Whats the Best Antivirus/ Security Suite??

[DeanP]

Avast or Microsoft Security Essentials (even tho it's free).
Norton 360 v4 and Norton Internet Security 2010 failed to detect any virus at all.
Avast managed to find viruses whenever I download a file.

I would go for Avast.

 

[Lorien]

I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials for primary AV/AM protection. It integrates well with Vista, doesn't use a lot of resources running - except when actually scanning or updating and even then it uses less than many other such programs, updates automatically using Windows update (so it's pretty much kept current within a matter of days at most), and catches and removes most attempted malware attacks (not all - none do that - but more than most others). It is also well supported if you have problems of any sort. i also run Prevx 3.0 in scan mode to supplement MSE - this has occasionally come in handy and identified potentially dangerous websites before I inadvertently accessed them. Every few weeks or every month or so, I do a full scan with Malwarebytes to catch anythiing the others missed. All of these products are free (some offer versions that cost money, but they are not necessary - the free ones are perfectly fine). With these three products, I can say (knock on wood) that I've never had a serious infection on my system that wasn't either caught before it could install or even try to install or removed easily once detected if it got past the first line of defense.

Let me add that I STRONGLY recommend against any of the Norton products and also discourage using McAfee as well. They do not do as good a job as many others, cost too much (there's no need to pay for this type of product when there are many very good free options available), create problems with Vista and with other programs (conflicts, freezes, access issues - especially to e-mails and also to other files as well - program problems - especially System Restore, and more,...), and do not catch as much malware as many of the other options on the market - even and maybe especially some of the good free ones. The only commercial product I've ever found to be worth paying for (not that it's any better than what I suggested, but it is good enough to spend money getting if you prefer a commercial product to a free product on principle) is Pandasoft. Before MSE was released, that's what I used and have nothing bad to say about it though I now know better than to pay for something equally good or better that can be obtained for free.

I would also like to add to be VERY careful when choosing a product you don't know about. There are many security programs out there that are actually malware in disguise and not only do they not work, but they actually infect your system and can sometimes be extremely difficult to eradicate. I've seen many people caught by these scams and the repairs have often been complicated and time-consuming (and sometimes data has been lost, system files corrupted or replaced, program files corrupted or replaced, and I've seen cases where the only option was a full format clean re-installation of everything). So be very careful and check out anything you intend to try (do Bing and Google searches on the name and if you see links for malware removal procedures or the slightest indication it might be malware, stay away from it - there are too many good and free options to risk one that may cause you a lot of grief). A prime example of such malware is called AV Security Suite (do not go anywhere near this one - don't even check out the web page out of curiosity) and it is pure poison to your system - I see this one a lot because the website for it is well done and it seems to be supported by the search engines so it shows up much too high on searches for such products.

I hope this helps. It's just my personal opinion from experience and researching the alternatives. Other suggestions in this thread are also perfectly fine (I have no issues with Avast and would use that if not for MSE). There are also some suggestions i do not agree with, but everyone is entitled to have an opinion and that's the point of this thread. In the end, it's best to read up on the various alternatives (as you just did by reviewing this thread) and then research them yourself. None are perfect. You will likely be infected with something (hopefully not a virus or worm but a simple tracking cookie or the like) but hopefully it will be caught especially if you use a combination of programs (but note that you should never install two AV programs at the same time as that can cause conflicts, freezes, crashes and other problems) as long as you've confirmed the programs can be run or installed at the same time (as with the recommendation I made at the very beginning).

Good luck!

 

[tom982]

I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials for primary AV/AM protection. It integrates well with Vista, doesn't use a lot of resources running - except when actually scanning or updating and even then it uses less than many other such programs, updates automatically using Windows update (so it's pretty much kept current within a matter of days at most), and catches and removes most attempted malware attacks (not all - none do that - but more than most others). It is also well supported if you have problems of any sort. i also run Prevx 3.0 in scan mode to supplement MSE - this has occasionally come in handy and identified potentially dangerous websites before I inadvertently accessed them. Every few weeks or every month or so, I do a full scan with Malwarebytes to catch anythiing the others missed. All of these products are free (some offer versions that cost money, but they are not necessary - the free ones are perfectly fine). With these three products, I can say (knock on wood) that I've never had a serious infection on my system that wasn't either caught before it could install or even try to install or removed easily once detected if it got past the first line of defense.

Let me add that I STRONGLY recommend against any of the Norton products and also discourage using McAfee as well. They do not do as good a job as many others, cost too much (there's no need to pay for this type of product when there are many very good free options available), create problems with Vista and with other programs (conflicts, freezes, access issues - especially to e-mails and also to other files as well - program problems - especially System Restore, and more,...), and do not catch as much malware as many of the other options on the market - even and maybe especially some of the good free ones. The only commercial product I've ever found to be worth paying for (not that it's any better than what I suggested, but it is good enough to spend money getting if you prefer a commercial product to a free product on principle) is Pandasoft. Before MSE was released, that's what I used and have nothing bad to say about it though I now know better than to pay for something equally good or better that can be obtained for free.

I would also like to add to be VERY careful when choosing a product you don't know about. There are many security programs out there that are actually malware in disguise and not only do they not work, but they actually infect your system and can sometimes be extremely difficult to eradicate. I've seen many people caught by these scams and the repairs have often been complicated and time-consuming (and sometimes data has been lost, system files corrupted or replaced, program files corrupted or replaced, and I've seen cases where the only option was a full format clean re-installation of everything). So be very careful and check out anything you intend to try (do Bing and Google searches on the name and if you see links for malware removal procedures or the slightest indication it might be malware, stay away from it - there are too many good and free options to risk one that may cause you a lot of grief). A prime example of such malware is called AV Security Suite (do not go anywhere near this one - don't even check out the web page out of curiosity) and it is pure poison to your system - I see this one a lot because the website for it is well done and it seems to be supported by the search engines so it shows up much too high on searches for such products.

I hope this helps. It's just my personal opinion from experience and researching the alternatives. Other suggestions in this thread are also perfectly fine (I have no issues with Avast and would use that if not for MSE). There are also some suggestions i do not agree with, but everyone is entitled to have an opinion and that's the point of this thread. In the end, it's best to read up on the various alternatives (as you just did by reviewing this thread) and then research them yourself. None are perfect. You will likely be infected with something (hopefully not a virus or worm but a simple tracking cookie or the like) but hopefully it will be caught especially if you use a combination of programs (but note that you should never install two AV programs at the same time as that can cause conflicts, freezes, crashes and other problems) as long as you've confirmed the programs can be run or installed at the same time (as with the recommendation I made at the very beginning).

Good luck!

Wow, what a long message. I use McAfee on one of my computers and it was pretty rubbish and hogged my CPU, but the new update that they have released is much better. It is much more CPU friendly and the interface is better to use and apparantly there is a new detection engine in it But I also have to agree that MSE is also very good.

Just another thing, in your signature you mention about rep being the only way that they can thank us. Well personally I (and hopefully others) think that we should be rewarded by the feeling of having been able to help somebody. We shouldn't all want rep, we should want to be able to think that you have thanked somebody out of the kindness of your heart that you will probably never meet.

 

[asullivan]

Hummmmm, what to do...?????

Think I read all the posts.....Seems no one mentioned the paid home version of webroot with spysweeper.....I was given a year subscribtion as a gift, alas, I have about 3 weeks left.....

Soooo..... I read that the M.S.E. is fine with a free Malewarebytes app......
It seems to me that the "free' versions of antispyware are only good for 90 days or so....I'm I right on this fuzzy recollection??

comodo was mentioned, any thoughts??, and as far as norton goes, I concure...Not for me.....

free advast seems to come out the winner here, if my fast mental tabulation was correct...


Again, does anybody have anything thought's, experiences with webroot?....

Thanks in advance for any re-hashing and opinions..

Alex and Trigger...

 

[eldinv]

It's almost like the perfect combination. I've been running this setup now for over a year and no problems.

Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes Free Version

PC will thank you for not hogging it's resources for just AV. Go encode video now. :D

 

[asullivan]

Hummmmm, what to do...?????

Think I read all the posts.....Seems no one mentioned the paid home version of webroot with spysweeper.....I was given a year subscribtion as a gift, alas, I have about 3 weeks left.....

Soooo..... I read that the M.S.E. is fine with a free Malewarebytes app......
It seems to me that the "free' versions of antispyware are only good for 90 days or so....I'm I right on this fuzzy recollection??

comodo was mentioned, any thoughts??, and as far as norton goes, I concure...Not for me.....

free advast seems to come out the winner here, if my fast mental tabulation was correct...


Again, does anybody have anything thought's, experiences with webroot?....

Thanks in advance for any re-hashing and opinions..

Alex and Trigger...

It's almost like the perfect combination. I've been running this setup now for over a year and no problems.

Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes Free Version

PC will thank you for not hogging it's resources for just AV. Go encode video now. :D

Yup, your following the trend, that is good......

I have been nosing around the net...and alote of these so called independent/consumer "Protectors", seem to hawk norton......Wonder why that is.....
eldinv, really appriciate your response, next???

 

[roy69]

I have had to download Microsoft Security Essentials and do a full scan. Found 4 problems when Avast found none. I also have Spybot running in the background. Long Live Microsoft.

 

[asullivan]

It's almost like the perfect combination. I've been running this setup now for over a year and no problems.

Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes Free Version

PC will thank you for not hogging it's resources for just AV. Go encode video now. :D

Tha' perfect combination, I like those words.....I'm 'gunna' do it !! Run the two and drop the webroot..... your right, I only got 1.7 Mb of RAM left out of 4., like ya' said why hog it?..

I have had to download Microsoft Security Essentials and do a full scan. Found 4 problems when Avast found none. I also have Spybot running in the background. Long Live Microsoft.

Yea' long live Microsoft........and Malwarebytes.....

 

[fieseler]

Liking comodo's v5 security suite, although it doesn't have ipv6 protection atm. Hopefully, they should add it in the next version.

 

[asullivan]

Heres a bump.....And report....I deleted all paid "stuff" took the forum old timers advice,,,

Just been using free mailwarebytes and MSE....Thats it, nuff said...works great ,without the wild hogs digging into my machine....

If this works for Mr. Rookie, Me, well,,,,,,,:D

heres a quote like so many....

Stop paying for anti-virus software - Kingsport Times-News Online


"Microsoft Security Essentials was released one year ago and if you're among those who continue to make annual payments for commercial antivirus software, it's time to put that money in your pocket, delete whatever you're using, and install MSE.
Over the past 12 months, this free software has proven itself as effective as anything you would pay for and now is also available at no charge to small businesses."

There, again....

Alex and Trigger

 

[lanre]

am so sure of Microsoft security essentials.its very good and trusted.you can get it from Microsoft download center.but your vista must have a good license key

 

[tom982]

It is an excellent piece of software Are you saying that you don't have a good license key?

Tom

 

[fieseler]

I've been trialing ms' security essentials+the windows firewall.

I'm using uac as well so im thinking ill stick with this setup for a bit.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I am using Avira free. Its working good! very good i can say :P

 

[ProjectDan35]

How do you guys like Microsoft Security Essentials?

 

[John Hoffman]

My desktop with the Intel Q6700 CPU runs MS Security Essentials without even breathing hard. My laptop, on the other hand, with the AMD TL-50, runs AVG. I also run Malware Bytes Anti-Malware and Crapcleaner on both computers. I am presently testing Advanced System Care on the desktop, and might replace Crapcleaner.

 

[meltie]

I like McAfee Total Protection. Chose this instead of Microsoft Essentials as we use it at work and our IT guys highly recommended it. We have XP Professional at work. The 24/7 on-line help desk for McAfee is fantastic! Not sure if that is important to you.

I too run Malwarebytes on both computers. Rather be safe than sorry.

 

[MWRed]

So far, for the longest time, I have been using MSE, and also have MBAM. Haven't had any problems at all. Browsing habits come first when keeping your pc clean though. I know some things can't be helped, but being careful where you d/l stuff from, and what you do online and in your email will always help.

No AV is perfect, some things can slip by all of them at some point, but your own habits can help limit that.

 

[americancritic]

Hello Cory

I have been using Kaspersky sinse 2008 and I do love it, not changing unless something real bad happens. Now it does have a security issue with just about any other AV but over time I find it the best for me. I have XP, Vista, and W7 and all 3 run Kaspersky we need the best because our XP is used in my wifes where she deals with medical reports etc, she has never had a virus or any kind malware. Sometimes your computer is a little slower but thats because the AV is doing it's thing before a problem hits your system.

So don't give up just yet try it a little longer and I think when you see what it really does for your computer you will keep it.


americancritic

 

[william gunkel]

I was running AVG Internet Security and had 10 months left but switched to MSE, based upon the information I obtained from the forum.
It is faster and not the load that AVG has. No problem so far and I backed it up with MalwareBytes, Secunia and WiPatrol. I am using the windows firewall and it seems to be doing the job. The AVG has a two way and it seems you have to set rules anytime a new program or application is D/L but all in all I will stay with MSE for now, "it's free".