Best Anti-Virus Software?

[mikson]

I am using ESET NOD32 and I dont have problems.....for now.

 

[Thrax]

A security analyst group called AV comparatives did some testing of AV applications and found two things:

1) Norton Anti-Virus 2008 is the fastest scanner. (Source)
2) Avira AntiVir is the most thorough free scanner, while ESET's NOD32 is the best scanner period. (Source)

My personal recommendation goes to Avira AntiVir because it is free, robust, still quite fast, and has a low false positive rating. Hard to argue with those merits.

 

[Ian]

A security analyst group called AV comparatives did some testing of AV applications and found two things:

1) Norton Anti-Virus 2008 is the fastest scanner. (Source)
2) Avira AntiVir is the most thorough free scanner, while ESET's NOD32 is the best scanner period. (Source)

My personal recommendation goes to Avira AntiVir because it is free, robust, still quite fast, and has a low false positive rating. Hard to argue with those merits.

Out of interest, which AV scanner do you use on your main PC? I'm using Kaspersky IS 2009 at the moment, which I'm very pleased with (plus, it's reasonably priced at around £10 / year in the UK). If NOD32 was cheaper I'd probably go for that though.

 

[Thrax]

I don't use any AV. I can't stand the fact that I'm coughing up performance for something that might only be 50% effective. Out of respect to computer users everywhere, however, I scan with BitDefender and Kaspersky's online scanner once a week. My PC has been clean for 14 years.

If I had to use a paid service, I'd use Kaspersky or NOD32. If I went free (I would), it'd be Avast! or AntiVir.

* Thrax knocks on wood.

 

[Arbethea]

I don't use any AV. I can't stand the fact that I'm coughing up performance for something that might only be 50% effective.

Very brave , or foolhardy ? What happens about vulnerabilities and holes in software that you can't prevent, as anti virus software has prevented me from getting viruses from rogue flash files that load automatically with a website before.

I know it can slow a system down somewhat, but why not use one when browsing the web or doing non intensive tasks and just disable it when you play games? Best of both worlds doing it that way

Until I had a trojan on my PC that appeared to be a keylogger, I didn't use one either for that very same reason. I have no idea how it got there, as I'm extremely careful and don't open crazy e-mail attachments (exe, pif, lnk, and so on )or visit dodgy websites. I do hope that you don't get an infection, but it may be worthwhile to try out AntiVir to see what the performance hit is like. It may not be too bad.

 

[Thrax]

Flash-injected malware isn't a concern for me because I use FlashBlock and AdBlockPlus. The former means I have to manually click "play" on any flash content, which means I'm only seeing the things that I know I want to see.

I stick any downloads that might be suspicious into a folder and scan them with BitDefender and Kaspersky, so I'm covered on that front. And lastly, the almighty email... I never get attachments.

Like I said, I scan once a week and have been clean for 14 years. I think my methodology is pretty effective.

 

[whoosh]

ESET smart security this way.
Found it works well with windows 7

 

[floater]

NOD32 AV4 for me.

Blows all the others out of the water!

 

[JackOuzzi]

Avast

The best anti virus

I have been using Avast for about 6 years now both Pro and Free Home versions, it is installed on my Windows Home Server as well as my PC's and scans my entire network of 4 PC's when I wish it to... for me it has been problem free, including under Win 7, and 'The Best' in my own opinion as well.

http://www.avast.com/

 

[Kougar]

I don't use AVG... twice it has detected false-positives with Folding@Home data files (causing loss of data or resulting in a locked F@H program), and once it failed to catch a real trojan that I suspected I was infected with. Until very recently the free version of AVG did NOT scan for spyware or adware, only the pay version used to offer this. AVG has since changed their free program within just the last few months to include spyware scanning/detection.

For AV testing I've started monitoring VirusBulletin, interested users should just read about them directly than me trying to explain it. They require a subscription for monthly content, but release most testing data/results semi-annually.

Here's their last detailed release: http://www.virusbtn.com/news/2008/09_02

Their more recent (brief) update: http://www.virusbtn.com/news/2009/03_23.xml

I couldn't stand Avast's nagware when I tried to use the free version, so I ripped it off my latop pretty quickly... During one of my visits to the family my sister was using her laptop to take a timed online examination for one of her courses. In the middle of the test Avast popped up a window that refused to be minimized, moved, or closed and overlapped everything on the screen. The window required it either be uninstalled or purchased immediately, and had one of us clicked the link to purchase I am sure it would have opened a new browser window (likely using the window with her test in it). I was able to finally uninstall it but it cost her 5 minutes of her exam time.

 

[draceena]

Are you sure that was Avast free? I've used it for a few years and have NEVER seen a nag screen of any kind like you describe (or any nag at all), now if you were talking about Avira, then I'd agree, the free version has an annoying nag screen every time it updates.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Well guys I guess I wont be using an antivirus software
Installed AVG free - After a few days I uninstalled it - I didnt like how jittery it made my machine - Browsing the internet and scrolling my pages would jump

I admit my machine is not new - But out of my entire family I just about have the fastest computer - So I know Im not alone in the world.

Maybe one day I will have a machine where I wont notice a performance drop in using antivirus software until then I will stick to watching where I go and what I download - Unless I get the nasty Bios bug I will always be able to get rid of it pretty easy anyway. Thanks Seagate DiscWizard

 

[Kougar]

Naw, I remember it was Avast! because they had that silly exclamation point. I may have been trying it free for 30 days or some similar promotion, it was quite awhile ago so I'm not sure.

About the only way to not notice any Anti-Vrius software "slowing" down the PC is to use an SSD, since the constant scanning of opened and modified files on the hard disk is what usually causes it. The hard drive is already the largest bottleneck in a system, so adding the overhead from an AV engine performing live/on access monitoring certainly isn't going to help any.

 

[BetaMan]

There are a few AV's that conserve RAM. Avira AV only uses like 10 mb of my RAM and has great coverage, too. There's a free version so it's pretty awesome.

 

[sexytool]

I use Symantec Corp edition, it's got the highest detection rate in the industry, is rated 100%/ 5 of 5 etc by any group that tests it.

It's also reasonably cheap, only about $10 more per license than Nod32.

The biggest reason i use it though is it's lack of required user input.

It detects a virus, it quarantines it and only informs the user.
It updates in the background once a week or so and prompts you to attempt to clean files in quarantine if there are any.
It's a reasonably fast scanner, i wouldn't say exceptionally fast however it's realtime protection is good enough to make it's on-demand scanning somewhat redundant so i never utilise the on-demand scanner anyway.

It has snap-ins for most popular email clients, yet even if yours is not supported you'll still notice the same level of protection as if you did have a snap-in, due to the realtime protection.

Overall it simply suites my preferences the best and has the highest detection rate to boot.

Now before anyone goes on AV-Comparatives or other misc sight and quotes Norton Anti-virus, i think it best to mention that SAV is not Nortons'.
They are two entirely different scan engines, always have been and always will be. They are so different that SAV has had Heuristics for ~8 years while NAV has had it only for the last 2 or 4?
The further evidence if you don't beleive it, is teh differences in detection rates.
Even 5 years ago Symantec corp was detecting 97% odd of infections and Norton closer to 85%.
The gap has closed a little with Nortons' detecting up to 95% now heuristics have been implemented but SAV has also had a number of improvements over 5 years.

I realise that it is only available in a minimum 5 license purchase and that may be it's biggiest draw-back however; Most users don't seem to care how good an AV is as long as they have got one, so they tend to stick to AVG Free even though it's a buggy, horrid pile of crap.

That seems rather convienient, after receiving my copy i noticed it doesn't ask for a CD-key, authentification, web registration etc etc.
It's like symantec really don't care if you otherwise "Aquire" their software.

 

[Kougar]

That seems rather convienient, after receiving my copy i noticed it doesn't ask for a CD-key, authentification, web registration etc etc.
It's like symantec really don't care if you otherwise "Aquire" their software.

That's funny, because I just installed Symantec's security suite for someone and it certainly required the key and wanted me to web register the install. And as with most companies, they certainly do care how you "acquire" their products.

 

[sexytool]

? Symantec doesn't release a security suite. Norton do, are you speaking of that?
Norton is owned by symantec now but i still think it errornous to think of the two as the one and the same.

Norton is the home edition, cut down, inferior product.
Symantec is the corporate, reliable, stable releases.

I was talking about the anti-theft measures in regards to symantecs' corporate releases e.g end-point protection and anti-virus corp.

 

[olg207]

Norton is awful, it doesn't protect you, lets through plenty of viruses, and im talking about the publically released N360 v2. Dont get me started on the beta version!
The best anti-virus i say is Kaspersky at the moment, by far

 

[sexytool]

I'm running the KAV technical preview now actually, quit liking it.
I just "miss" the feeling of security of having Symantec corp installed.
I know KAV has been tested and found equal, if not better... it's just the slight paranoia of "What will i do if i DO get a virus?" haha.

I know i can trust symantec corp at least. KAV will take some time i think before i can trust it.

 

[cdoublejj]

I use to use AVG as well but then found Avast! and like it a lot better.

same here i once had avg installed then got panda and it found a crap load stuff that avg missed infact it was over 100!!!! i was reading around on the net and to sum it up avg sucks and so does Mcaffe. I use avast on every thing now.