38 replies to this topic

[rebell]

I've been using anti-virus programs since there have been anti-virus programs and I have been working on personal computers since there have been personal computers and the major anti-virus competitors (say top 5) have been consistently the best around, no matter who was actually leading. I have been extremely surprised that Microsoft Security Essentials is as good as it is, seeing that it's free and that is also surprising, that MS would give away a program that works that well. The only one I have found to be extremely unreliable is McAfee, but that had more to do with user friendliness/scanning time than missing malware, though their anti-spyware software is still next to useless.

However, my primary anti-virus is provided by Norton Internet Security 2010 and I have never had a serious malware infection. In fact, the SONAR feature has consistently caught new malware even before it has been addressed by the vendor. I also have Comcast as my ISP and they offer a free version of Norton that's a little more than Norton 360 and a little less than Norton Internet Security 2010, but I have had no problems since using it on my 3 computers and almost all of my friends use it as they also have Comcast, and none of them have had any problems. But, as trumpy81 said, "Of course, common sense also plays a BIG part in warding off those that seek to disrupt." Almost all the time when the average user gets a virus or other malware, it is because they did something they knew they weren't supposed to do, i.e. open an attachment in an email from someone they don't know. Personally, I think being malware free is 99% vigilence and 1% protection. The reason I say this is because I surfed the net every day as usual for more than a year with no anti-malware protection what-so-ever and didn't get a single infection.

I would also like to point out that "false positives" rarely cause a problem no matter how many there are, they're more of a pain-in-the-arse than anything else, but one virus can topple a network. So, for me, I'd rather deal with a few false positives than even one virus attack.

[pscEx]

Besides some different (for me actual) application names, I for 100% can agree with rebell's post.

Peter

[Budda]

Comodo Internet Security - Keep a clean computer clean. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[u2o]

Hehe you so funny too, I really don't need more number anti-virus 'coz I just use "none"

If I can't write all AV (on 20 places available)... I can't write none.

[Dubiaku]

This poll wont show the people that use more then one AV. Its hard to measure with this survey. Not everyone that uses an AV will vote.

True. The people using more than one will be at a greater risk overall than those using just one. Two different scanners trying to scan files "on open" or "on execute" many times leave the files unscanned completely in their attempts to scan by both simultaneously. In addition, the rootkit-like drivers used by many scanners to eliminate threats often conflict and leave the system more vulnerable.

Pick one and stick with it. Use others only for scanning and don't install their drivers for best protection.

[DiggerP]

Hi,

I'm using Avira.I've tried many of the ones listed ,but for a highly effective and light on resources AV,
I prefer Avira.
I found Norton,McAfee and later versions of AVG to be hogs ,so won't touch them anymore.

I don't worry too much about viruses or malware ,since most- if not all- of them come through either
your browser or email and I got that covered by using either
Sandboxie http://www.sandboxie.com/
or BufferZone http://www.trustware.com/

I've been "infected" several times with stuff like AntiVirus 2010 or 2011, but I just laugh at it.
BTW, Avira will warn me about them ,but for fun I let them do their thing.
When I'm finished ,all I have to do is empty the sandbox and all malware or viruses are gone.
No special AV- or malware scanning necessary.

I do use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware as an aid now and then,(neither it nor Avira find anything on my "real" system)
but my first defense is using the "sandbox" programs.
It also means that that I don't use all the different add-ons for my browsers ,like anti-phishing ,link scanner
etc ,etc, which all add up to slowing your browser ,but don't offer real protection in the way that sandboxing does.

Just my 2 cents

Pete E.

[gary987]

Measuring only virus detection is useless. Pretty much of the most popular scanners can detect viruses, but which one can detect nasty malware/spyware?

Most computers nowadays get attacked by malware/spyware, rarely I have seen customers computers infected with viruses.

I too use none.

For my Windows customers I do recommend they use anti-virus/spyware. I don't recommend one over the other. They all can fail. All that anti-virus/spyware/spyware programs can do is protect you against old threats. For new threat protection, you are always at the mercy of the latest update of virus defintions. I fixed one customers computer which was protected by a well respected paid anti-virus service, and the company did not have a fix for that threat for 2 weeks after my customer had been infected.

Cheers,

Gary

[DarkPhoeniX]

See Here Before Poll

[_deXter_]

See Here Before Poll

Don't. That video is from 2009, hence, irrelevant.

[Hima]

hi




look her

http://anti-virus-so...tenreviews.com/




and i think that

no any perfect anti virus

regards

Hima

[_deXter_]

hi




look her

http://anti-virus-so...tenreviews.com/




and i think that

no any perfect anti virus

regards

Hima

While I agree that there isn't a perfect AV, I don't agree with the site you linked. It's not an authority on anti-virus comparative tests. For instance, in that table, where are the detection rates and proactive results? And *webroot* is #3 and Norton #4? That's laughable and shows you how credible that really site is.

www.av-comparatives.org is *the* definitive site if you want to compare AVs. Read the proactive and ondemand scanning results for yourself over here:

http://www.av-compar.../detection-test


Webroot. Sheesh.

[soul108]

I usually use bitdefender total security or avast or avira

[Peterm]

I use Avast Free at home and Microsoft SE for our clients.
Interesting point Microsoft SE took out a file on about 4,000 clients from around the world. It was a Microsort SQL file.

[AceInfinity]

Hehe you so funny too, I really don't need more number anti-virus 'coz I just use "none"

Unless you run Linux I would advise getting some kind of protection for your PC, especially if you use Windows.... (Yes, Microsoft Windows especially)