Best free and best paid antivirus?

[Audioaficionado]

I use good internet protocol and MSE on all my Win7 rigs. I switched over to Avira for my XP rigs/VMs due to lack of continuing MSE support

When someone needs an industrial strength antivirus cleaning on their PC, I use my freshly updated FREE copy of Kaspersky 10 Linux booting CD as it's almost impossible to clean a bad infestation from within the infested Windows OS. In Linux the viri are dormant and helpless to defend themselves from Kaspersky's actions.

 

[EarthDog]

I use good internet protocol and MSE on all my Win7 rigs. I switched over to Avira for my XP rigs/VMs due to lack of continuing MSE support

When someone needs an industrial strength antivirus cleaning on their PC, I use my freshly updated FREE copy of Kaspersky 10 Linux booting CD as it's almost impossible to clean a bad infestation from within the infested Windows OS. In Linux the viri are dormant and helpless to defend themselves from Kaspersky's actions.

Best post in the thread here gents...

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I use good internet protocol

Pulled out the important part here.
The user is the first line of defense, there's only so much an antivirus can do with an idiot behind the keyboard.

 

[c627627]

Using common sense when you step out on the internet helps just like it does when you step out "on the street" . Unfortunately that argument has been used to justify using programs with sub-par definitions or worse, not using *any* protection because "I am careful where I browse".



Well what if a legitimate site is taken over? Fully, like Microsoft's own was once? Or partially, like when an exploit is injected through a third party advertisement on a legitimate web site? What then? How does being careful where you go apply then?


We always go back to the same comparison, what do you say to someone who says: "I am always careful who I have a one night stand with."
After a zero day vulnerability is out there, good protection is based only on your anti-virus program definition updates. Being careful is an excellent secondary level of protection.

But Primary protection has always been good firewall / program with good definitions, regardless of where you go... because you don't know when legitimate sites will be taken over.

 

[EarthDog]

You can't protect from everything all the time. With safe browsing habits and MSE, I have been virus free on my PC's for years. I haven't caught one since I last used Avira a couple years back when it wasn't a bloated monkey like it was shortly after. Luck? So be it. Should most protect themselves better, especially with poor browsing habits, surely.

What if a site gets taken over? You better hope the AV used has zero day definitions and you get that update before you get to the site.

 

[Audioaficionado]

I had a friend who frequently needed me to clean up his family PC. First I taught them not to click on all the pretty buttons. This helped a lot, but not entirely. Then I put them behind a simple inexpensive router firewall. I haven't been needed since

The most frequent malware I deal with now is the crap that gets installed with the free apps or games people install all the time. Now I teach them to carefully read each installation pane and uncheck the boxes with all the crap ware apps that come with the main installer.

 

[ADominus]

Free antivirus has some limitations. Paid antivirus is always best as it contain latest virus definition. Though realistically the best antivirus software is using your brain to avoid sketchy downloads and websites. Free and paid, all have their advantages and disadvantages. Ratings, performance and security of the applications changed month to month, it would be hard to establish any one. But in terms of security it's better to use paid option. I would recommend Bitdefender, the most important feature of Bitdefender is it's detection and removing capabilities. Internet Security and Total Security also provide you with a firewall, as well as the ability to encrypt files and store them in a secure vault. It doesn't cost you alot and delivers multiple layers of protection against ransomware. It uses behavioral threat detection to prevent infections, and protects your most important documents from ransomware encryption.

Finally, i would never ever recommend going without an antivirus even "free" if you're using a Windows system and interacting with cyberspace.

 

[Kenrou]

All anti-virus, free or paid, contain the latest definitions if you let them auto-update, major difference will be the lack of extras like real-time coverage in the paid version. But as was said before a few times, good browsing habits are 90% of the equation, I have only ran free MalwareBytes for the past 5y or so and zero infections so far

 

[Alaric]

My first security software was ZoneAlarm, before it sucked. I'm at three steps that I've used for years-Malwarebytes, MSE, and don't do stupid stuff with your computer. When the pr0n site says your flash player is out of date-unplug the rig and call a grown up. LOL

 

[Kenrou]

Very 1st one i used was TBAV Antivirus (for DOS), was decent but had way too many annoying audio effects. Agreed on ZoneAlarm and so far my router's firewall has been doing a good job keeping everything out

 

[Alaric]

Comodo Firewall and AV worked OK, but the software was like an unpopular child. Every 3 seconds it ran to the desktop to tattle on some program or another. It was like handling everything manually, anyway, so why bother with far reaching software that's the equivalent of "Are we there yet?"

 

[Austincd118]

the best antivirus of all is safe browsing practices

100% the best thing to do here, if you don't want a single hit of performance loss. Just install Adblock and don't make stupid decisions.

 

[Audioaficionado]

Ghostery is great too. Keeps them from spying on you with trackers as you browse. Both can be used on FF and Edge. Don't know about the other browsers.

 

[Kenrou]

Ghostery is great too. Keeps them from spying on you with trackers as you browse.

Isn't Ghostery known for selling your info ? also the adblock/adtrack portion was sold a year ago to a different company - https://adexchanger.com/data-exchanges/ghostery-sheds-ad-tracker-sells-off-plug-focus-compliance/