Bullguard Internet Security was bought by NortonLifeLock in 2021. As with many tech (and other industry) acquisitions, big global brands buy over smaller brands that have built up a good reputation and customer-base.
There is nothing unusual or surprising about the takeover. However many Bullguard Internet Security users are now wondering what to do. Do they….
- Stick with Bullguard?
- Switch to Norton?
- Switch to another brand?
- Cancel their internet security altogether?
Let’s try and answer some of these questions.
Sticking With Bullguard
This is no longer an option. The Bullguard brand name and product will become obsolete. Already (in late 2022) Bullguard subscribers have been receiving emails offering them a switch across to Norton. However there was some confusion at first and many users were left wondering what they should do.
Bullguard’s website www.bullguard.com no longer offers Bullguard Internet Security. Instead, they now sell Norton 360 and similar products.
I strongly advise against purchasing Bullguard licenses from third-party sellers and online retail sites. This is old, unsold stock that may not be supported for much longer.
Switch from Bullguard to Norton
If you still want to continue with an internet security subscription, I’d recommend switching to Norton. It is a good product with millions of users worldwide.
However, shop around for the renewal. Signing up to auto-renewal is very rarely the cheapest option. Instead, wait for the 1 month until subscription expires email to come through, and shop around. Retailers such as Argos, Amazon, WH Smith, etc usually have half-price offers.
This way, you get the actual package or activation scratch card and simply type in the new license. This almost always works out to be a better deal.
Switching To A Different Brand
All internet security software packages for home and business offer a 30 day trial. If you decide to switch to another brand, perhaps on the advice of a consumer review survey or other recommendation, then take the 30 day trial of the new software first before purchasing.
Important: If you are switching away from any auto-renewal subscription service, be sure and login to your account first and disable the auto-renew feature.
Do I Actually Need Internet Security?
This isn’t a straight forward yes or no answer. The answer depends on a lot of factors.
If you are running a computer with the latest version of Windows 11 and you use the computer for home and general purposes, the answer is no, you probably do not need to pay an annual subscription for a premium internet security package.
There are many reasons to back this up including:
- Windows built-in security (former Windows Defender now called Windows Security) has a very quick responsive firewall. The built-in security is far, far better now than it was a few years ago.
- Browsers are far more secure. There are protection mechanisms built in to modern browsers than will stop you and warn you before proceeding to a website that is known to contain malware.
- UAC (User Account Control) will stop and warn you if anything suspicious is attempting to install on your system. (UAC is the “Are you sure, Yes / No” message that pops up.
The old days of Windows XP, Vista & W7 picking up bloatware and malware are gone. Be careful what you click on, don’t open untrusted attachments, stay clear of the dark-web and you’ll be fine. (oh, and hang up the phone on anyone who randomly rings you to talk about your computer).
If you are running a computer with Windows S (either Windows 10S or Windows 11S) then you definitely do not need premium security on your system.
What Do I Recommend?
If having premium internet security gives you extra piece of mind that your system and data is better protected, continue with your subscription and switch from Bullguard across to Norton. I have always rated Norton as a good product. When I was involved with computer retail, I recommended Bullguard. There were a lot of factors taken into that recommendation, which were reviewed regularly.
Norton used to be renowned for being very heavy on system resources and effectively slowing computer performances considerably. However, computers have come a long way and Norton has since been improved to run it’s heaviest tasks during idle time.
Barry
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