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Matariki Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-19-10 02:16 PM
Original message
Opinions on antivirus software?
(I also posted this in the computer forum, but not sure if many people go there)

I've used ZoneAlarm Internet Suite for a number of years. A while back I got that annoying trojan that pops up antivirus messages until the computer became unusable. I was running ZoneAlarm, so I'm less than impressed with them now. Not to mention their customer service was 'you got a virus, tough luck.'

I'm looking for something that includes a Firewall, a licence for at least 3 PCs and doesn't make the computer crawl.

Any suggestions?
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travelingtypist Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-19-10 02:31 PM
Response to Original message
1. I was using AVG Free when I got that trojan.
So there went AVG.

I've had Trend Micro installed for about six months now. It stays in the background, isn't a resource hog like Norton. I'm pretty happy with it. My computer repair shop installs it/renews it for about half price.
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trof Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-19-10 06:58 PM
Response to Reply #1
8. 'Free' anti-virus programs are worth what you pay for them. Bit Defender!
My computer tech recommended BitDefender to me a few years ago.
It's about $30 annually.
Works for me.
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travelingtypist Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-20-10 05:49 PM
Response to Reply #8
9. I used AVG Free for about six years with no problems.
So your snark is misdirected.
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hobbit709 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-20-10 07:26 PM
Response to Reply #1
12. The way trojans work some of them are technically not a virus.
So most antivirus software doesn't catch them. That is why you need a good antimalware program along with the antivirus.

I have seen infected computers with every variation of antivirus software. The thing that has removed the crud has been Malwarebytes Antimalware every time.
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Lasher Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-19-10 02:48 PM
Response to Original message
2. I got Microsoft Security Essentials (free) for antivirus.
Firewall protection is part of windows now so I don't need to have anything else resident. I do keep other free programs to run whenever I feel like it. They are Spybot Search and Destroy, Malwarebytes, Super AntiSpyware, and CCleaner.
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Terry in Austin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-19-10 02:58 PM
Response to Original message
3. AVG and Malwarebytes
I switched from McAfee to AVG (licensed version) at the suggestion of my grad-student computer support guy when I switched to Windows 7. It seems to be everything it needs to be so far, about 4 months.

Had pretty good experience with Malwarebytes when I picked up something fairly nasty earlier this year. It was that virus that fakes a virus-checker -- forget the name of it.
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Matariki Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-19-10 03:02 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. Thanks. Yeah, I installed Malwarebytes after the same virus.
Given that it had been going around for a while, I was less than impressed that ZoneAlarm didn't have protection for it.
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slay Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-19-10 03:01 PM
Response to Original message
4. I go with Avira free-edition and Malwarebytes
Both are free and keep out/fix most everything I've run across.

http://www.avira.com/en/download/1/avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html

http://www.malwarebytes.org/
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MicaelS Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-19-10 04:17 PM
Response to Original message
6. ESET Smart Security 4
http://www.eset.com/home/smart-security

Antivirus / Antispyware / Antispam / Firewall - You can get a free 30 day trial

I've tried lots of anti-virus over the years, paid as well as free, and ESET products are the best. They have less impact on your PC than just about anything else out here. Yes MSE is free, but it takes too many resources, and slows down my system. McAfee flat sucks, so does Trend Micro, so does Norton. Never tried Kaspersky.

.
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Xicano Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Nov-19-10 04:19 PM
Response to Original message
7. Microsoft Security Essentials
As good or better than all others I've tried.
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Mojambo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-20-10 07:35 PM
Response to Reply #7
15. It is actually quite good. Use it on my laptop. n/t
Edited on Sat Nov-20-10 07:36 PM by Mojambo
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mvd Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-20-10 07:02 PM
Response to Original message
10. My recommendations (from best to third best)
1. Avast Intrnet Security - easy to use, minimal slowdown, good protection

2. AntiVir Premium Security Suite - I suggest Premium because updating is awkward in the free AV version (sometimes slow, have to schedule extra updates if you want it to update more than every 24 hours)

3. Kaspersky Internet Security - runs better with IE than Firefox for some reason, though. Faster with IE.

I actually use a setup of Avast Free, Online Armor Free, and Prevx SafeOnline. With MalkwareBytes as backup scanner.
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Swede Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-20-10 07:20 PM
Response to Original message
11. Avast for antivirus and Comodo for firewall.
Both are free. Ccleaner is good for cleaning up the crap that accumulates in you computer.
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whistler162 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-20-10 07:29 PM
Response to Original message
13. Do you own/use a router? if so the firewall is fairly
redundant. Microsoft's security essentials is good.

Stay away from Symnatec/Norton, any Norton product has been garbage since Symantec took them over.
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Mojambo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-20-10 07:34 PM
Response to Original message
14. Avast for free. Eset if you want to pay
I found Eset rather difficult to make play nice with a lot of my applications, particularly iTunes shared libraries for some reason.

Avast has been great.
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pintobean Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-20-10 08:37 PM
Response to Original message
16. Comodo Internet Security is free
Edited on Sat Nov-20-10 08:38 PM by pintobean
I've been using for a few years with no problems.

http://www.comodo.com/
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