2011 anti-virus recommendations

[Hammer]

Hey all,

I did a search for virus protection software and found a bunch of old threads but these things change so quickly I decided to try this thread. I need to get protection for my HP notebook as my webroot subscription has just ended. Is there a specific all in one box offering that you would recommend? Trend Micro? Webroot? Norton (although I have not heard good things about their stuff)? What's the latest trend around here?

Thanks,

Hammer

[RightFieldCoder]

Microsoft Security - it's free and it actually works.

[bjkrautk]

Avast Antivirus

Spybot Search & Destroy & Malware Bytes when Avast doesn't do its job.

 

Total Cost: $0.00.

[DatHoser]

I do Panda cloud antivirus - also free. Plus Ad-aware and Malware Bytes. Also free and highly recommended.

[DocBrewPack]

AVG is what i would recommend, Avast is a bit off a resource hogg. AVG + Ad-aware is what i recommend both free. (Dont have Ad-aware turn on/update at start up of computer or it will hogg resources also)

[Invader3K]

Microsoft Security - it's free and it actually works.

Yeah, I use it and I've had no problems on my computer in the past few months since I started using it. I also scan regularly with Spybot S&D.

[1992casey]

One of my main gurus has soured on AVG. I'd have ask to find out why. He's now recommending Avira AntiVir Personal for virus protection.

 

He recommends SUPERAntiSpyware for removing spyware. Note that the free version doesn't offer real time protection or scheduled scanning. You'd have to run it manually.

 

SpywareBlaster provides real time protection against spyware without using resources or interfering with other programs. In other words, you can use this alongside anything else. Your responsibility would be to keep it updated.

 

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (MBAM) is excellent. The free version doesn't offer real time protection or scheduled scanning. It's often recommended as a second line of defense when your "main" software fails. It's frequently recommended by its competitors for "secondary" scanning. If malware prevents your anti-malware program from running, MBAM's exe file can be renamed and run. That tack doesn't work with most of its competitors.

 

If you consider yourself to be less technically inclined or somewhat lazy, consider a suite. Norton™ Internet Security has improved in recent years and is much less resource-intensive than it used to be. Suites also offer compatibility advantages as their components are optimized to work together.

 

Antivirus software reviews

Adware-Spyware-Scumware software review

[Nottso]

Avast Antivirus

Spybot Search & Destroy & Malware Bytes when Avast doesn't do its job.

 

Total Cost: $0.00.

Exactly

[LouisEly]

One of my main gurus has soured on AVG. I'd have ask to find out why. He's now recommending Avira AntiVir Personal for virus protection.

Just curious, has he soured on free AVG or on pay-for AVG? I got pay-for AVG for a net of like $30 when purchased in combination with tax software and it came with a two-year license and I could install in multiple computers.

 

I just don't trust free anti-virus. From what I have seen they aren't proactive, they are reactive - they will remove/scan but they won't stop if you click on an infected email attachment or link. For $30 I'll take peace of mind for two years, plus I believe it comes with $2500 in insurance protection in case it fails. I went through the hassle of a virus about 8 years ago and I would pay $30 in a heartbeat to avoid that again.

[DocBrewPack]

I just don't trust free anti-virus. From what I have seen they aren't proactive, they are reactive - they will remove/scan but they won't stop if you click on an infected email attachment or link.

Why this is partialy true, thats why there free. However, in reality all anti-viruses suck. The smartest guy i ever met gave a speach in my IT Admin class the other day and he doesnt use any antivirus and said he would absolutly never pay for one. He test viruses vs anti-viruses for his school and they are just about all the same in what they detect and catch. While its true that ones you pay for will do more on access scanning and maybe catch a little extra because of that. Not much is going to help if you dont use good practices (not open links off emails, ive read thats how the Sony PlayStation hack was all started)

In the class, he made a little virus type thing and disguized it as a screen saver. The only anti-virus that caught it were AVG and Pandora (both free)

 

[giffted1]

I'll echo the suggestion to go free.

 

I've never had any issues using Microsoft Security Essentials.

[cwolf2012]

MSSE + MBAM and SuperAntispyware. That's what I recommend for pretty much anyone and everyone who asks me.

[homer]

I'm a Mac user and something has happened a few times in the last few days that's odd so I thought I'd ask about it here.

 

I use Firefox v 4.0.1 as my primary browser. Twice in the last couple of days I've been poking the internet and a new tab will open up that looks sort of like the Finder screen for Mac except it's a tab within Firefox. It says there are viruses on my computer and I need to run some scan. I just close out the tab because it looks fishy to me. Is there a scan I can do on a Mac to look for funny stuff?

[Hammer]

Don't open it!! I did about a month ago and it is an auto-downloaded security software suite that is nearly impossible to get rid of. BEWARE!

[homer]

Don't open it!! I did about a month ago and it is an auto-downloaded security software suite that is nearly impossible to get rid of. BEWARE!

Good to know. Thanks! Is it some kind of pop up that creates a new tab? I'm just curious why it started happening. I have no plans on clicking anywhere inside it.

[DocBrewPack]

Good to know. Thanks! Is it some kind of pop up that creates a new tab? I'm just curious why it started happening. I have no plans on clicking anywhere inside it.

despite the perception, there are Viruses for Macs. Just not nearly as many, and that does sound like a virus. Im assuming there are some virus scans/programs for Macs but not really sure becaus ei have never owned one.

 

on a completely unrelated note, In school the other day we were replacing some componants on a Mac laptop and we found a decent sized stone in it. It didnt appear to ever have been taken apart before so that was quite wierd.

 

 

[LouisEly]

I'm a Mac user and something has happened a few times in the last few days that's odd so I thought I'd ask about it here.

 

I use Firefox v 4.0.1 as my primary browser. Twice in the last couple of days I've been poking the internet and a new tab will open up that looks sort of like the Finder screen for Mac except it's a tab within Firefox. It says there are viruses on my computer and I need to run some scan. I just close out the tab because it looks fishy to me. Is there a scan I can do on a Mac to look for funny stuff?

My old roommate had that happen a few months ago - it's serious malware and you need to get rid of it. Do an internet search on what comes up and follow the instructions on how to remove it. It will hijack your computer and not let you do anything unless you pay $60 (and then it will probably steal your credit card info).

 

The only reason there weren't viruses for Macs is because hackers weren't coding them for Mac software. Macs are just as vulnerable as PCs, perhaps now more since Microsoft has upped their security software.

[1992casey]

homer, I'd make an appointment at the Genius Bar at an Apple Retail Store. In the meantime, if this happens again, take a screen capture of the page and note its URL. If the tab has no URL bar, you should be able to get the address from your browser history.

 

Definitely let us know how this situation is resolved.

[jazzytrav]

I'm a Mac user and something has happened a few times in the last few days that's odd so I thought I'd ask about it here.

 

I use Firefox v 4.0.1 as my primary browser. Twice in the last couple of days I've been poking the internet and a new tab will open up that looks sort of like the Finder screen for Mac except it's a tab within Firefox. It says there are viruses on my computer and I need to run some scan. I just close out the tab because it looks fishy to me. Is there a scan I can do on a Mac to look for funny stuff?

I have no knowledge of Macs, but I had this happen around Christmas last year on my PC (I believe there's a thread at lambeauleap about it). I was trying to find a funny Christmas picture, clicked on an image and some "antivirus" started "scanning" my computer and said it found like 30 trojans. I didn't even click on it, but it did all kinds of fun stuff to my computer anyway, so you may want to check around a bit to make sure. For me, it disabled my regular antivirus and then disabled my task manager so my regular antivirus couldn't do anything to stop it and I couldn't get in to task manager to kill the process. I finally tricked my way into task manager, but the damage took a little while to clean up and I'm still not sure I got it all.

 

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (MBAM) is excellent.

 

This is what Casey recommended to me back then, and it worked really well after I killed the process to clean everything up. I keep it on my computer now and just use it every few weeks or so to catch anything that my regular antivirus missed.

 

As for free antivirus, you can also check with your internet provider and see if they offer a free one. I've had Time Warner and At&t and both had free antivirus that came with it.

 

[NeedMoreFans]

I have had that fake anti-virus window pop up as well, on a couple computers (one was my school laptop that a student decided to use without my permission). I ran Malwarebytes on each computer, and it found a virus each time. I haven't had any problems since on any computer.

[Hammer]

Just ran MBAM after seeing all of the support here and found 68 threats. Ouch, my notebook was a petri dish...

[logan82]

Just ran MBAM after seeing all of the support here and found 68 threats. Ouch, my notebook was a petri dish...

Don't kiss it.

[Menace II Sobriety]

Just got a new laptop for x-mas. I am waiting for it to be delivered to learn what model it is, all I know is that it is an HP. Anyways I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for a deal on an antivirus software during all of these sales (or a free version online)? Thanks

[NievesNoNO]

As others have all ready noted, Avast and Malwarebytes are my top choices.