Whats the best antivirus/malware package ?

[joshua]

My kapersky is about to run out and i am wondering if i should renew or try another, any recommendations ?, is it worth paying or are the free versions truly sufficent ?

 

[Gramaisc]

I'm still using Malwarebytes and Microsoft Security Essentials, as per a recommendation by Wmr some time ago - I don't seem to have Ebola yet.

 

[joshua]

For browsing I'm using Firefox with NoScript, web of trust and AdBlock( and i always carry a condom )

 

[Gramaisc]

I see you've been here before - http://www.staffordforum.com/xf/index.php?threads/which-anti-virus-my-findings.4314/#post-82221 ..

 

[joshua]

I see you've been here before - http://www.staffordforum.com/xf/index.php?threads/which-anti-virus-my-findings.4314/#post-82221 ..

Ah yes, me in my younger better looking days (before i got hit with the ugly shovel), but i am mindful that opinions change regulary in the computer world and its always better to get the opinions of those in the know, (which is almost everyone, thank god for system restore after a nvidia update gave me BSOD with a bad pool header)

 

[Gramaisc]

Indeed, it will be interesting to see what opinions we get...

 

[John Marwood]

I also use malwnigererianwarebytes and find it a good visible defenceweoweyou$50,000against spam and attack

Essential if you wizi wig

 

[Darren]

Windows essentials, Malwarebytes i have the paid for version but the free version is good to and i also use SUPERAntiSpyware again i have the paid for version but they also have a free version.

 

[biccies]

Define 'best'. Some can be lightweight on resources and some can turn your computer into Fort Knox.
Usually there's not much reason to change antivirus unless you've had problems. Currently I'm using bitdefender which seems to be doing a good job. I've just moved from Comodo which has all sorts of features such as 'auto sandboxing technology' and the likes. Since removing it, my PC seems to be moving faster- so it was clearly hogging some resources!

 

[number9]

MSE and Malwarebytes is what I put on pc's, laptops etc. for people. problem is, better knowledge is needed than relying on a/v software

 

[wmrcomputers]

Malwarebytes free is fine if you run a regular scan with it (or at least whenever you think something weird is happening or doesn't seem right). Microsoft Security Essentials is free too and works nicely alongside. (If you're on Windows 8 it's built in and called Windows Defender)
In my line of work I see more computers with viruses which are supposed to be protected by Norton and Mcafee than any others (so you don't necessarily always get what you pay for!)

 

[Rob Allport]

Malwarebytes and some old fashioned common sense

 

[Rob Allport]

Malwarebytes free is fine if you run a regular scan with it (or at least whenever you think something weird is happening or doesn't seem right). Microsoft Security Essentials is free too and works nicely alongside. (If you're on Windows 8 it's built in and called Windows Defender)
In my line of work I see more computers with viruses which are supposed to be protected by Norton and Mcafee than any others (so you don't necessarily always get what you pay for!)

Never ever Norton as I'm sure you know It literally tries to control every aspect of you computer and is super resource hungrey :/

 

[Noah]

From the very early days of antivirus software Norton has always caused problems & is best avoided. Malwarebytes strictly isn't an antivirus programme it detects & removes malware on your computer, I run it regularly to check that nothing has got through. Microsoft Security Essentials always comes bottom of comparative tests and even Microsoft don't recomend that you rely on it on its own. I use Pale Moon browser with AdBlock, NoScript, Ghostery and WOT, Kaspersky as my antivirus and regularly run Malwarebytes.

If you want a really secure browser then why not try LPS-Public Deluxe v1.5.3 (http://www.spi.dod.mil/lipose.htm). It probably reduces your risks to snooping by the FBI, CIA, DoD, DoHS, FSB & SVR, all of whom can probably access your computer any time they want to anyway.

 

[Perrier]

MSE and Malwarebytes with an occasional clean up using crap cleaner ( yes it does exist , google it ).

 

[wmrcomputers]

From the very early days of antivirus software Norton has always caused problems & is best avoided. Malwarebytes strictly isn't an antivirus programme it detects & removes malware on your computer, I run it regularly to check that nothing has got through. Microsoft Security Essentials always comes bottom of comparative tests and even Microsoft don't recomend that you rely on it on its own. I use Pale Moon browser with AdBlock, NoScript, Ghostery and WOT, Kaspersky as my antivirus and regularly run Malwarebytes.

If you want a really secure browser then why not try LPS-Public Deluxe v1.5.3 (http://www.spi.dod.mil/lipose.htm). It probably reduces your risks to snooping by the FBI, CIA, DoD, DoHS, FSB & SVR, all of whom can probably access your computer any time they want to anyway.

What the hell are YOU surfing?

 

[Withnail]

What would you do if you still had XP, thus losing MSE, by way of a free real-time protecta-oojit?

 

[wmrcomputers]

For XP users I now recommend Avast, still along with Malwarebytes. The thing with ANY anti-virus really though is that none are perfect because new viruses are written every day. No matter how good the protection is, you WILL get viruses or malware if you're heavily surfing certain kinds of sites. It really is down to common sense more than anything else.

I actually have no protection at all running and never have a problem as I know what to look for. The only time I switch mine on is when I'm doing data recovery in case the customers hard drive is swarming with malicious files.

 

[bpelectric]

I've used Avast for years on XP 7 and 8 never had a problem never had a virus

 

[wmrcomputers]

If you don't surf porn, download films and music illegitimately, or open email attachments that you are unsure of then to be honest the chances are you would never have had a virus anyway - avast or no avast - or any other anti-virus for that matter.

I've got one elderly customer who's computer is so old and slow that anti-virus just bottle-necked the thing, so as a new one was out of the question I removed their anti-virus and showed them how to perform an online scan instead once a week. 12 months later and she still loves how much better the computer runs and has stopped running the manual virus scans 6 months ago as she realised she'll never get one anyway.

NOTE:- I'm not advising that anyone shouldn't have anti-virus installed as most modern computers run them just fine. This was an exception as it's a 12 year old computer with about 128MB of RAM, and to be honest the 2 hour start up was getting a little bit too much for even an 85 year old to cope with! It now boots in around 12 minutes which she thinks is LIGHTNING quick