Best Anti-Virus?? Free and pay!

[Renegade334]

The best AV?
...
Oh. Tricky question.

For my part, after browsing through several sources and countless reviews, I sort of gave and tried them for myself. Reviewers are to be taken with a boulder of salt, as they tend to post more in order to bitch rather than commend. Most negative reviews I've gone through were written by people that got infected by just one virus and that's it for them. The faulty AV becomes the devil's child, the bearer of all sins. No AV is perfect, but, well...we could still find the 'lesser evils' and give a few suggestions.

Also, be wary of groups, magazines and other organizations that compare antiviruses and offer the results online. The results can vary a lot and at times I wonder if they weren't given a few thousand bucks to supply a more positive review. I've learnt not to trust them that blindly anymore.


Best paid?


- Kaspersky Antivirus/Internet Security 2009 v8.0.0.357

--- Pros: Good detection rates, excellent firewall, extremely wide range of options and gimmicks - such as the ability to create a bootable rescue CD with BartPE Builder.

--- Cons: unless you tweak a lot of settings, it's not for people who are used to Norton and whatnot. There are lots of settings and if you are truly paranoid and wish to be notified of EVERY action undertaken by your system (network access, registry changes, etc, etc), be prepared to see a lot of pop-ups and other prompts. I've also heard many cases of both the system and Internet browsing getting slower, but it can be remedied if you 1°) have lots of RAM and 2°) get the realtime scanning to act a little lighter on the system.

Also, one constant problem I keep reading around is that Kaspersky messes with NTFS streams. I heard through the grapevine that the guys at Moscow wanted to fix it once and for all for the 2009 version (v8.00.357 being the latest, non-beta, stable build) but they still implemented it. I once installed one of the betas, tried to uninstall it...and when my PC rebooted, I found myself facing a master HDD whose partition table had been nuked. Thankfully, I knew the exact size of the main partition (allowing me to recreate it and reinstall Windows without touching the rest of the hard drive), and I could restore the vanished logical partitions with LSoft Active@ Partition Recovery. Needless be said, I was very lucky. Now, was it caused by Kaspersky or some other program? (DVD Genie caused the same problem later on, but I'm not sure it's the sole culprit of the entire mess) I don't know, but until further notice, I'm sticking to v8.00.357 and not the (not bug-free) betas. And I usually don't try uninstalling it - I just ghost the main partition over with a 'generic XP' version, effectively squashing any hassle an uninstall might might keep in store for me.

Another annoyance I've been warned about (didn't encounter it since I installed Kaspersky on a 'generic XP' partition I ghosted then overwrote after I was done with testing) is that Kaspersky doesn't like competitors when it tries to install itself. It'll ask you to uninstall the antispyware programs (such as Spybot S&D) before you're allowed to proceed. Whether it is for compatibility issues or just anti-concurrent policies, I don't know.

Last but not least, it can be pricey. Depends on where you buy it and which license you got (1/2 computers, 1/2 years).

- Eset NOD32/Smart Security v3.0.667

--- Pros: you'll hear lots of people singing NOD32's praises here and there, especially for 1°) its high speed scanning. 2°) its low resource consumption. 3°) its godly heuristics. Apparently NOD32's got the edge on Kaspersky when it comes to heuristics (meaning: methods used to find unidentified virus by analyzing their behavior) and has virus definitions just as good as its Russian counterpart. Since it's written in assembly language, NOD32 is fast and uses very little resources, which is the next best thing since sliced bread. If you've 'graduated' from slowpoke Norton to another brand and noticed the sudden changes in processing speeds, you'll know what I mean. Also, NOD32's interface is very simple (there is an 'advanced mode', though), which is a must for people who hate complexity.

--- Cons: the antispyware component on Eset Smart Security (the Internet Security variant of NOD32, if you want) is purported to be weak in comparison to other engines and there have been reports of NOD32 letting certain kinds of malware slip past its detection net - one being a new member of the Virtumonde family, from what I gathered.

Also, although I previously praised them for being simple, the interfaces are nevertheless not as detailed as I'd have wanted them to be. I'm not asking for a plethora of graphs and whatnot, like in Kaspersky, but I find it nice to know what's going on, realtime, rather than have a mere set of statistics. NOD32 has yet to satisfy me in that field and I hope they'll fix it in the future.

The big 'ouch' for me? The price. I've seen Eset Smart Securities being sold here in Belgium for more than a hundred Euros, which makes it the worst offender I've ever met, even beating Symantec/Norton. BitDefender Internet Security, in comparison, is at 59 Euros (Total Security has options I don't need, so I didn't even look at that one) and Norton/Symantec is above 68 Euros or so.


Best free?

- AVG Anti-Virus Free v8.0.138

--- I've heard good things about it...that is, until they dropped v7.5 and switched to v8.0. Last I heard, they even dropped support and definition updates for the former and completely committed themselves to the latter. A buddy of mine used Avast! v4.7 on his computer and still got it infected; he tried various formulas and only AVG worked - effectively removing every piece of malware (more than a hundred, if you can believe it). AVG can also work in safe mode, which makes it apparently more efficient for malware removal - that particular feature makes AVG a program regularly suggested or mentioned when you submit HijackThis logs in dedicated forums and receive a disinfection instructions in return. However, for the past few builds, it seems AVG has gotten slower and heavier on PC resources (some are starting to call it bloatware all the while mourning for the loss of the old v7.5), but I can't say for myself. I haven't tested it yet and I tend to use security suites rather than standalone antiviruses. Yes, I know I can create tandems such as NOD32 + Comodo Firewall Pro or AntiVir + ZoneAlarm, etc, etc, etc, but that's just how I am. In other words, never mind me if you disagree - just find your own recipe.

- Avira AntiVir Personal Edition v8.1.00.326

--- Avira is apparently becoming the NOD32 of the free AVs - light on resources, good detection rates and hailed by a lot of reviewers and AV-comparing organizations/groups. Apparently, it's a good alternative if you aren't satisfied by either Avast! or AVG Free. Only downside I heard, from a single (keep that mind - 'single') party is that while it can find malware, it ain't as good when it comes to removing it. Avira is nevertheless constantly rated higher than either Avast! or AVG in comparison charts, so if in doubt, please give this a try.

- Avast! Home v4.8.1127

--- More or less like AVG, blessed and cursed with the same criticism: what Avast! can cure, AVG can't do it and vice-versa. It's quite funny as I have two friends and one is an Avast! proponent while the other is an AVG fan. It's quite hard determining who's better informed (I nevertheless lean towards the AVG-loving one, as he actually used it after he got infected, while my Avast! buddy never found himself in such a dire situation). However, for the past few weeks, it seems Avast! Home has been getting more love to AVG's expense, although there still have been reports of increased boot times with the latest builds. Once again, users seem to prefer the previous version (v4.7) to the current one. Otherwise, it's a good one if you're not into the top of the tops and will settle for 'generic' programs.


Just my two cents. Oh, yeah, also, take care to get a good firewall. People keep saying that as long as you've got a customizable router, there's no need for one, but better be safe than sorry.

[AnimeFan188]

It looks like Microsoft Security Essentials is on the way:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microso...ity_Essentials


replacing Windows Live OneCare and Windows Defender:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Defender


Any word yet on how good this will be?

[chikorita157]

My University provides a free copy of Trend Micro Officescan, but I don't know how good it is, but it shouldn't use that much resources since it's a enterprise version, not the resource hogging retail versions. If you are in a University, they most likely provide a free anti-virus for you to use.

I use Deep Freeze (standard version costs $45 dollars, which will cost the same as a Anti-virus on Windows) on my virtual machine which pretty much leaves the computer at the same state, even if a piece of malware gets installed, it will revert back to the same state. DF is useful, but the only problem is, you need to have a separate partition (you really should keep your data on a second partition) and redirect your My Documents, Music, Picture, etc folders to the second drive that you haven't frozen. Another thing is you need to thaw out the boot drive in order to install/update software and run Windows update which can be a inconvenience. DF is only works best if you done a clean install and install all your software and updates before freezing it.

[SaintessHeart]

NOD32 , IMO, has the BEST in the market if you buy the Smart Security suite. Personally I wouldn't recommend AVG because it isn't trojan proof (can't detect Alureon and trojan droppers).

I am using Avast! free edition backed with SuperAntiSpyware and PeerGuardian. I have yet to put it on overkill mode by visiting viral sites every now and then.

Personally, the best AV is still your brain, your enemy isn't the virus, it is the hacker and yourself. Knowing how both works could make manual virus removal much more effective than a set of checksums.

[Hyperion]

My list for free:

Avira
Avast

Pay:

Kaspersky
NOD32


While Kaspersky is my preferred antivirus, I have had plenty of time to use NOD32, and honestly they are the best you can get.

Avira is my favorite free one, just cause of it's ease of use and low system use. Avast is good, but I found that it had to many options.

[monir]

I guess I'll go ahead, and mention COMODO. It's free.

[AnimeFan188]

Originally Posted by AnimeFan188

It looks like Microsoft Security Essentials is on the way:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microso...ity_Essentials


replacing Windows Live OneCare and Windows Defender:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Defender


Any word yet on how good this will be?

So no one knows anything about Microsoft Security Essentials yet? According
to the Wikipedia link above: "MSE will be finalized and released before the end of
calendar 2009".

Does anyone know exactly when? It may affect my decision on whether to
re-subscribe to my current A/V, or wait for MSE.

[Shadow_maste]

I don't use any free antivirus software. For me, the best AV and FireWall is Outpost SecuritySuite Pro. It's awesome, and much better than ESET Nod32/Smart Security. For me, NOD/Smart Security is nothing more than a huge name. Oh, well, Vipre is awesome too.

[Urzu 7]

I find Avast to be really good.

I don't want to start a new thread on this, but this is some what related to the topic (computer security).

What is a good free fire wall I could put on my computer. Second, and more important...I had McAfee Firewall. I tried to remove it with Add/Remove programs. I wanted a free fire wall. McAfee wanted to be renewed and I didn't want to pay. I couldn't put a free fire wall on my computer until McAfee was removed. I went to properly remove it. Something went wrong during the process. It isn't fully removed. I can't put a free fire wall on my computer. I have no fire wall on my computer.

What is my best bet? Call McAfee and have them guide me through deleting registry keys and such? What should I do?

I can't wait to get a new computer. Heh

[silversoulz]

for me antivir is the best for free
but combined with a good antispyware"superantispyware" and a good firewall "zonealarm"
i use this configuration since 1999 and i did'nt have big problems...

[demonix]

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

What is my best bet? Call McAfee and have them guide me through deleting registry keys and such? What should I do?

Google mcafee removal tool that should give you the tool needed to remove what wasn't removed during the uninstallation process.

[Renegade334]

Well, since we were talking not too long ago about the Microsoft Security Essentials beta, I might as well post this update:

Microsoft Security Essentials v1.0.1611.0, possibly the RTM/Final/public release/watchamacallit version. Does it perform well? *Shrug* The only way to find out would be to try it yourself, don't you think so?


My standalone FW picks:
- COMODO Internet Security (free - actually a merger of the once standalone COMODO Antivirus and Firewall Pro apps)
- Agnitum Outpost Firewall (Free or Pro version - the lifetime license is quite neat IMHO as an offer; v6.7x is even supposed to work on Windows 7)

Standalone AV:
- Avira Antivir (free)
- GData AVK (commercial and quite heavy on resources due to its two simultaneously-running scan engines but still ranks quite high on the AV tests; it should be noted that while earlier versions used Kaspersky definitions, GData has now switched to BitDefender's, which is why you'll often see identical scan results/outputs for both products on Jotti or VirusTotal)



Small notice: the reviews in the links may or may not reflect reality. It's up to you to decide whether their authors were smart enough to use the progs the right way or...were even able to install/configure them without bungling up somewhere.