AntiVirus Software

[PoolHaddock]

Does anyone have any recommendations on which antivirus software to use?

 

I have a Dell laptop which came with free McAfee anivirus software, but I think it has run out. Should I stick with McAfee, or is there any equally good free programmes out there on the net. Alternatively I could change which company provides my software.

 

I am a complete retard in the antivirus field, so I would be extremely grateful for anyone with superior knowledge to enlighten me.

[Chrish]

The AVG Free anti-virus is not at all bad. However if you're a broadband user and wired up to the internet for long periods of time you might be better advised to get something a little more, er rigorous.

I use F-secure's "Internet security '06" suite which give you anti-virus, anti-spam - anti-spy and firewall in one easy to manipulate package. Not cheap though, about thirty-odd quid a year if i remember correctly.

And notwithstanding the inclusion of anti-spy in F-secure I would still considewr using MIcrosofts still free antispyware prog.

[pert]

There's nowt wrong with AVG. I suspect that Norton and McAfee are the ones that the virus writers try and outsmart, because every moron that ever visited PC World uses them.

[PoolHaddock]

I reckon the virus writters make the viruses, then sell the info tae these big companies, so that they can make protection against them.

 

I did have mcafee but lookin back it was sharn.

 

I ended up getting free anti virus software fae the net, and it seems great.

www.free-av.com

[Guest yaduk]

ClamAV is an excellent free anti-virus on Linux, and I believe there is now a WIN32 version of it. Do a search on google for "clamAV windows".

[Guest Anonymous]

AVG is my software of choice......free version that is. Also get a firewall....I use Zone Alarm free and some spyware protection....at the moment I am experimenting with Spyware Blaster and Spyware Guard. Spybot and Ad-aware to find and remove spyware.

 

And the whole lot will be useless if you dont check for updates. As a minimum my AVG, Spybot and Ad-aware get checked for updates every day.

 

Other than running software to protect your pc there are things you should do as well. Check before opening e-mail attachments (thats even ones feom your nice aunt Ethel....she may be ok but it could be a virus on her computer that sent the attachment. Never click on buttons that pop up with a yes-no option without reading them and always read the licence agreement before accepting it when installing software.

 

And remember to check for updates to windows on a frequent basis. Thats unless you run a Linux system.

[Pooks]

Another recommendation for AVG. Installed it on dozens of machines and it works as it should. It should be noted though that as well as installing a firewall (Zonealarm is fine, Kerio Personal isn't bad on a standalone machine), you should really look at running some Antispyware/adware software on your computer. In my experience it is causing a lot more problems at the moment than any of the viruses out there. Adaware, Spybot Search and Destroy and Ewido are some of the ones I would recommend. Running Mozilla Firefox instead of Internet Explorer helps to cut down on some of the browser-based nonsense floating about as well.

 

Avoid Norton. It all seems to work fine until it goes wrong. When it goes wrong, it is a complete pain in the ass to sort out. If you don't believe me then check out Norton's own forums. Even they don't have fixes for some of the problems it has.

[Njugle]

Avoid Norton. It all seems to work fine until it goes wrong. When it goes wrong, it is a complete pain in the ass to sort out. If you don't believe me then check out Norton's own forums. Even they don't have fixes for some of the problems it has.

 

I agree totally. I thought Norton was supposed to be the muts nuts until a nasty managed to embed itself within norton on a friends PC, preventing norton from updating, and protecting the nasty from all other anti-virus.

Nightmare.

[BigMouth]

McAfee can be a nightmare to completely get rid of.

 

For PCs I would vote for AVG. I even bought the paid up version. Two years for £30 I think.

 

For Macs you can get ClamAV

[Hambone]

If it is a choice between AVG and ClamAV I would go for ClamAV.

 

Just make sure that you configure it properly after installation regarding scheduling daily scans.

 

Both of them will update themselves over the internet automatically and both integrate well with Outlook if that is your email client. ClamAV even has an extension for use with Firefox which will scan any downloads you do within Firefox.

 

As far as antispyware software all that has been mentioned are a must I wold also recommend Microsoft Defender. Or if you want to pay for anti spyware software then get CounterSpy from Sunbelt.

 

As Pooks said spyware is the biggest culprit at the moment and I would also agree that Norton is a waste of money, especially the latest version. It completley takes over the operating system and slows the machine down, an absolute dog of a piece of software.

 

Also run Firefox as your browser instead of Internet Explorer.

 

Also have automatic system updates setup on both Windows and Mac so you get the latest operating system updates.

[Fifi]

If you google 'avg8' you'll see there are lots of folk who complaining about the latest version of AVG Free - AVG8. Most folk were happily on 7.5 but then got nag screens telling them that updates for 7.5 were going to stop on xx so most went for upgrading to 8. As I thought an antivirus prog with no virus def updates was like a chocolate teapot, I duly uninstalled 7.5 and went for 8. This really seemed to slow my system up and made checking for mail with ePrompter almost unusable.

 

A reliably techy person has mentioned the following, and I'm hoping he's correct -

 

"Grisoft are being very disingenuous with their dire warnings of no

further updates to AVG 7.5, implying that it will not be recieving such

AV database updates when they actually mean there won't be any further

updates to the AV detection engine itself (something we could all have

surmised without that message due to the very existence of a version

that starts at 8 rather than 7.something)."

 

Googling, most people seem to think that virus defs would be discontinued, hence their need to ditch 7.5 and now there are masses looking for alternatives to AVG altogether.

 

I've eventually found a site which lists links to various versions of AVG -

 

http://www.filehippo.com/download_avg_antivirus/

 

I've downloaded the latest version of 7.5, updated the virus defs and > so far so good. I'm going to try sticking with 7.5 until virus defs dry up or until I hear that I should change.

[fairislefaerie]

I hae the subscribed pro version of AVG 8 & havent had a single problem with it at all.

[Pooks]

I haven't had any problems with AVG 8 on any of the machines I have installed it. I should point out though that on each I did a custom install and didn't install the security toolbar or the Google phishing nonsense.

[trooter]

Currently using latest AVG. Removed McAfee which PC was installed with as it slowed it down. Used Norton in past but when they changed it a couple of years ago they ruined it. Don't know what latest version is like.

[Spinner72]

I've always reccomended AVG and have frequently used it to clean up machines suposedly "protected" by Norton.

 

Since around version 6, AVG have always thrown up the "there will be no more updates to this version" when a major change took place. Not "nice" marketing, but not as bad as a pre-instaled McAfee or Norton is!

 

When you get the message just nip over to the Grisoft site and download the latest free version.

 

Pooks makes a very good point about taking care when installing as AVG has now been "infected" by the dreaded toolbar options, jst make sure you only install AVG and nothing else!

 

As for spyware, the best defences i find for that are to browse sensibly and avoid Firefox.