’s mobile-based VPN is just as damaging for desktop users than it is for mobile devices.

Trend micro’s theft protections have been my favorite. You can remotely lock and wipe your data, locate using GPS and turn off the alarm. After logging in, you can navigate to Trendmicro’s Lost Device portal via your web browser. The interface is simple and easy to use for all anti-theft functions. The “locate device” function will pinpoint your device within 50-100 metres.