Switching Security Solutions

Newegg.com - Shell Shocker Deal. VIPRE Antivirus 1-User $9.99 for a little longer

I have heard different feedback about AVG's free and paid products. A mix of good and bad. However, I have customers myself so I strive to make sure I recommend a paid product that works and doesn't leave them hanging. I've seen some reviews on ESET's newest version "Smart Security 5" and it didn't do very well and let A LOT of junk invade the system. I may into avast!'s new security and look at some reviews on it. But when you have customers, you also need to protect their contact information, opened/closed cases etc. which is why I always keep my database software encrypted but also good system protection helps it stay safe. I believe avast! is pretty popular...

rubyrubyroo said:

wow nice spread. I did a lot of research many years ago
(5=many to me) and had found that AVG was far better than most other common apps/suites. And that the difference between the free and paid is slight at best. You do not get "ID secure" and theres a ad banner, to name most of them. So I have advised it to clients for ~5 years and installed it for them. There IS a very noticeable pull on system resources, but for great security, I looked past it (myself I have never used antivirus/antimalware scanners or protection on an average of 5-6 personal computers around the house, I did use Norton in win 3.11 for a year, then trashed it - I would be lying if I said I had ever had a known infection on one of my computers - I just practice active awareness, thats for another thread - back on topic. A client had a full breach by AVG by a nasty rootkit, AVG recognized every viral/malicious component and logged it as they passed by for him. I can say thanks to SF and 2 weeks worth of man power the infection is believed to be clear. So I read up and spoke to those with more knowledge than myself on the various softwares available, and learned that AVG ranked LAST in several reputable studies. I now am transferring everyone to Avira (or Avast if the prefer) and so far so good, highly improved web performance. Many people love ESET - I have enjoyed the (financial) fruits of this software's occasional quirkiness, on a good deal of vista and win 7 systems, where they seem to suddenly experience changes in settings, even intermittent firewall protection, but just on some systems it seems. Finally any MS app is an opinionated type decision for people to make, more political based IMO than value-based. Regardless of what software you use, I will assure you to assume it is there, protecting you, is the biggest mistake people make, don't use it as a crutch..practice active avoidance, look for red flags, trust is quite a realistic looking mirage online. The actual software is not nearly as important as that advice can be. Take from my rant what you like! or not.

Best of luck!
Mike

ICit2lol said:

Well this is always a good guide.

Results and comments - www.matousec.com

Guide yes.....

Test Results should be used as a guide not as indisputable evidence.

IMHO tis far better to do your own research re the "facts /statistics/ evidence tested" & presented
> view any AV Software that might appeal
> read the Company blurb about the product
> then make up your own mind about what is considered appropriate.... or otherwise.

I don't know which if any company is going to send out a sublist of v-sigs but in my expedience, the same size files are updated on the free and paid vers, I think that a a/v mfg "picking" through a list to produce some kind of employed incentive to pay for their full product, would be recognized, exposed as extremely unethical behavior for a security co. and I'd be surprised to see a common mfg doing this. Any specific tangible examples out there? I'm actually interested to see this. But I'd need more than an article on the matter, I'd just like to see a real sample. Now excluding features, is something completely different.

@JMH - excellent point - test results can often be vague on their techniques and even (sorry to say..dishonest sometimes) without a good understanding by the reader (or disclosure by the writer) on test sample sizes, as in how many reps the test was preformed and on how many systems the results can be truly meaningless/useless for anything aside from online reader hits or magazine sales! This is just one of many examples of why I can't stand many of the "tests" presented to unaware consumer. (for instance enough details should truly be presented as to make the test reproducible, otherwise your taking someone 100% at blind faith, as they can't be proven wrong!)

@ICit2lol - YES! i forgot about KIS they are one of the better/best ones out there IMHO

FWIW, here's my 2 cents. :)

A lot of people I know switch anti-malware products almost monthly looking for "the best" product. When I ask them what was wrong with the product they were using they usually say something like, "It never caught any malware so it must not be working."

If your current software never caught anything, don't automatically assume it's not working. Maybe your safe browsing habits haven't put you in harm's way. Before giving up on your anti-malware du jour, try using some of the free on-demand scanners to double check if something was missed. If Malwarebytes, Hitman Pro, HouseCall, ESET Online Scanner, Norton Power Eraser, and others all come back with a clean bill of health, chances are your computer has been protected quite nicely. And this applies to paid products as well as freebies.

Remember, there's no such thing as an anti-malware product that will be 100% effective 100% of the time. If there was such a product we'd all be using it and everyone else would be out of business.

True, And the US Government would be using it, reguardless of price-tag, yet they get infections. I mean the media has reported China cracked US's best security millions of times over like 5-10 years. So install then, read-up, and be aware of threats to avoid.

Mike-o

Good information. I have a free trial now of avast! IS 2012 on my PC and it seems OK.

it will work very well and that's not just me talking, did the research and got what I consider the highest advice(s) on SF :)

Best of luck!
Mike