Best Anti-Virus Software

[Rassa Farlander]

So Im going to build a new computer, and I need to know, what is the best anti-virus out there?

Is the microsoft stuff that comes with a new version of windows good enough?

Should I buy software?(McAfee, Norton) or is something free the way to go?(AVG, Avast?)

Im looking for something I wont have to worry about messing with or interfering with Multiplayer video games.

Thanks!!!

[drakesdoom]

Avast Free is consistently rated one of the best anti-virus on the market.

[Galacticruler]

(Lower is better)

Ordered by Free-ness:

(?). Avast

0. Panda

1. Windows Defender

3. AVG

4. Avira

6000. Norton

35000. McAfee

(Lower is better)

Ordered by effectiveness:

(?). Avast

1. AVG

3. Avira

2520. Norton

6100. McAfee

35780. Windows Defender

99E99. Panda

(Lower is better)

Ordered by user-friendlyness:

(?). Avast

1. Avira

3. Panda

30. AVG

10000. Norton

5E50.Mcafee

99E99. Linux OSs

ERR. W.D.

(higher is better)

Ordered by Invasive-ness:

(?). Avast

-10. Norton

0. McAfee

1. Avira

3. AVG

99E99. Linux

Notes:

1. these are HIGHLY biased

2. these are VERY inacurate

3. DO NOT hold me to these.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Galacticruler
BIIIG Edit.

[air805ronin]

As a gamer, Avast doesn't interfere with my multiplayer gaming at all. Its what I use at home. We use paid Trend where I work.

As an IT professional, antivirus may help some of the time. In those cases free is just as good as paid, and generally speaking something like Avast, Avira, Panda, or AVG is more than enough for the average consumer.

Against, as an IT professional, you will still likely get viruses if you open email attachments you aren't expecting, download random files, download illegal copyright material, or have a naughty video habit. Heck, I get still get spyware or a virus once a year and I know what I'm doing.

Once you have a virus, your antivirus may catch it. It may even notice it before you do. It may clean the files it notices. However, in most cases I've experienced it doesn't clean viruses completely. Generally you have to do a websearch to learn how to truly clean an infection and it may involve removing unrelated files or finding registry keys the virus put in.

I'm just saying that you should install antivirus, but be aware it isn't the end all be all. You should also install anti-spyware and anti-adware software.

In the end the only way to avoid malware is to not connect to the internet...

Edited November 21, 2013 by air805ronin

[swiftgates24]

Norton allllllllll the way man.

jk,jk. But seriously, the windows regulated anti-virus isn't that great.

[SuperWeegee4000]

Kaspersky is what we always use - it's not free, but it's extremely high-quality software. Besides, I'm not the one paying for it yet.

[Psycix]

Common sense.

[Galacticruler]

...or have a naughty video habit...

this is actually not quite that true.

You're more likely to get a virus/spyware/rootkit from a religious webpage than "one of those sites".

EDIT:

...In the end the only way to avoid malware is to not connect to the internet...

Also false, you must also deny all your friends access to your PC via flashdrive/disk.

[Randox]

I like Microsoft Security Essentials as my primary AV, and Malwarebytes as a secondary program. MSE does not have the best level of protection, I'm going to say that right up front. What makes it unique is that it also doesn't generate false positives. I pair this up with the free version of Malwarebytes, which has no live protection (which makes it perfect for pairing AV programs because it wont interfere), but is a more thorough.

Honestly though, I see AV programs are swords. Yeah, it's nice to have them inspect that new download, but don't rely on them to prevent malware getting onto your system. They're just there to tell you something is wrong and help clean up the mess. My personal recommendation would be use chrome or firefox as your browser because of the adblock and noscript add ons. Assuming you aren't downloading things with viruses, then your biggest fear should be websites themselves, particularly the ads that they serve. With the right ad, just visiting a site will instantly download and run malware on your system, and the only defense is to not allow the ads to run at all (do not say say stick to reputable sites. These ads manage to sneak onto all kinds of sites every now and then, and you don't want to be the unlucky person who gets to find that out the hard way before the ad gets pulled). Noscript prevents javascript running by default, allowing you whitelist trusted domains (it takes a while getting used to. You'll be wondering why the website is broken, or won't load, and then you'll remember that you need to allow it to run java script). This allows you to wander onto any site and see who is going to try and run things in your browser. Adblock forms another layer of defence by enforcing blacklists of entities known to serve ads or distribute spyware (note that this can also break websites).

Being smart and having a solid AV program is great, but I prefer a more solid front line defence.

[Killerdude8]

MS Security Essentials, Free and does everything an Antivirus needs to do, also doesn't hog Harddrive space, and isn't too Resource intensive. Haven't had a Single Virus using it.

[Guest]

I have found that anti-virus programs can cause just as many problems as the virus's themselves. They can be beneficial to new users, because people that are new to computers and the internet do not have the experience to know what is dangerous. But as one gains experience, the bad stuff starts to become more recognizable. Common sense, as Psycix pointed out, is the best defense. If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is. Also, as air805ronin pointed out, learning how to clean your computer of the bad stuff is an invaluable skill, and here is why : there is absolutely no way to protect yourself from everything. Anti-virus' can only protect you from known threats. Whenever someone comes up with a new way to hack your website, or install malware, or whatever, the anti-virus is useless.

That being said, there are tools that are free and can help you to maintain a clean and fast system. Randox already pointed out Adblock. I highly recommend that. Advertisers can and will install all kinds of junk so they can follow your browsing habits. Malwarebytes can scan your system for known threats and has proven itself in the past at ridding systems of junk that others miss. You have to be very careful when installing it now however, because even they have to pay the bills. There is crap that will install itself with malwarebytes if you don't check the boxes that tell the installer to NOT install said crap. Always read very carefully what the installer says, no matter what software you are installing. And finally, I also like Crap Cleaner, or CCleaner. This is one tool that can be dangerous, however. Study about what it does and how it works before using it.

One last note : your windows firewall is probably the most effective tool in your security arsenal. Learn all you can about it. How to customize it to fit your needs, and how to recognize if someone has changed it. I have seen some pretty nasty bugs that will change the firewall settings and then lock out the computer's user. Good luck!

[tom1499]

I use AVG now, as I lost McAffee when I wiped my disk. It was the worst AV software I've had. It was HORRIBLY sluggish and had the worst user interface. I made no attempt to renew or reinstall even though I had 6 months left on license. Got it free with my laptop. Considering moving to Avast as I've heard good things.

[vetrox]

Although this seems an extremeley bias thread (IE everyone will put there favourite down)

I will put forward norton. Mainly because I have tried others but I'm so used to norton that i dislike the others.

It gets less intrusive each year and (the original readon I got it all those years ago) is norton 360 comes with various usefull tools. Now all these tools are available in other software, however! I'm a fan of keeping everything in one place and able to do everything with one click.

My girlfriend swears by AVG which I personally find slow and annoying.

I went through a stage of kaspersky but the computer that I put it on really disagreed with it and went on the go slow (not sure if kaspersky issue or computer)

Chances are whatever you pick first will be the one you keep forever. Like someone pointed out you will still get a virus or spyware even with the best of the best but you will get alot less of them if you have at least some form of antivirus/antispyware.

The one thing that should be on the bottom of most peoples list when looking for antivirus (this is personal opinion btw) is the amount of system resources they need. Even basic laptops (not the bottom of the bottom of last years old range) will have enough power to run a juicy antivirus. Everyone i ask says "dont get norton it uses to much system resources yada yada yada"...yeh maybe if your computer was built in the 90's

Randox already pointed out Adblock. I highly recommend that. Advertisers can and will install all kinds of junk so they can follow your browsing habits.

This is a really usefull tool that norton doesnt have. Although im not against advertisers following my habbits (it makes buying stuff for myself slightly easier sometimes...sometimes) but its most usefull if you like to stream stuff from iffy sites.

You know where its all "click here to play" but your not quite sure which one is the real one. Its usefull for getting rid of the fake ones. I managed to install a virus once because i wasnt paying attention (i was trying to download and install something, cant remember what) and didnt have ad block. I just kept clicking "yes" "install" until about the 4th thing i agreed to install and my brain clicked and all i thought was "dammit brain! why u on autopilot!" (fortunatley i made a system restore point the previous day) It just shows even the most vigilant can slip up from time to time.

Edited November 22, 2013 by vetrox

[stupid_chris]

Don't get Norton. Above all else, don't get Norton. Totally not worth what you'll pay, very user invasive, doesn't work half the time. I've seen a countless amount of PCs where Norton was totally helpless to do anything about a virus situation.

I'm using Avast personally. Totally free, works fantastic, never has a single problem with it activated. For a normal home user, the free version Avast does everything you need. The paid versions of Avast or of other antivirus (except Norton) are better in different ways each, but none of those features are things you need for a home PC.

[Guest]

When I say that I don't like anti-virus programs, I should clarify that I don't like the ones that are always running. I have seen too many examples of these types of anti-virus' that claim "real-time protection" that just don't work. Systems that are full of spyware and toolbars and crap that slow down internet browsers even though they have Norton or AVG installed. This leads me to conclude : why even let them have any of my resources in the first place? That is why I always recommend Malwarebytes, the free version, not the paid. It only runs when you tell it. It only updates when you run it, avoiding the tying up of bandwidth at inopportune times. And believe me, they will update themselves at the worst possible times, or so it seems.

I also find that programs like AVG or Norton are harder to remove completely than the viruses they are supposed to protect you from. And don't get me started with McAfeee. That's just a joke.

Stupid_Chris is right about Avast. It's the best of the bunch so far as I can tell. At least so far. They may eventually fall prey to the same problems as the bad players.

It all comes down to you and your browsing habits. You are the number 1 best line of defense, and the highest risk at the same time. There is no program that can protect you from a bad or stupid or uninformed decision. We all know that the Brooklyn Bridge is not for sale. Some of us still believe that we can "work at home and make thousands of dollars a week", however.

[Rowsdower]

Once you disable Avast's audio and pop up notifications, it's highly recommended.

[ZedNova]

Avast, Avg, and Kaspersky. But i don't really need any because i know what malware smells like.

[Galacticruler]

*common sense, the best AV of all time.

**Common sense is not all that common.

[Sapphire]

I like both Avast and/or Microsoft Security Essentials, and combine one of those with MalwareBytes and SuperAntispyware. All free, and viruses can't touch this.

[TechnicalK3rbal]

From my experience:

Free:

Best, avast

Worst, avg

Paid:

Best Mcafee,

Worst ?

[Tank Buddy]

I use avast free, and apparently it is supposed to stop asking you to buy the full version after a few months and it just gives up. I don't know about this but it seems to keep my computer safe. I would also recommend Malwarebytes anit-malware. (Free!)

[Randox]

I don't think most AV programs recognize much (if anything) in the Toolbar and Potentially Unwanted Program categories.

This leads me nicely into why I was looking at this thread again. Came across a program recently called AdwCleaner (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/), which I found when I noticed that my current methods had failed quite spectacularly to totally remove conduit after it snuck onto my system (I obviously wasn't paying attention that day, and I'd like to commend the program for sitting for so long before changing my homepage again).

The program has a very narrow focus. It checks the registry, browser settings, shortcuts, and ad ons (and I think that's it). It does seem to be very good at what it does though. My only issue with it is that it's just an application, so rather than installing and updating, you actually need to download the new version. On the other hand, this is really only a program you would run if you notice something wrong (or every month or something), like your browser randomly redirecting and so on.

[The Jedi Master]

AVG. AVG. AVG.

Seriously, it will protect you from almost ANY threat, and it doesn't screw up your computer like Norton!

[SDIR]

Yeah, software like Norton and McAfee are the worst. My laptop came with McAfee, and after uninstalling it, it had a 50% boost in performance. TBH, so long as you aren't visiting sketchy websites or torrenting, Windows Security Essentials is all you need.

[Mmmmyum]

I just use Windows Defender. I don't know how good MS's antimalware was before 8 though, but I haven't heard good things