# name the best AntiVirus



## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

what is the best antivirus . I dont care about cost ?? what do the pros use,, I know they have one that cost a few hundred , but what is the name of the BEST ONE ..


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

Linux..


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## Phillip (Feb 6, 2006)

I'm partial to AVG.


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

AVG here, as well.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Avast Free keeps me out of trouble.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

As to the best, I can't answer, but can give you my experiences with AVG.

I used a free version of AVG for a few years but because I wanted a firewall and real time use I went to a paid version.

One day an update locked up AVG and I could not find a way to get around the download and couldn't even get to the control panel so I sent off an email to AVG support. Each time I would receive an automated response telling me my email had been received. After several days with no other response from them I began attempting to call them in order to get support but never did get anything other than an automated message telling me that support wasn't available or whatever. At least they didn't have the push this button or that button system.

Only when I uninstalled AVG in order to rid my computer of it did I get a response-- wanting to know why I had quit using AVG. DUH! Going days without any anti-virus is not my cup of tea.

I now use a free version of Avast and would NEVER use AVG again, free or otherwise. Because they failed to do something so simply as try to get a paid customer some support I'm soured on them for good. 

It was a good product----when it worked. I find Avast seems to work just fine and is faster at doing a thorough scan than AVG was.


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

tom j said:


> what is the best antivirus . I dont care about cost ?? what do the pros use,, I know they have one that cost a few hundred , but what is the name of the BEST ONE ..


The best anti-virus and malware protection program is Microsoft Security Essentials (which is free).

I use this program on literally hundreds of desktop pc and servers. 

Combine this program with Malwarebytes, Firefox or Google Chrome, Foxit PDF reader (instead of Adobe Reader) a pc up to date with all security patches and a properly configured router (with firewall built in) then you on your way to a much more secure setup. 

Note that there are many other steps that you can take to secure your pc but are beyond the scope of this thread.


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## glazed (Aug 19, 2006)

Kaspersky.

:donut:


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Windy in Kansas said:


> It was a good product----when it worked. I find Avast seems to work just fine and is faster at doing a thorough scan than AVG was.


I migrated from AVG to Avast for pretty much the same reasons. AVG became too much for some systems to run (P-3s for example). It just seemed like there was too much processing overhead required by AVG. Avast hasn't had that problem.


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## wogglebug (May 22, 2004)

No question, *Linux* reduces the risk way way down. There's enough different flavours of Linux that the black-hats and script kiddies haven't got a major successful virus or worm to address a significant number of Linux systems yet (it will happen someday, though).

If you used to use *Apple*, that was about the same. People didn't find it worth their while to put the work into a virus for the 10% of Apple systems when they could shoot for the 85% or whatever of Windows systems. That's changed, though, and Apple viruses and worms are beginning to circulate. For either Linux or Apple or anything, once there are viruses, you will need antiviruses, and for either the antiviruses are thin on the ground.

If you're using *Windows*, 

the best antivirus you can have, if you're equipped with a good version, is the one between your ears. Be sensible and only indulge in safe net. Don't access risky sites. Don't use illegal, cracked or decrypted software. Don't leave your system open for others to use in a sharing setup (and download infected software to your system). Set up new user IDs with new passwords, and only use administrator privilege level when you must. And install and maintain good protective software.

Beyond that, use a good firewall. A quite serviceable one, quite good enough, comes with XP or Vista or later. Alternatively, the free version of BlackIce.

Then, if you're prepared to do it, never have email on your system. That makes sense anyway. If you're [email protected], then use Outlook or whatever to bring the email down to your PC, you're somewhere between severe risk and wide open. What you want is to use a yahoo address, or a gmail address (looks more professional to people who don't know better), then read the mail with a browser - leave it on their computers, and only see pictures of the mail on yours. Much safer, and if you change ISPs you don't have to go through the grief of changing email address and informing everyone and having half of them forget and lose touch anyway. If you don't want to use one of those email services, your ISP may offer webmail of their own, accessible via a browser. That would still be a hassle if you changed ISPs, but it would leave your email reading safe.

Be very careful what pieces of which software you install. They will try to slip in toolbars, change search engines, add utility programs and extra functions you'll never use, and change the programs which start when different file types are opened. Step very carefully through any program installation, watching what options are checked or not.

Then, keep your software up-to-date. Download and apply patches as they become available. Viruses use bugs to enter your system. It's a continual race between your software suppliers, and the black hats. You can only stay up with the pack if you're in the race. Used to be that it was good to wait a while so that if the patches introduced new problems you'd avoid them; but the virus scene is so turbocharged hectic these days - new viruses can saturate vulnerable machines worldwide in two or three days - that you can't risk falling far behind.

Have anti-malware programs you can run every so often, to scan your system. They vary a little, but these days I favour Malwarebytes and either Spybot Search&Destroy or AdAware.

And last of all, an antivirus program. 
I still use AVG free, simply because I haven't had a reason not to. However, I don't enable its email checker since I don't do email on my PC. The AVG email checker is a resource hog and makes your system run like a two-legged dog.
As others have said, there is a serviceable antivirus in Microsoft's Security Essentials, and I also have heard good things about Avast. I'd probably use Avast if AVG became unusable for me.
Or you can pay money for one. Trend's PC-cillin, or Kaspersky, are good. Norton's is BAD BAD BAD. McAfee is somewhere in the middle. The rankings vary as time goes by. Except Norton's. Peter Norton's software used to be brilliant, but that was long ago, and he sold out. What goes by his name these days is a continual ongoing rolling disaster - it does NOT play well with others, at all.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

You saved me some work, Woggle. :thumb: Although I will disagree in one area - there're more Apple antivirus alternatives then you'd think. There may not be quite the selection that there is for Windows, but the reason for that is fairly obvious.

I will ALSO somewhat disagree with the whole Norton thing. I don't like NORTON Antivirus...but SYMANTEC products are different. I've learned that the "Symantec" moniker normally denotes the business side, whereas "Norton" applies to the consumer side. Their Symantec products do the job, don't put a lot of extra stuff in there. 

And you're talking to someone who's got about 8 years of experience doing contract work on computers, so trust me...I was NOT a fan of Norton. But their business stuff? Yes, I like it.

For paid, I'd go with Symantec (NOT Norton), then probably Bitdefender and Kapersky. For free, I'd go with Bitdefender (they do have a free engine), then Avast, or AVG. Microsoft Security Essentials is also good.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

True about Apple. 
I now have a basic Virus protection for this Imac now. It is a Norton, but it is just AntiVirus no other "stuff" tucked into it. So it really is easy and simple and not hard on any plugging out the computer. Where people got into trouble with Norton was they would get not just the virus protection product but a "loaded" version that would slow down things. I had Norton for years but I had a Old version of Norton System Works before it was saturated with all other stuff. So I really like Norton, and have used it for 14 years and before that on Apple machines that we had at work. So I go way back into the 90's with the use of Norton.


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## crispin (Jun 30, 2010)

Kari said:


> The best anti-virus and malware protection program is Microsoft Security Essentials (which is free).
> 
> I use this program on literally hundreds of desktop pc and servers.
> 
> Combine this program with Malwarebytes, a pc up to date with all security patches and a properly configured router (with firewall built in) then you on your way to a much more secure setup.


this is the setup I use and have never had a problem.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

wogglebug said:


> Beyond that, use a good firewall. A quite serviceable one, quite good enough, comes with XP or Vista or later.


I know that I'll get flamed for this, but I don't think a lot of workstation firewalls (not to be confused with server firewalls, which can be very effective). I'm not against firewalls, it's just that I don't want to see anyone get a false sense of security just because a firewall is active in his system.

If you understand what it is that a firewall does you will understand just how little it does. Moreover, there are ways around firewalls.

Firewalls are designed specifically to prevent unwelcome entry into your computer from a network connection. It is not designed to prevent viruses, malware, or spyware, nor can you expect it to.

The way a workstation firewall operates is that it blocks all communications ports, except for the few that you need. In the first place, that confuses some computer users. They try to install something that requires a new communication port so the firewall pops-up a message asking for permission to open the port. In an attempt to keep the computer safe the novice user will deny access, so the application won't work. That creates support problems. On the other end of the spectrum are those who have been told to "just always click ALLOW" when they see the firewall pop-up. When they do that it defeats the entire purpose of the firewall.

Then there are the ways around firewalls. If a hacker can't get in on one port, then he may get in on another. There are ports that you can't afford to close, such as port 80 that you need for http traffic, so the firewall may not stop the hacker if he knows a vulnerability he can get to through port 80.

As was already pointed out, keeping software (particularly your operating system) up to date is critical to stopping hackers. It is the known operating system vulnerabilities that allow most hackers to do their thing. And no operating system is safe either. Make no mistake about it, Linux vulnerabilities are tracked by hackers every bit as closely as Windows vulnerabilities are.

If you keep your operating system up to date and use a good virus/malware blocker then your workstation is pretty secure. But I wouldn't give you a dime for a port blocking firewall. I use my firewall just to keep Windows from complaining about it, but I'm not kidding myself about its effectiveness.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

wogglebug said:


> If you're using *Windows*,
> 
> *the best antivirus you can have, if you're equipped with a good version, is the one between your ears. Be sensible and only indulge in safe net. Don't access risky sites.* .


 As a technician, you are 100% correct, its the number one way to avoid problems. 
But I still use an anti-virus program and malwarebytes also.

Also read any popups you get, I know they're annoying but understand what you are clicking before you click it.

I used to use e-trust anti virus, never once had a problem in 8 years (but then I practice safe computing too) -- used it at a place I worked also.
My latest home computer came with 18 months of McAfee, I'll go back to E-Trust when the 18 months are done.


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

I thank all of you that replyed ,, I will have to do some thinking , I may give Microsoft Security Essentials a try .. I didn't know about it so never gave it a thought ,, I looked at it and am thinking that I will give it a run .. As for fire wall , I do have it up but never did put much store in it , just thought if it stopped one problem , it was worth running ..


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

hey there. I didn't realize there was computer ppl on this site too--horses, goats, family issues, art and computers??! wow!

anyhow, I am researching virus stuff. my old computer has mcafee, but I still get that security virus about once a month. I just bought a nice laptop, to use with my business side of being an artist, and for a great graphics card so I can use photos better. 

my new laptop came with norton, but I've had problems with that in the past, dont' want to go there, and it seems i'm not alone in this. on this old computer I put avast free on it, and that seems to find things mcafee lets through. I can put mcafee on my laptop as it is a 3 computer subscription, but not so sure I even want to.

I also want to get rid of the crap they put on my laptop in the first place, mainly norton. I know this was a lot to ask in one post, but anyone help me here?? 

I see several suggesting micro security essec., but a local computer gal told me to stay completely away from that, far away! but our school uses it and even tho I know what kinda sites kids go to, nothing seems to get my daughters' school issued laptop?! 

I am so confused! please help me figure this out please!!


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

My opinion - and this is backed up by stats - is that the best PAID antivirus (and by 'best' I mean percentage of virus detection and removal) is Norton Antivirus. (NOT Norton 360 or Norton Internet Security...just Norton Antivirus.) The best free one is probably a tossup between AVG, Avast and Microsoft Security Essentials. I personally prefer MSE because it does more than just antivirus.

As far as the local gal telling you stay away, I'd tell you to ignore her.  She's probably got something against Microsoft, and results don't lie.


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

thanks! i went ahead and did what she said not too. (what a rebel!) i'll put malwarebytes on it too soon. 

my new one isn't online near as much as my old one is, where I do most of my internet playing. i have avast on this oldie as well as the mcafee and its always catching and blocking something, while mcafee is still just sitting there. not impressed.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

I've always had the best luck with Norton finding the hard to get rid of viruses, but they do put a lot of junk on your computer and slow computer run time WAY down. I have AVG on my laptop. Never had any problem with it, but never really had to use it, but I don't go to sites I don't know, I don't open e-mails (I just read them in the preview window), I don't click on anything I don't know, and am generally just super cautious.


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

Kung said:


> My opinion - and this is backed up by stats - is that the best PAID antivirus (and by 'best' I mean percentage of virus detection and removal) is Norton Antivirus. (NOT Norton 360 or Norton Internet Security...just Norton Antivirus.) The best free one is probably a tossup between AVG, Avast and Microsoft Security Essentials. I personally prefer MSE because it does more than just antivirus.
> 
> As far as the local gal telling you stay away, I'd tell you to ignore her.  She's probably got something against Microsoft, and results don't lie.


+1 on Kung's suggestions.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

6e said:


> I've always had the best luck with Norton finding the hard to get rid of viruses, but they do put a lot of junk on your computer and slow computer run time WAY down. I have AVG on my laptop. Never had any problem with it, but never really had to use it, but I don't go to sites I don't know, I don't open e-mails (I just read them in the preview window), I don't click on anything I don't know, and am generally just super cautious.


6e - you might find out that the newer versions don't. Trust me, back in, say, 2005 or 2006, you could not PAY me to put Norton AV on a computer - much less NIS or 360. Terrible tech support, absolute resource hogs, etc.

Not so anymore...they're quite slimmed down, and they do work very well.


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## tkrabec (Mar 12, 2003)

blink from eeye, its not just an AV it does HIPS (host intrusion Protection) as well as a firewall & other cool protections


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