McAfee has formally launched the beta test for Falcon, its all-in-one security platform designed to compete with Microsoft’s Windows Live OneCare, launched last month, and Symantec’s Norton 360, which has yet to launch.
Falcon is the code name for McAfee Total Protection.
It combines many current McAfee products into a new platform with a friendlier interface and operates as a service that the customer subscribes to, rather than as packaged software.
Total Protection includes SystemGuards, which monitor the computer for specific behaviors that might be indicative of a virus, spyware, or hacker activity, and a module called X-Ray for Windows, which is designed to detect and eliminate rootkits.
The new SiteAdvisor tool is designed to identify Web sites that contain spyware or other malware, and alerts the user as they are navigating through the site. Findings are summarized with red, yellow, and green icons to alert the user of the safety of the site.
McAfee Total Protection also includes home network monitoring, providing automated, encrypted security capabilities and allowing families to easily share printers and files. It also manages Wi-Fi network security, blocking hackers from attacking the network.
Participating in the beta program also can test an online backup service designed to protect digital photos and personal files, which the user can then access from any secure Web connection.