Different Anti-Viruses in all their glory

[Castaras]

Here's the story: I have fallen out with Norton, and am not particularly fond of mcafee's popups and resource hoggyness. I need a new Anti-virus, and would quite like some ideas on what to go for, and what not to go for - reasons are optional, but prefered. I'm willing to pay money for the Antivirus (as I would have to do if I wanted to renew mcafee).

Ones I've been recommended are AVG, Avast!, and Microsoft Security Essentials. Any other ideas? Are these silly ones to go for?

[Lioness]

I've got Avast! on both of my computers, and I really like the way it works. It's kept me pretty much virus free (except for when my sisters accidentally got one off of limewire...there's a reason I don't use it)

[SDF]

I use NOD32 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESET_NOD32). It's the best I've found(Highest rated statistically I believe), but the home edition is a little less than $60 for two years. I believe their website has a 1 month free trial (http://www.eset.com/download/free-trial/nod32-antivirus), though.

EDIT: I find Avast updates creepy. Like my computer is becoming self aware, and plotting against my by downloading and filling my hard drive with dubbed Sailor Moon anime. WHO PUT THAT THERE

[Ikialev]

I use Avast, it's good.

[Jack Squat]

Avast! is great if you can get past the interface (namely the update notifications, which I personally find incredibly annoying). I use this because it's free.

MalwareBytes is a great one as well - it's free as a passive scan system, and I believe it's still only $25/year for the "full" version.

[Seonor]

I was a fan of avira but then I read this (http://grack.com/blog/2010/03/17/the-sorry-state-of-avira-anti-virus-heuristics/) article and now I'm looking for something new...

[Cicciograna]

I've always used Avira and never had any problem with it.

However, apart from antiviruses, my two cps.
Using a computer requires a good dose of common sense. The Net can be a dangerous place, and one has to keep his eyes open.
I've noticed that there's a vast etherogenity of opinions on AVs, and even if the names that pop up are always the same (Avast!, AVG, Avira, NOD32, just to mention the free ones) it's nearly impossibile to tell which one is the best. All the AVs that will be suggested in this thread are great: it's just a matter of keeping them updated and surfing the Net with the aforementioned common sense: avoid suspect sites, do not download potentially dangerous software, do not accept candies by strangers and you'll see that your AV, whichever it will be, will be more than enough to protect you (especially if you add in the game a good firewall - my suggetions are Zonealarm or COMODO).

[Mordokai]

I'm using Avast! and am happy with it. However, if you're willing to dish out money, Kaspersky (http://www.scanwith.com/download/Kaspersky_Anti-Virus.htm) can't be beaten.

There's something to be said about Russian technology. I'm just not sure what that is...

[Serpentine]

It's all the Communism and vodka they put into it.

[Cyrion]

I've used both Avast and AVG. My issue with AVG is that I found it to be a resource hog and you can't turn it off without uninstalling it. (That became important when I was trying to figure out what program was slowing my computer down to a crawl.) Avast has a somewhat lower demand on the computer and is more flexible. It does have those creepy updates, and it took some time to find the right places to turn them off. It also only allows you to set the scheduled updates as "ever X minutes" instead of at the same time every day; I think I have that solved in the OS scheduler though, so that now it doesn't interrupt me in the middle of things.

As far as protection goes, I found both AVG and Avast to work just fine- no viri for me, though I have also innoculated me with the aforementioned common sense, too.

[Syka]

My university recommends having both AVG and Malwarebytes. So far they've been doing a good job with my computer since I restored it.

Plus....they're free.

[Anuan]

Avast! and MalwareBytes. Avast! for general 'yay, I'm doin' things and not gettin viruses! :D" and MalwareBytes for "Oh. Bollocks. That gave me a nasty virus! Begone, nasty virus! For you are made of lies and villainy, and we will crush you with our digital hailstorm! Muahaha!"

[Mordokai]

It's all the Communism and vodka they put into it.

Eh. Close enough... :smalltongue:

Now pass some of it. Vodka, that is. You can keep the communism.

[Thajocoth]

Anti-virus apps tend to hog a lot. Norton does tend to be the first to get updates for new problems. The fact that you need separate virus-scanners and spyware-scanners is ridiculous, as spyware is a type of virus. Also, most anti-virus scanners leave most of themselves behind when uninstalled (in case you change your mind and want to re-install, so it'll remember everything. Or, perhaps it's simple negligence.)

So, if you've recently removed an anti-virus app, you should see if you can find a tool online that will remove the rest of what that anti-virus app left on your machine.

I use AVG, because it's free. I also scan with Spybot every few months.

[Emlyn]

Avast! or AVG are a good choice for always running protection. Malywarebytes is great once you get a virus and Spybot is excellent at removing spyware. And all of them are free.

[Timberwolf]

I use NOD32 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESET_NOD32). It's the best I've found(Highest rated statistically I believe), but the home edition is a little less than $60 for two years. I believe their website has a 1 month free trial (http://www.eset.com/download/free-trial/nod32-antivirus), though.


I use NOD32 (Known to me affectionately as "Kane" - spot the reference) for work. I hate the dratted thing with all it's pop up updates wrecking up what I'm doing by switching my window over to inactive while I get rid of it.

I use AVG and Malwarebytes. Both work well for me, a very unadventurous internet user. Kaspersky comes highly recommended by those who know and I've talked to.

[Castaras]

Kaspersky was one I've been recommended on many forums and people I've spoken to...

One question though: Does Kaspersky or Avast or AVG have a firewall to prevent outgoing things from programs?

and on a slightly different tangent: OMG MIDGET PATROL.

[Timberwolf]

Ifg you pay for it, I think AVG does. I think Kaspersky does as well but i'm not sure.

And OMG !! DROW IN PINK PJ'S !!

[Yarram]

As usual, I'd like to make an honorary mention and/or gloat to Linux, which doesn't get viruses, and so is always the solution.

[thubby]

avast has worked for me better than all the ones I've ever tried, which is a lot 0,o
and it's free. it also won't have a conniption fit if you try to remove it.