Which anti-virus

[mykulmerc]

Does anybody have strong views on which anti-virus software is preferable?

Norton has/had a reputation for slowing things down. I have Norton 360 at home - doesn't seem to bad.

At work, boss likes McAfee, one advisor likes AVG.

Any views?

 

[uhayat]

I found AVG to be the best and does not take a lot or resources. Infact I use the free version on home and different servers/workstation versions in the office. The free version is almost as good.

 

[moonloops]

Microsoft security essentials is free and works surprisingly well

 

[timwood2000]

AVG Free works a treat

 

[Dec]

Microsoft security essentials is free and works surprisingly well

As above, I dumped Norton 360 last month and now use Microsoft Security Essentials, its free so the aren’t trying to sell you something you don’t want.

No problems with it at all, very easy to use.


Dec

 

[nullogik]

I've used Kaspersky Internet Security for the last couple of years and like it very much - but its not free.

 

[Spinal]

Nod32...

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I think it depends what it's being used for, and by whom.

I installed Norton on a laptop a few months ago for a friend who has no clue about 'puters. She has a good spec laptop, Norton promise it's much less resource hungry than earlier versions, simple, and some assurance of a big name. Being resource hungry and a nightmare to remove is only a problem if it's a problem.

 

[npuk]

Microsoft security essentials is free and works surprisingly well

Came above AVG, Norton and McAfee in one of the computer mag tests.

 

[BTB 500]

I have Microsoft Security Essentials on both my home PCs now. Norton (which I used until about 6 weeks ago) wasn't stopping malware.

MSE is free, simple to use, and appears to work very well. It doesn't have extra stuff like parental controls though ... I have Trend on the kid's PC, solely for that (with all the antivirus bits de-activated).

 

[BTB 500]

I installed Norton on a laptop a few months ago for a friend who has no clue about 'puters. She has a good spec laptop, Norton promise it's much less resource hungry than earlier versions, simple, and some assurance of a big name. Being resource hungry and a nightmare to remove is only a problem if it's a problem.

The current version of Norton is fine as far as resource usage goes, and I had no problems removing it. But it simply wasn't stopping things that MSE and Malwarebytes easily detected and removed.

 

[mykulmerc]

Thanks guys, that very helpful. I didn't even realise that Microsoft did a full virus protection - I've always viewed anything from them as extra to a 3rd party option.

Is it part of Vista (unfortunately I've got that - home boggo version only)?

I've learnt something today!!

 

[Mad4Coupes]

Using AVG internet security, 2 years subscription for 30 something quid when I got it. Not as memory hungry as Norton is (or was) and seems to be about as good as it gets.

 

[Spinal]

In VB's latest VB100 comparative review, a total of 60 products were put to the test, with two thirds of the products earning VB100 certification.
Virus Bulletin : VB100 award - latest comparative

Which means that fully one third (20/60) of AV programs failed to make the grade, including:
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6 for Windows Workstations (1 wildlist miss)
- Lavasoft Internet Security (2 wildlist misses, 2 false positives)
- Microsoft Security Essentials (1 wildlist miss)
- Norman (110 wildlist misses, 3 false positives)
- Check Point Zone Alarm Suite (1 wildlist miss)
- Emsisoft a-squared Anti-Malware (974 wildlist misses, 1 false positive)
- Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus Premium (2 false positives)
- Ikarus (973 wildlist misses)

NOD32 so far has the most passes of VB100. That said, I agree that in an enterprise NOD32 isn't ideal as there is no real central manamgent. If you want to deploy on 100's of machines, Symantec's SEP seems like a reasonable choice.

 

[BTB 500]

Thanks guys, that very helpful. I didn't even realise that Microsoft did a full virus protection - I've always viewed anything from them as extra to a 3rd party option.

Is it part of Vista (unfortunately I've got that - home boggo version only)?

It's a free download for XP onwards:

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

 

[Piff]

No problems with AVG here

 

[timskemp]

AVG Free for home, corporate with management for business...

 

[Stratman]

I've always used the free version of Avast. It's very good at updating its database, often three or four times a day.

Avast download

 

[gary350]

I used Avg for many years then had problems with one of the updates (8 I think) so I tried Avast which I find to be much better than Avg, but it is really a case of try it and see. One last thing when I changed over to Avast it found 3 infections that Avg had not spotted.

 

[Timster]

I use Bitdefender - I fin it excellent.

Download from here:

Antivirus and Internet Security Software | BitDefender

Buy a key online from here for under £10

BitDefender Internet Security 2010 - 1 Year 3 Computers on eBay (end time 12-May-10 00:08:24 BST)

And you're protected!!

Thats what I do.