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Best Free Antivirus Software
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Introduction
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Antivirus software provides an essential layer of protection from a multitude of virus, trojan, worm, spyware, adware, dialer, keylogger and rootkit infections. Traditionally antivirus programs just detected viruses and spyware removers just detected spyware but nowadays the boundary between antivirus and spyware removers is unclear. Most current antiviruses have at least reasonably good detection rates of all forms of malware. Malware includes viruses, trojans, worms, spyware, adware, dialers, keyloggers and rootkit threats that perform malicious activities on a computer. With the huge increase in malware, antivirus software cannot keep up with detecting all of it. Despite vendor's claims, no single antivirus solution, or indeed any one security software, can be relied upon for total protection without safe surfing and computing practices. But using more than one real-time antivirus uses much more system resources, can cause conflicts and even reduce protection. So I recommend you only choose one antivirus for real-time protection. Instead, you can increase your protection using other security software; for more information check out our Security Wizard. I looked at several free antivirus programs which are vital in protecting your computer from virus threats and other types of malware. |
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Discussion
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The main downsides are the slow scan speeds and the lengthy amount of time it takes to quarantine malware, though in my opinion these are rather trivial concerns, as for example a scan just be run overnight. MSE also is not available in certain countries so users there will have to look elsewhere. Note that Microsoft Security Essentials requires a genuine copy of Windows to install.
Panda Cloud Antivirus has a behavioural blocker and web protection, which will certainly increase your security. However as you can simply use one of the other free AV's with a separate behavioural blocker (for further details see our Security Wizard) to achieve possibly even better protection, this is not necessarily an advantage. One minor reservation I have is that PCA seems to erroneously detect certain browser/system-related applications, for example VideoCacheView, and because of the automatic quarantine this made it a fraction bothersome.
However, there are some minor reservations. First, AntiVir does not include web or e-mail scanning capabilities; this is only available in the paid version. The lack of an e-mail scanner is not a disadvantage, it just means that AntiVir won't warn you of infected emails before you open them. But should you open an infected email, AntiVir will still spring into action, so it doesn't mean that you're not protected from email-based infections. Also, AntiVir contains a rather intrusive advertisement every time it updates. Although AntiVir had signature updating problems in the past, this issue seems to be fixed now.
These free antivirus programs are excellent software that provide a real alternative to the major commercial antivirus products. Please help us by rating this review |
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Please visit our freeware forum to share and discuss your views and get advice on free security software, including antivirus software. To post in the forum you need to register first but that's quick and immediate. |
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Comments
False positives or not, will depend on what the filenames were on which these threats were detected. Can you tell the filenames?
Anupam Shriwatri, India
most threats were found in c:\windows\system32.
Then most probably they are virus. But i find it strange that Avira didnt pick it up and Comodo AV did.
Anupam Shriwatri, India
On one of my machines Avira constantly flagged files in System32\tools which I eventually tracked down to my motherboard install drivers! Avira is well know for false positives - you just need to be really careful with what you take out. Even putting the wrong files into quarantine can render your Windows unusable if the right set of circumstances hit later.
Malware News
Originally posted at the PCMag security blog, "New Rogue Anti-Malware Pushes Fake PCMag Review"
Thanks to bleepingcomputer.com for pointing out a new rogue anti-malware attack with a twist: one that adds entries to your HOSTS file so that if you go to any of a number of technology sites, you are instead brought to their site and are shown their content.
It's not unusual for malware to make changes in the HOSTS file, but usually to prevent you from going to security sites in order to remove it. Adding review content seems to be a first. And rogue anti-malware is also a very old problem.
In order for you to be shown these reviews, you must have already executed the malware on your system and do so while logged in as Administrator. Almost any decent anti-malware system would recognize the changes to HOSTS and warn you about them, so you probably can't be running any of those. So anyone who gets taken in by this has lowered defenses to begin with.
bleepingcomputer uses the name Anti-Virus-1 for this malware and provides a removal guide if you're infected.
Originally posted at the PCMag security blog, "New Rogue Anti-Malware Pushes Fake PCMag Review"
Has anyone tried DriveSentry?
I have used it for awhile, and it seems to be quite good. Unobtrusive, and light on resources. A combination HIPS/Anti-virus. Incorporates downloadable signatures, and a community based approach to detection, and more.
Take a look: www.drivesentry.com
avira is good but not free version bcs it doesn't has antispyware and avast really weak in talking trojans so i would like to go with avg 8.
AOL ACTIVE SHIELD BY KASPERSKY is also good.
Avira and Avast are both better than AVG. I was using AVG earlier, and it let virus creep into my PC. I used Avira for sometime and it kept me safe.
For a long time now, i have been using Avast, and am very pleased with it. It has saved me from virus on numerous occassions.
Recently, my cousin had AVG on her system. Virus got into the system, and AVG would detect it, but it couldnt delete it, neither quarantine it, and the virus ultimately took AVG down. And then the virus wouldnt let any other AV install on the PC. With difficulty, i somehow got Avast to install, and it got rid of the virus. I would highly recommend Avast.
Anupam Shriwatri, India
You should come to:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-forums-moved.htm
Rising AntiVirus appears to no longer support a freeware version as of their updating to the 2009 version.
CIS 3.8 is out.
how good is the AV? should i keep avira antivir?
You should keep the Avira Antivir. Comodo Antivirus is not as good as Avira. But the firewall is good.
Anupam Shriwatri, India
......yes indeed! - watch out world - the "boys" are back!
I'm not going to imply here and now that CIS will jump immediately to the same levels as Avira or Avast but in truth it WILL be good enough for the average user who does not spend their life doing P2P or surfing the Hong Kong porn sites! Melhi's promise is top level performance by the end of the year and I'm certain he will make it happen. I know that Comodo in general is not everyone's cup of tea but you have to admire how they have stuck by this project with their head up in the face of a deluge of adverse comments to bring what is now another excellent free security suite to compliment the worlds best software firewall. CAVS2 was always a joke but I'm betting there are not many laughs today in the offices at Norton, Mcafee or Kaspersky! If only the CIS GUI skins were available but hey, lif'es never perfect!
Good analysis and commentary.
The new free version of
Indeed... Comodo's competitors should be looking over their shoulders.
avira antivir works on windows ME?? because says windows 2000-Vista
neither avira antivir, nor avg, support WinME.
avast! is continuing to support ME, but only for the remainder of 2009.
Win ME is not an secure operating system. Use Win XP or higher. Or install a Linux distro like Ubuntu, It's free and secure.http://www.ubuntu.com/
Please note that posts promoting or denigrating ANY particular country are not welcome here. I've edited posts as necessary, but in future they will simply be deleted.
I think you deleted some of good posts too,including mine, oh well; but do be more careful when removing posts next time please.
-John
As you wish. Improvements are coming real soon now!
Avira AntiVir is awesome
Any opinions about Rising Antivirus? i've installed it and it just seems great. Probably the best free av around now.
Adding to my comments (4) and (16) below, I've now done some research on the net regarding Rising. Wilder's forum gives perhaps the best guide although many would argue that the personal "tests" contained here are still not technically competent. That said the guys in question appear to know what they are doing and sample detection rate is around half that of Avira. I've also pestered two of my wife's Chinese students for some feedback! Being objective, I would suggest that the reasons why this application is so popular in China are;
a) Language - next to no other similar applications available in full Chinese and those that have been translated are (to them) probably as difficult to understand as the early English translations of NetChina firewall were for us!
2) Availability - many Chinese cannot navigate English language sites even if they were inclined (and able) to purchase another application online and as far as I can tell the boxed stuff you find in the shops out there is almost exclusively from Rising.
3) The Chinese are fiercely patriotic and will always choose a home grown application over a foreign alternative.
4) Herd mentality - most buy on recommendation from family or friends guaranteeing that the take-up rate for Rising will be greater than anything else.
My conclusion is that I would wait and see how this application develops before using it in place of Avira, Avast!" or AVG. Full independent tests will confirm its suitability for consideration but I'm still betting that the later version of CIS might prove to be a better alternative for anyone wanting a change.
-Why should I use a doubtful AV
when AVIRA AntiVir Personal
and avast! Home Edition
offer
a) Higher Detection
and are
b) Lighter on Resources
than Rising Antivirus?
-Why should I not stay with well-respected companies,
like AVIRA AntiVir
and Alwil (the developer of avast!)
which both has a long tradition in the AV development?
-Are there any tests showing that Rising AV is better
than AVIRA AntiVir or avast! ?
Check this:
http://www.virusbtn.com/news/2008/09_02
I was just suggesting. I'm no expert, i was just trying to get a feedback.
http://www.rising-global.com/About-Us/Awards-Certifications/Awards-Certi...
http://www.rising-global.com/default.html
the antivirus has lots of features, it's updated in a daily basis and gives me no reason to complain so far. Sure it hasn't the name that the companies you pointed out have, but that alone is no reason not to look at it.
thank you for your feedback and for the link.
Please don't assume you are "stupid" because you're NOT! New is not always good, neither sometimes is old or established. Norton for instance was very good at one time, then fell away to be well below the performance levels of some others and has now bounced back to being in the top flight. Comodo another example great firewall, crap AV but with the next version supposedly (wait for the tests!) will be good enough to be a worthy contender. I too do not really care much what the ethnicity of an application might be just so long as it does the job for which it is intended and does so without crapping up anything else on the system. I personally believe that an AV is too important to be tried on an experimental basis unless you have a spare machine to do this on. My advice would be to watch the various forums and testing sites for information about any new application and then make a decision from there as to whether you want to give it a go yourself. Please continue to make new suggestions as without them the rest of us might miss out on something special!
Thank you for your reply. I understand what you're saying and agree with you. I used avira for a couple of years and tried avast a few times. my problem with avira (free) is the lack of a real-time protection against spyware, and avast has just a too strange interface. I've carefully select the software i pick because the computer is also used by my mother, and if it has too many pop-ups she'll freak out. rising seems a good software that wouldn't bug my mother. I initially had avira, spyware-terminator, spybot and SAS. using spybot and SAS only for scan, but that alone was not simple enough for her and i've been told that ST is no longer worthy.
I've been tempted to get ESET smart security because of it's simplicity but it's paid and not very cheap. So this is why i tried rising. I'm ware that it's spyware detection rate isn't great but i just can't seem to find a free combo that doesn't need attention.
I've heard that AntiVir apparently classifies some spyware as trojans, or detect it via heuristics.
Avast has free skins which you can download, for example the MacLover OS X:
http://www.avast.com/eng/maclover_os_x.html
You could consider adding GesWall free, though I've heard it conflicts with Rising AV.
I can confirm this. After installing Avira (free) on someone's computer, the real-time scan popped up with several trojan detections.