BullGuard
Encyclopedia
BullGuard is a UK-based, privately held software company that produces internet
security products for home users and small businesses. It has offices in Denmark, Romania, The UK, Sweden, Benelux, France, Germany, Australia and the USA.
The BullGuard logo is a white bulldog on a red background. The watch dog supposedly symbolizes the protection provided by the company to its users and also stands for the claimed user-friendliness of the products’ design. The bulldog is, however, not just a logo, but a real live dog called Winston, who belonged to an employee at BullGuard. Although Winston has now gone into retirement, he occasionally visits the BullGuard offices in Copenhagen.
The first version of BullGuard Internet Security was launched in June 2002. In 2003 the company’s customer base had already registered over 3 million users, and by 2009, its products had gained notoriety, especially in the UK market, and recognition from PC Pro
, Virus Bulletin
, Computer Buyer, PC Plus
magazines.
Aside from developing security products for computers, BullGuard has also been working with mobile security technologies since 2005, when the company was among the first to launch a mobile security product . In February 2011, it was announced that BullGuard had partnered with Juniper Networks
to co-brand and sell the BullGuard Mobile Security 10 based on Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite, Juniper's security software suite for mobile devices.
In May 2011, BullGuard launched Mobile Security on the Android Marketplace .
over the 4-year period
. In June 2011, the company’s Antivirus product made a top 3 (out of 43 products available to buy on the market) result of 97.7% in the RAP (reactive and proactive) tests. .Also, in the latest chart – covering the RAP averages over the Feb-August 2011 quadrant – issued by Virus Bulletin, BullGuard Antivirus managed to seize the top position.
In TopTenREVIEWS
’ 2011 Internet Security Suite Review, BullGuard Internet Security ranks 9th, while the company’s Mobile Security suite ranks first in the same reviewer’s 2011 Mobile Security Software Review .
In April 2011, the tests conducted by AV-Comparatives on BullGuard Internet Security resulted in high scores in detection and false positives. .
BullGuard 4.5 was officially discontinued on October 26, 2007.
BullGuard 5.0 comes with a new interface and Firewall engine powered by Sygate to complement the Antivirus and Online Backup modules. The new Firewall provides Beginner and Advanced levels that allow customization of traffic rules.
BullGuard 5.1 comes with a new Spamfilter module that supports Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express e-mail clients. The new Spamfilter uses a server-side Bayesian filter, which is personalized for each user and adapts automatically to changes in spam e-mail content, and a user-side local database with keywords characteristic to spam e-mail.
and Microsoft Outlook
.
BullGuard 7.0 comes with a new Support module that provides instant access to the BullGuard technical support team by Live Chat or e-mail.
email client.
Antiphishing is added to the Antivirus module, improving malware detection, catch rates and removal tools.
The Spamfilter now supports Windows Live Mail
and IncrediMail e-mail clients. It also allows more customized settings than the previous version.
The Firewall is improved by adding a local whitelist for the most commonly used applications (e-mail clients, Internet browsers, text processors, games or multimedia applications).
The Online Backup module comes with a new wizard that provides customizable Backup profiles and automatic Backup profiles for commonly used computer locations (desktop items, e-mails and user account folders for documents or multimedia files). The users now have instant access to the Online Backup drive, as this is integrated in the Windows Explorer file manager.
The version is added a Game Mode feature that protects the gamer's PC without lowering the quality and speed of game play.
Key features:
Key features:
Key features:
Key features:
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
security products for home users and small businesses. It has offices in Denmark, Romania, The UK, Sweden, Benelux, France, Germany, Australia and the USA.
The BullGuard logo is a white bulldog on a red background. The watch dog supposedly symbolizes the protection provided by the company to its users and also stands for the claimed user-friendliness of the products’ design. The bulldog is, however, not just a logo, but a real live dog called Winston, who belonged to an employee at BullGuard. Although Winston has now gone into retirement, he occasionally visits the BullGuard offices in Copenhagen.
History
BullGuard was founded in 2002 by two Danish entrepreneurs, Morten Lund and Theis Søndergaard. Their aim was to create one PC internet security product that included all the security features necessary to protect the home user.The first version of BullGuard Internet Security was launched in June 2002. In 2003 the company’s customer base had already registered over 3 million users, and by 2009, its products had gained notoriety, especially in the UK market, and recognition from PC Pro
PC Pro
PC Pro is one of several computer magazines published monthly in the United Kingdom by Dennis Publishing. PC Pro also licenses individual articles for republication in various countries around the world - and some articles are translated into local languages...
, Virus Bulletin
Virus Bulletin
Virus Bulletin is a magazine about the prevention, detection and removal of malware and spam. It regularly features analyses of the latest virus threats, articles exploring new developments in the fight against viruses, interviews with anti-virus experts, and evaluations of current anti-malware...
, Computer Buyer, PC Plus
PC Plus
PC Plus is a Computer magazine published monthly since 1986 in the UK by Future Publishing. The magazine is aimed at intermediate to advanced PC users, computer professionals and enthusiasts. The magazine is specifically for users of PCs and related technologies, so features articles are...
magazines.
Aside from developing security products for computers, BullGuard has also been working with mobile security technologies since 2005, when the company was among the first to launch a mobile security product . In February 2011, it was announced that BullGuard had partnered with Juniper Networks
Juniper Networks
Juniper Networks is an information technology and computer networking products multinational company, founded in 1996. It is head quartered in Sunnyvale, California, USA. The company designs and sells high-performance Internet Protocol network products and services...
to co-brand and sell the BullGuard Mobile Security 10 based on Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite, Juniper's security software suite for mobile devices.
In May 2011, BullGuard launched Mobile Security on the Android Marketplace .
AV Tests
Since June 2007, BullGuard has passed ten VB100 tests, failed two, and missed the entrance to fourteen tests, out of 26 tests conducted by Virus BulletinVirus Bulletin
Virus Bulletin is a magazine about the prevention, detection and removal of malware and spam. It regularly features analyses of the latest virus threats, articles exploring new developments in the fight against viruses, interviews with anti-virus experts, and evaluations of current anti-malware...
over the 4-year period
. In June 2011, the company’s Antivirus product made a top 3 (out of 43 products available to buy on the market) result of 97.7% in the RAP (reactive and proactive) tests. .Also, in the latest chart – covering the RAP averages over the Feb-August 2011 quadrant – issued by Virus Bulletin, BullGuard Antivirus managed to seize the top position.
In TopTenREVIEWS
TopTenReviews
TopTenReviews is a website which aggregates reviews for software, hardware, web services, music, movies and video games from other sites and publications. Founded by Jerry Ropelato in 2003, TTR is, as of May 2008, one of the most popular sites of its kind by size and traffic, with the largest...
’ 2011 Internet Security Suite Review, BullGuard Internet Security ranks 9th, while the company’s Mobile Security suite ranks first in the same reviewer’s 2011 Mobile Security Software Review .
In April 2011, the tests conducted by AV-Comparatives on BullGuard Internet Security resulted in high scores in detection and false positives. .
BullGuard Internet Security
BullGuard’s flagship product is the all-in-one internet security suite, BullGuard Internet Security.Version 2004 (4.5)
TThe beta program for BullGuard 4.5 starts in May 2004. The released product includes Antivirus, Firewall and Online Backup modules.BullGuard 4.5 was officially discontinued on October 26, 2007.
Version 2005 (5.0)
BullGuard becomes a modular application with a possibility for new plug-ins to be integrated more efficiently.BullGuard 5.0 comes with a new interface and Firewall engine powered by Sygate to complement the Antivirus and Online Backup modules. The new Firewall provides Beginner and Advanced levels that allow customization of traffic rules.
BullGuard 5.1 comes with a new Spamfilter module that supports Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express e-mail clients. The new Spamfilter uses a server-side Bayesian filter, which is personalized for each user and adapts automatically to changes in spam e-mail content, and a user-side local database with keywords characteristic to spam e-mail.
Version 2006 (6.0)
With the release of BullGuard 6.0, the Spamfilter becomes a permanent module for the Internet Security suite and the other modules gain in performance and usability. The new Antivirus e-mail scanning feature checks outgoing e-mails.Version 2007 (7.0)
Version 7.0 marks a new milestone for the BullGuard products, as it introduces module changes and a new user interface. The Sygate-based Firewall engine is replaced with a more capable Outpost engine that allows a better in-depth traffic management. The Antivirus gains improved features for detection and removal of spyware. The Online Backup module is modified to allow backup tasks for e-mail clients such as Outlook ExpressOutlook Express
Outlook Express is an email and news client that is included with Internet Explorer versions 4.0 through 6.0. As such, it is also bundled with several versions of Microsoft Windows, from Windows 98 to Windows Server 2003, and is available for Windows 3.x, Windows NT 3.51, Windows 95 and Mac OS 9...
and Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available both as a separate application as well as a part of the Microsoft Office suite...
.
BullGuard 7.0 comes with a new Support module that provides instant access to the BullGuard technical support team by Live Chat or e-mail.
Version 2008 (8.0)
Version 8.0 comes with several changes that extend the module performance and improve the user interface. The Spamfilter and the Online Backup module both support the Mozilla ThunderbirdMozilla Thunderbird
Mozilla Thunderbird is a free, open source, cross-platform e-mail and news client developed by the Mozilla Foundation. The project strategy is modeled after Mozilla Firefox, a project aimed at creating a web browser...
email client.
Version 2009 (9.0)
BullGuard 9.0 is the merge between the Internet Security suite and the former SteelSecurity suite designed to fine-tune the computer performance for gamers. The new module allows users to minimize the impact of the security suite by reducing pop-up messages and fine-tuning the modules for minimum interference.Antiphishing is added to the Antivirus module, improving malware detection, catch rates and removal tools.
The Spamfilter now supports Windows Live Mail
Windows Live Mail
Windows Live Mail is a free of charge email client from Microsoft's Windows Live set of products. It is intended to be a successor for Outlook Express on Windows XP and Windows Mail on Windows Vista...
and IncrediMail e-mail clients. It also allows more customized settings than the previous version.
The Firewall is improved by adding a local whitelist for the most commonly used applications (e-mail clients, Internet browsers, text processors, games or multimedia applications).
The Online Backup module comes with a new wizard that provides customizable Backup profiles and automatic Backup profiles for commonly used computer locations (desktop items, e-mails and user account folders for documents or multimedia files). The users now have instant access to the Online Backup drive, as this is integrated in the Windows Explorer file manager.
The version is added a Game Mode feature that protects the gamer's PC without lowering the quality and speed of game play.
Version 10
BullGuard Internet Security 10 is improved so as to address the rapid expansion of online threats. The new additions are:- the Behavioural Detection incorporated in the Antivirus module, along with the traditional Signature-based detection; the two technologies combined have resulted in malware catch rates that are 65% higher than those of traditional virus programs. The Behavioural Detection monitors the file, registry, process, and network events on a computer and if a program behaves abnormally, acting like malicious software, an alert will be raised and the program will be stopped and quarantined. Signature-based Detection, on the other hand, identifies viruses and other malware by comparing the contents of a file to a dictionary of virus signatures. Because viruses can embed themselves in existing files, the entire file is searched, not just as a whole, but also in pieces.
- Safe browsing as part of the Antiphishing module. This feature flags any registered, unsafe websites that come up in search results. It scans the links present on a webpage for possible threats and places an icon for each link notifying the user whether it is safe or not to access it.
- the Inspector module that detects out-dated software. It is, in fact, a vulnerability scanner locating old software versions before hackers start exploiting it.
Key features:
- Antivirus
- Antispyware
- Antiphishing
- Spamfilter
- Backup
- Inspector
- Gaming Mode
- 24/7 Support
BullGuard Online Backup
BullGuard Online Backup is a remote backup service that stores important files in an offsite facility. This way, files, photos and music stay protected in case of computer damage and theft.Key features:
- Online Backup wizard
- Automatic runs of online backups
- Unrestricted access to files from any computer connected to the internet
- Secure transfer and storage
- E-mail backups integrated with Thunderbird, Outlook, Outlook Express and Windows Mail
- 24/7 Support
Free Spamfilter
BullGuard provides a free e-mail Spamfilter that protects against an increasing number of unwanted and sometimes malicious e-mails. It is also included in the BullGuard Internet Security package.Key features:
- Spamfilter guide
- Integration with Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird and Windows Mail
- Protection from malicious e-mail scams
- Daily collective user input
- 24/7 Support
BullGuard Mobile Security
BullGuard Mobile Security 10 supports the four main mobile operating systems – Android, Symbian, Windows and Blackberry –, covering more than 80% of the smartphone market .Key features:
- Antivirus
- Antispyware
- Basic Backup
- Antitheft
- GPS tracking
- Wipe data function
- Parental control
- 24/7 Support
- Firewall and Spamfilter available only for phones using Symbian and Windows Mobile