Which Free Antivirus Is Best?

[ozymandious]

For some one who only wants a free Antivirus on their comp, which one would you choose?

AVG, AntiVir or Avast?

[youngkiwi]

None of them. In my opinion, Kaspersky is the best antivirus available. Rapid updates (hourly) and the highest detection rates in the industry. Also a well featured interface and not clunky and slow like many alternatives. Check more info at www.kaspersky.com

[Pattaya46]

Hi ozymandious ,

I use free AVG on my computers for years and am very satisfied of it . There is an automatic update of the database every day and I never had any problem with no detected virus.

As for Kaspersky, 1st it's not free, 2nd it's reputation is about anti-spam not anti-virus...

Pattaya46

[Plus]

Avast. It's solid in providing real time protection - scans every file you download while surfing, every e-mail, every "joke" someone copies to your computer from the network.

Updates seamelessly and doesn't consume resources, even at start up it's pretty low key.

[v8tfcorty]

used avg free and avg pro for many years, i dont use either anymore as i seemed to be getting clashes with other (non anti-virus) programs.

tried comodo for a while but found it to be a PITA,

now using avast and have been doing so for 3 months and so far to date i cant really fault it.

[Mid]

Avast. It's solid in providing real time protection - scans every file you download while surfing, every e-mail, every "joke" someone copies to your computer from the network.

Updates seamelessly and doesn't consume resources, even at start up it's pretty low key.

x 2

[cdnvic]

Antivir has the best detection rate (99%), Avast slightly lower at 95 but with a very good mail and P2P scanner. AVG has a terrible detection rate, missing 12% of all test samples. If the price is all even at $0, why use the crap one?

I've disinfected a good number of computers this past year, and almost without exception it was a case of AVG missing something.

Personally, I'm happy to pay for NOD32.

[cdnvic]

Hi ozymandious ,

I use free AVG on my computers for years and am very satisfied of it . There is an automatic update of the database every day and I never had any problem with no detected virus.

As for Kaspersky, 1st it's not free, 2nd it's reputation is about anti-spam not anti-virus...

Pattaya46

You clearly have no idea what you are talking about if you go making statements like this. Kaspersky's reputation is solely as one of the top antiviruses in the world. In lab tests only four have had detection rates over 99%, and Kaspersky is one of them, along with Antivir, Norton, and NOD32.

Your antivirus' reputation is one of failing tests and letting machines get infected.

[ozymandious]

thanks for the input guys, I wanted something to compare against my own assertions.

I've used all the above mentioned free ones for long periods of time on each go and I personally would rate them

1 Avast

2 AVG

3 AntiVir

I threw Avast on my father's computer today.

I may spring for it and get him a paid Nod32 (use at work and love it) or kasperkey.

although he seems to have more of a problem contracting mal-ware than viruses

Any tips on Mal-ware besides Spybot, Ad-aware and Windows Defender?

Looking for something that he doesn't have to launch manually and is fairly autonomous in it's updates and scanning.

Edited September 21, 2007 by ozymandious

[youngkiwi]

While the three applications you have mentioned (Spybot, Adaware and Windows Defender) all detect different spyware/malware, overall Spybot wins hands down, especially in the keylogging area. However if you want complete protection, multiple layers of security are recommended, which means running more than one application to ensure better detection coverage.

Personally, I recommend Kaspersky Internet Security, an absolute top virus detection product with built in anti-trojan and filewall, in conjunction with Spybot. This tandem provides an excellent level of protection for most users.

[Mid]

Any tips on Mal-ware besides Spybot, Ad-aware and Windows Defender?

.....http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

[AlexLah]

1. http://www.jasonn.com/turning_off_unnecess..._on_windows_xp- To turn off un needed services in Windows

2. GRC.com- some usefull progs and tips to stay safe

3. Zonealarm- Firewall

4. Avast- Anti Virus

5. Hitman Pro- Bundle of free anti spyware

6. CC Cleaner- Cleans temp and other stuff

Do a clean install and make sure you have all Windows updates on external media and install them.

Disable all services as mentioned on #1

Have all of the above on external media and install before you hook it up on the net.

Then update all of them and you should be safe.

You could also create a seperate account for surfing but not really needed if you do above actions mentioned.

As a last resort I have below under my pillow.......

Edited September 21, 2007 by AlexLah

[cdnvic]

For spyware defence that runs in the background and doesn't need manual launching you can't get much better than Windows Defender. Ad-Aware, Spybot, etc are fine but require the user to remember to scan.

[AlexLah]

Cdnvic, how can you advice Window defender if it misses 47% of all spyware, huh?

Go here: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=8474

[RKASA]

I was running the live onecare on my XP box, but this week it came time to pay. To be fair I have to say it was working vary well and I was going to sign up. When trying to do so they made it so hard I uninstalled it. It is never a good idea to make me mad when asking for money. I just went freeware with Antivir and spywareblaster. hope it works as well as onecare was working. I do like the price and both were easier to install and set up then paying MS$ online seems to be.

[cdnvic]

Cdnvic, how can you advice Window defender if it misses 47% of all spyware, huh?

Go here: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=8474

If you look at the actual test, that one was throwing viruses and spyware at it. Onecare, which Defender is part of, sucks in that regard. On it's own with a good antivirus program Defender does quite well.

Edited September 21, 2007 by cdnvic

[AlexLah]

Cdnvic, so you say that Windows Defender does not do a good job on it's own?

[cdnvic]

Cdnvic, so you say that Windows Defender does not do a good job on it's own?

It's not meant to deal with viruses so it'd be silly not to couple it with an antivirus program.

[AlexLah]

Cdnvic, would you agree with me that Windows defender is not the best solution ?

[Crushdepth]

It is not a complete solution by itself. Install Antivir, make sure your firewall is on and then be happy that Defender is doing its bit alongside these other two functions.

You may notice that Vista (which ships with defender) will give you a security warning unless you have a separate antivirus installed.

[cdnvic]

Cdnvic, would you agree with me that Windows defender is not the best solution ?

No I wouldn't because I've tried and tested many of them and because I found it to be the best solution it's what I've chosen to use as my realtime scanner along with NOD32 to watch for virus threats.

You seem to not understand the difference between an antispyware program and an antivirus program. They are two different kinds of program dealing with different threats. While there is a little crossover abilities between both types, none handle both jobs as well as a good antivirus coupled with a good antispyware.

Engaging your brain before clicking on things is often the missing element in the war against malware.

Edited September 21, 2007 by cdnvic

[OxfordWill]

avg is the least bloated resource wise. If that matters

[Mid]

avast is 71.8 MB (75,320,739 bytes) disc size and about 60 K in memory

what's AVG ?

[cdnvic]

avg is the least bloated resource wise. If that matters

It's a factor but the main concern is stopping viruses which its pretty bad at.

[MarkBKK]

Cdnvic, would you agree with me that Windows defender is not the best solution ?

No I wouldn't because I've tried and tested many of them and because I found it to be the best solution it's what I've chosen to use as my realtime scanner along with NOD32 to watch for virus threats.

You seem to not understand the difference between an antispyware program and an antivirus program. They are two different kinds of program dealing with different threats. While there is a little crossover abilities between both types, none handle both jobs as well as a good antivirus coupled with a good antispyware.

Engaging your brain before clicking on things is often the missing element in the war against malware.

ISTR that you've said a few times that you've ''tested'' anti-virus software. Would you care to enlighten us (or at least me) as to how you went about this ''testing''?

[OxfordWill]

avg is the least bloated resource wise. If that matters

It's a factor but the main concern is stopping viruses which its pretty bad at.

Your opinion is out of date. Used to be, now its pretty good.

Edited September 21, 2007 by OxfordWill

[Crushdepth]

Antivir whups Avast and AVG in the most recent comparison I saw (no, I don't have the link). We moved all our work machines off Avast (which we'd been happily running for a couple of years) and onto Antivir recently. Much better. No more problems with flash memory virues (which are profilfic now and Avast is hopeless is dealing with). Antivir even detected a virus being broadcast bu our drivers mobile phone over bluetooth.

[cdnvic]

Cdnvic, would you agree with me that Windows defender is not the best solution ?

No I wouldn't because I've tried and tested many of them and because I found it to be the best solution it's what I've chosen to use as my realtime scanner along with NOD32 to watch for virus threats.

You seem to not understand the difference between an antispyware program and an antivirus program. They are two different kinds of program dealing with different threats. While there is a little crossover abilities between both types, none handle both jobs as well as a good antivirus coupled with a good antispyware.

Engaging your brain before clicking on things is often the missing element in the war against malware.

ISTR that you've said a few times that you've ''tested'' anti-virus software. Would you care to enlighten us (or at least me) as to how you went about this ''testing''?

I've tested many to see how well they work from an end user point of view, such as resource use and user friendliness. For detection capabilities I rely on results from independent labs because analyzing detection rates is something far beyond my resources.

What does ISTR mean?

[cdnvic]

avg is the least bloated resource wise. If that matters

It's a factor but the main concern is stopping viruses which its pretty bad at.

Your opinion is out of date. Used to be, now its pretty good.

Nope, August tests show it's still terrible at scripts, and I've still seen infected emails get through it. It's better than it was, but when Antivir is also free and has superior detection rates, why be loyal to the gimp AV?

[MarkBKK]

Cdnvic, would you agree with me that Windows defender is not the best solution ?

No I wouldn't because I've tried and tested many of them and because I found it to be the best solution it's what I've chosen to use as my realtime scanner along with NOD32 to watch for virus threats.

You seem to not understand the difference between an antispyware program and an antivirus program. They are two different kinds of program dealing with different threats. While there is a little crossover abilities between both types, none handle both jobs as well as a good antivirus coupled with a good antispyware.

Engaging your brain before clicking on things is often the missing element in the war against malware.

ISTR that you've said a few times that you've ''tested'' anti-virus software. Would you care to enlighten us (or at least me) as to how you went about this ''testing''?

I've tested many to see how well they work from an end user point of view, such as resource use and user friendliness. For detection capabilities I rely on results from independent labs because analyzing detection rates is something far beyond my resources.

What does ISTR mean?

I Seem To Recall. '80s BBS ETLA. Sorry.

Testing anti-virus s/w is pretty much beyond most publications' abilities, and independent labs are few and far between. It's not really a question of simply measuring detection rates, it's more a question of obtaining an up to date virus database.