Free Anti-Virus Software - Page 2

Flux · #21 11-01-2009, 01:03 PM

People look at me like I'm crazy, but all I use is common sense. I haven't gotten a virus in a good five years.

I scan my computer with multiple anti-viruses booted from an external OS every 6 months just to be safe, or whenever I get suspicious.

Of course, I do use a good browser and firewall, which also helps.

PatrioticWhisky · #22 11-02-2009, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick D.E.vious

Avira free, and Threatfire...no problems whatsoever. I've liked that combo for over a year now.

Avira is what I used for a long time and it definatley caught more than when I was using AVG Free.

But as a Bank of America customer I get McAfee free right now and as a military member I can download various security software for free.

gerwen · #23 11-02-2009, 08:29 AM

I'm an IT professional by trade. I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials to everyone now. I personally used to use Kaspersky, as it had great detection rates with low resource use. MSE is similar if not better in performance, for free. Also, it's very easy to use for the end-user.

wapi229 · #24 11-02-2009, 05:26 PM

I had good luck with avast, and my friend got me on avg recently. I would say avast was a little more user friendly. Lavasoft "Adaware" and Malwarebytes "anti-malware" are great for scanning if anything does sneak by an antivirus program.

perlslacker · #25 11-02-2009, 08:28 PM

Harlan Carvey linked to this from his blog a week or two ago. He's one of the big dogs in the computer forensics & incident response world so I would listen to him.

njpaddy · #26 11-02-2009, 08:36 PM

Still running Norton on my main pc's, but AVG on my new netbook. I also recommend SUPERantispyware as a free spyware program. It cleaned out a nasty one on my daughter's laptop that no other program could get rid of.

s1mp13m4n · #27 11-02-2009, 09:59 PM

I know these types of answers might get old, but I could not resist it. Free AV software you ask.....LINUX!! :) I had to do it.

perlslacker · #28 11-02-2009, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s1mp13m4n

I know these types of answers might get old, but I could not resist it. Free AV software you ask.....LINUX!! :) I had to do it.

As a computer security researcher I assure you that answers like this are not only old but wrong.

gerwen · #29 11-03-2009, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by perlslacker

As a computer security researcher...

Have you had a look at MS Security Essentials yet? I'd be interested in your take on it.

perlslacker · #30 11-03-2009, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerwen

Have you had a look at MS Security Essentials yet? I'd be interested in your take on it.

I haven't yet because it's not really my area, and I use either Mac or Linux most of the time (this has nothing to do with security; in fact, Mac OS X has far worse operating system security than Windows or Linux).

I can tell you that there are plenty of preventative measures that will help you from being infected in the first place:

1) TURN ON AUTOMATIC UPDATES. The day after "Patch Tuesday" is called "Exploit Wednesday" for a reason.

2) Don't do your day-to-day computing as "Administrator." Any code you're running as Admin has total access to your computer, so any vulnerable code you're running can be hijacked to do anything.

3) Quit opening attachments in chain emails.

If you're a competent sysadmin (and it seems like you are) you already know about this stuff. My mom does not, no matter how many times I tell her.

Running any of the free AV programs mentioned in my link (many of which were already mentioned in the thread) is also essential, since viruses these days are used for criminal activities like identity theft that can really hurt you. Just be careful because sometimes spyware programs can be a little over-eager with deleting malicious registry entries; I've had to help people who locked themselves out of their computers that way.

Nancy Boy · #31 11-03-2009, 10:12 AM

I use AVG on my netbook and have loved it. Last night I got a pop-up on my screen from AVG, telling me that they will no longer be offering their anti-vrius software free. They will now be charging 50 bucks a pop.

I am now currently searching for another option.

Lynchmeister · #32 11-03-2009, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy Boy

I use AVG on my netbook and have loved it. Last night I got a pop-up on my screen from AVG, telling me that they will no longer be offering their anti-vrius software free. They will now be charging 50 bucks a pop.

I am now currently searching for another option.

No kidding? I just installed it on the Windows partition of my PC figuring it would be a change of pace from Avast. Looks like I may be switching back sooner than I thought.

funkyb · #33 11-03-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmack66

I used to use AVG, but I now use Avast. Both are free.

This.

AVG is very popular, but I switched to Avast (and like it better) after Grisoft made a few seriously embarrassing mistakes just over a year or so ago. more info here (fyi that is an old acct, i don't check it anymore.)

synapticmisfires · #34 11-03-2009, 06:36 PM

I like ClamAV a lot and that's the one I would recommend most. FWIW, I keep AVG installed too because it has a resident scanner and Clam doesn't so they can be used in tandem, but AVG is bloated and definitely more interested in selling you stuff. Still, I'd never be willing to pay for updates for anti-virus and I don't recommend it to anyone. Also, I hate Norton/Symantec so much that I wouldn't use their stuff if it was free.

EDIT: I might have to check out Avast in place of AVG based on these recommendations though.

VR6ofpain · #35 11-03-2009, 06:44 PM

Another AVG user.

BurkDarkpatches · #36 11-03-2009, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by txengineer

I got sick of being hit up for $50 a year to renew the protection for each of our computers, so I started looking and found this on the PC World website.

http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

They've been working on this for some time under another name, and have released it to the public recently. Best of all....it's free! I've read that Norton and McAfee are quite upset. I was using Kaspersky, and didn't realize how much that program had slowed my computer. We've been using this on three computers for about a month with no complaints. Maybe it will save somebody else a few bucks.

Just so you won't feel alone, I did the same thing. I've been using AVG forever and Windows Defender in its many incarnations for years. When Security Essentials came out and got decent reviews, I uninstalled AVG and Defender, installed MSE, and haven't looked back. I'll be doing the same for my mom, MIL and grandmother at Xmas.

MSE is unobtrusive, easy to use and, unlike AVG, stays out of my face. I like it. It's free, so I like it even more.

Steve

funkyb · #37 11-03-2009, 07:31 PM

Unless you're into a lot of gaming and/or require the VBA in Office, you might try hopping over to any of the easier linux distros, (and even if you do use those things, dual boot is easy answer). No need to run anti virus at all...

perlslacker · #38 11-04-2009, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkyb

No need to run anti virus at all...

This is not in fact the case.