What's the Best Anti-virus?

[zapp22]

MSE "seems to do a good job" :sarc:
they all do... until they fail.
it lacks the look ahead facility that AVAST and the better others do.
if you don't believe it, pick any one of a hundred thousand malevolent sites and punch the address in.

as to several of the preceding posts about Free vs Paid - I dissent.
Show me a paid version that in REAL world testing proves itself superior to the top 2 or 3 free programs. Prove it with factual testing.

 

[zapp22]

apologies in advance if this is an accidental repost... a quick search did not show it posted:
Free Anti-Virus Software Showdown: The Best of 2012 : Which free antivirus performed above and beyond the call of duty

Does anyone use their so-called "AV" package for Scanning? I do work for others, and I seldom... very seldom use the AV package for scanning. If I have indication of infection, I use scanning/identity/logging tools that are more focused - in fact I cannot recall any instance where I have used the AV scan function as my first remedial step. Most real infections that are obvious enough that they reach my attention [my cellphone] will need to be triangulated between two or three different tools, then remedied if possible with one sniper shot.

 

[A Guy]

Anything I d/l from the net I right click and scan with Avast. It takes just a few seconds, and easy insurance. A Guy

 

[Britton30]

An AV package is for scanning, why have one if you don't use it?:sarc:

What indication do you see if you have a bot, worm, or trojan? Those are crafted so the user has no idea it is installed, stealing passwords, bank account numbers, etc.

Anything I d/l from the net I right click and scan with Avast. It takes just a few seconds, and easy insurance. A Guy

Ditto, except I use Norton or Malwarebytes or both. Norton was not in that test.

 

[monkeylove]

Try the results from sites like this:

AV-Comparatives - Independent Tests of Anti-Virus Software

Sometimes, results will change every year or so.

In my case, I use a free version of one of the programs that do well in the list and complement it with free versions of other security programs, like MalwareBytes for non-real-time scanning, Windows Firewall Control, and various extensions in Chrome.

 

[zapp22]

to me the best feature of AVAST is its realtime scanning. it is awful fast, and their codework is obviously impressive - it prevents the user from wandering into a radioactive address. apparently some of the others don't even attempt such.
combine that feature with a good modern browser having a few simple add-ons for prevention, and you have a durable rig. nothing is perfect, especially for users who insist on toolbars, games [that is the dumb kind] and p2p thievery.

I said I don't use the AV for scanning: I mean scanning the entire drive of some apparently diseased system... that is "after the fact". I prefer the "ANTI" part of the title

 

[hungvilee]

now i am using nod32 version 5,it's don't make slow down ur pc

 

[andrew789]

Bitdefender 2011 Total Security is what I use! And it works great!

 

[DanRex]

I dunno why... But I prefer Norton (Yes... You gotta pay for it...)...

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

(psst) Dan, no you don't. Sign up for the beta, been doing Nortons for free since SystemWorks.

 

[DanRex]

(psst) Dan, no you don't. Sign up for the beta, been doing Nortons for free since SystemWorks.

Oh nice! Didn't know that! Well thank's for the tip! *evil laugh* Mwahahahaa! No paying for Norton anymore! *end of evil laugh*

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

LoL...Well you still have to pay...Time, not cash.

 

[DanRex]

LoL...Well you still have to pay...Time, not cash.

xD Nooooooooooooo!

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

HEY!! That's the nature of the business...beta testers BLUESSSSSSSSsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss...

 

[acme12]

TinyWall

MSE with Tiny Wall with Windows 7 Firewall. Try TinyWall, it makes your Windows 7 pass all the test, even the GRC LeakTest with no pop-ups.

 

[poorguy]

hey all i no what everyone here is for but what i really want to know is opinions on avast. to many problems whith MSE and i like MSE however on windows 7 it just ain't working. i am done trying to fix it. clamwin doesn't give me any problems and neighther does avast free. want input on avast. given up on MSE until they get their stuff together. ain't got no problems with MSE on vista. but tierd of all the problems with MSE on my windows 7. so i want your input about avast free so far no problems. thanks. poorguy

 

[A Guy]

Have used Avast with no issues since XP. It plays nice with all my other protection. Currently including both Malwarebytes and Superantispyware in real time. In the past it has included Threatfire, the full Emsisoft, etc. I can only speak to my personal experience, but I recommend it to everyone. A Guy

 

[JonathanV]

I was using Norton Antivirus to protect my system. But after 30 days, all protections included in Norton Antivirus is disabled. It tells me to re-new the subscription. When I followed the instructions to re-new the subscription, it opens the web browser and tells me to purchase Norton Antivirus for 2 years or 1 year. I think it's free, but not after 30 days.

I have Avira but it's not my favorite. So I uninstall them.

Now, Action Center pop-ups that there is no installed antivirus programs. I decided to have no antivirus programs on my computer.

After clean installation, Windows 7 Action Center pop-ups again with the same message. But now, I install and use AVG Free Trial Edition.

Can anyone tell me the free antivirus with best protection?

 

[ReviverSoft]

Jonathan,

What you need is: AVAST Free or MS Security Essentials + Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (use passively) + Windows Firewall

To tighten up internet security, take the browser Security Level a notch higher and use pop-up blocker add-ons with the Internet Browser you use.

Oh and the most important thing: Don't download/install/copy/click on stuff that you don't trust.

Problem solved.

 

[zapp22]

In case someone else had not posted, this EXCELLENT work was just updated again:
Probably the Best Free Security List in the World

Jonathan, like on of the other posters my vote without hesitancy is AVAST Free + browser protections. I don't use IE9/10 except for rare special-purpose needs. Use one of the firefox's [I run "Nightly" which is x64 only, and not yet 'officially' released] plus privacy add-ons such as DNT+, Collusion, and/or 'Disconnect'.
Further, I turn off 3rd party cookies and RARELY miss anything useful by so doing.

ALL: I'm looking for your experience on specifically a "Security-scanning" type product. That is, not so much about "virus" type stuff that damages, but more about thievery, snooping, tracking, etc. I use the tracking protection things and several are just EXCELLENT in what they do, but afterward, say every week or so, I'd like to have a scanning function that will identify anything suspicious and allow me to check it out. I THINK but am not sure that the newest iteration of Spybot S&D is trying to do exactly this, but I don't know what its rep is at the current ver level. Comments or other suggestions?

One more item and I'm outta here - If you are really interested in security issues, you need to read this longish article about Eugene Kaspersky and the world he operates in. Russia's Top Cyber Sleuth Foils US Spies, Helps Kremlin Pals | Danger Room | Wired.com
I should post this at top of Security forum here...
The main thought takeaway I had from this is that there is no "security" or "privacy" in things electronic, and even arms of the USA government [and other supposedly freedom-oriented state actors] depend on guys like Kaspersky to keep them abreast of what enemies of ours may be up to - but what are the Kaspersky's of the world doing with the data they OBVIOUSLY have access to from our networks? ha! and what kind of a talent farm does an outfit like his produce??? Those guys can make a few million bucks QUICKLY going on contract to unknown-to-them-parties [Israeli, Iranian, Saudi, non-aligned, Soros, Goldman-Sachs, ECB, you name it] to work on one project of an unidentified project. Get the drift? The "legitimate" and "illegitimate" players/actors live side by side with no firewall between, because the very definition of the terms is relative. Sleep well.

I was using Norton Antivirus to protect my system. But after 30 days, all protections included in Norton Antivirus is disabled. It tells me to re-new the subscription. When I followed the instructions to re-new the subscription, it opens the web browser and tells me to purchase Norton Antivirus for 2 years or 1 year. I think it's free, but not after 30 days.

I have Avira but it's not my favorite. So I uninstall them.

Now, Action Center pop-ups that there is no installed antivirus programs. I decided to have no antivirus programs on my computer.

After clean installation, Windows 7 Action Center pop-ups again with the same message. But now, I install and use AVG Free Trial Edition.

Can anyone tell me the free antivirus with best protection?