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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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Panda Cloud Antivirus has a behavioral 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 behavioral 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 is a minor drawback. 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.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is a recently released free version of the popular commercial antivirus. This minimalistic and user friendly AV offers a user friendly solution for those who don't wish to tinker around with settings or deal with intrusive popups. The engine is the same as the commercial product and offers excellent protection. Indeed Bitdefender's on-demand protection is one of the best, right up there with AntiVir. The user interface is clean and uncluttered, though more advanced users may be frustrated at the lack of customization. Some users may have qualms with Bitdefender as various bugs and issues are seen quite frequently at the moment, which will hopefully get ironed out as it develops further. Also, a small complaint is that Bitdefender seems to have an incompatibility with CCleaner on my computer. 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. |
Take care to avoid the default inclusion of Chrome browser during the install process by using the custom install option. The attempt to install Chrome will also be repeated at the program update if the automatic option is chosen.
Quick Start Guide: http://www.avast.com/download-documentation
Forum: http://forum.avast.com/
Forum for support
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Editor
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This software category is maintained by volunteer editor Chiron. Registered members can contact the editor with any comments or questions they might have by clicking here. |
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Comments
i use it as my main av along with geswall . all good . as long as your machine is clean when drive sentry goes on there's no probs . cheers . uk peter
i think avira has best detection rate but free version is not good bcs it doesn't able 2 heal spyware but avg 8 is good n i have never tried avast.
What about Rising Anti-Virus Free Edition- Zero day protection with Rising Cloud Security: Rising Cloud Security users communicate with the Rising virus lab to form a rapid response network which quickly catches Trojans and other malware!
Comodo has a dualprogram. Avery good firewall and an antivirus program. Is available on http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/ "I find it worth 5 stars". Regards Poul
ClamAV has better detection rate than Dr.Web (on Virus Bulletin test) and has automatic update, but this AV not mentioned. In my opinion both antivirus is to weak.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4081/virusbulletinqs7.jpg
I believe Dr Web has strong removal capabilities, which is why I included it.
Does anybody have any idea when comodo will submit its AV for testing.
I guess at the time you see two moons in the sky!
Probably when they are confident that they will do well. They are not yet confident in their AV product. If you look through their forums they even say that you should use other well rated products to compliment their AV as it is not yet up to standards. Hopefully after this 3.8 beta. Hope that helps.
thank you and one last question when will 3.8 beta be out
It already is out.
However, since it's just BETA, they are using Heuristics which is new to CIS and the virus DB that they are using is a fake DB, so they are only concentraiting on the Heuristics for this BETA. The CIS DB is still being updated and used by CIS 3.5 which is live.
Avast seems to be fast; but it hinders my system performance.
For example, when I install a program, my system can't access the file, and ask me if I want to retry. Retry, Retry, Retry, ect.
This never happened before I put Avast om my system. It seems to hinder or slow down access to files. Causing my system to act funky.
It is not just my computer. My neighbor has it on his computer and it acts the same way his computer too.
I am seriously looking for a different free anti-virus to put on my system.
I might even go back to Avira AntiVir.
Cole Manager: You have 65 minutes to take the FCC GROL test.
Student: May I have a lifeline please.
I recommend you to take a look here: http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/six-months-free-avira-antivir-pr...
Any body knows something about PC TOOLS AV ?
I used PC Tools AV for over a year with excellent results as far as reliability was concerned. It had only manual updates, but they were incremental so times to download were short. I don't know much about its actual abilities as it never flagged a piece of malware or virus in the whole time I used it (to be fair, SuperAntiSpyware only flagged one or two pieces in that time). I used it (it has an "Intelliguard" to block malware from installing) along with Spyware Terminator and the Avorax Shield, so perhaps there was nothing to find.
There's precious little info in PCTools AV, and I eventually went with Avast because I at least knew its track record from various sites on the web.
Hope it helps!
One thing I'll add regarding my post on PCTools AV is that their support forum seems to take forever to register you should you wish to post on an issue. I registered on two different occasions months back and STILL never received permission to post. Since I switched to Avast, it was really no issue, but I thought I'd mention it for potential PCTools users.
kept freezing computer,could not even move mouse to log off.pity looks good.davy
It uses the VirusBuster engine with some enhancements. VirusBuster isn't that great in detection though.
Along with some other people on here I would like to know how Comodo stacks up to the rest.
Comodo AV was tested by AV-Test in the latest German PC Games Hardware magazine (01/2009) and apparently scored 25-30% in total, it finished last, way behind ClamWin.
However, a new CIS beta is out which includes heuristics, and according to Comodo, they have tested it and it detects 99% of what AntiVir and Kaspersky detects.
top firewall,better than most, but popups will drive you mad.davy
It's a bit funny reading through these posts, but it's actually quite a bit more annoying. Computer security is very important, but all I see here is "I think", "Personally I believe", "I recommend", "It sucks", and every other opinion that may or may not mean anything to anybody. What I don't see is any evidence to back up any of these claims. Today all that ends and you will have something new to argue about.
Here it is, actual independent testing of AV software:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/
Also on that site are links to other independent software testing sites:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/forum/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=6
After reading some of the PDF docs on how testing is conducted, let me say this. "I personally believe that the info doesn't suck and I highly recommend studying the independent testing process. After evaluating the process and forming your own opinion, I personally believe and recommend that we should all meet here tomorrow and argue about how wrong everybody is." But that's just my opinion.
Phobos:
You're exactly right----evidence is imperative in making informed decisions---I agree with you 100% on this.
However, you have to 'compare apples with apples' here; your weblink to av-camparitives.org is great---but it compares PAID versions of the antivirus programs. I was not able to locate the av-compatives.org link for evidence-based comparison of the FREE versions of antivirus programs. One cannot expect the FREE versions of the programs to measure up to the PAID versions---that's why they are FREE.
Please provide the av-comparitives.org link (or a similar one) that provides legitimate testing of the FREE programs and then your argument will 'hold water.'
Evidence?... It's the old story isn't it...it's not what you know but what you can prove! My experience from the many people who have sought my advice is that the MAJORITY of PC users.
a) Don't understand many of the basic functions (referring to Windows)
b) Never read install notes or PDF guides
c) Uninstall applications that are still running!
d) Want everything to happen with just one click
e) Can't be bothered to understand the fundamental requirements of establishing safe and secure PC practices
f) Are obsessed with "speed" and "cleaning" despite leading slow and dirty lives themselves
g) Complain like mad when something goes wrong and attempt at every turn to deny responsibility and shift blame onto someone else (usually me!)
This is the evidence - but can I prove it? Well, no of course not. Maybe I'm just unlucky or Maybe God is punishing me for a past life by sending every semi-literate PC dribbling dunderhead in the world into my place with his **** up machine for help and advice. The help of course costs money but the free bit (the advice) is what they never want to accept. I actually have a sign over the door (on the way out) which says "see you next week". I guess about 5% of customers ever notice it, same as "no parking" or "mind the step". Shouldn't complain really as it pays the bills but still frustrating.
AV-Comparatives doesn't usually test free products. But the detection rates that AV-Comparatives show for the paid versions is very similar to the free versions anyway, because AV-Comparatives does not test the products against spyware.
av-comparatives.org seems to be independent in the first place.
However,they some obsession with ESET Nod32.
Look at the Summary Report 2008.
Although AVIRA AntiVir PREMIUM Edition
was the Top AV for the Year 2008,
they kept promoting ESET Nod32.
However, ESET Nod32 version 3
proved one of the worst AVs during 2008!
ESET Nod32 version 3 presented a major weakness in
Detecting and Removing Spyware!
Although ESET Nod32 version 2.7 was a legendary AV,
ESET Nod32 version 3 has a failure!
Throughout entire 2008 comparatives, av-comparatives.org
treated ESET Nod32 nicely when the product kept going from
bad to worse!
Anyway, I believe that av-test.com is, by far, a reliable AV Tester!!!
Better than av-comparatives.org!!!
Av-comparatives doesn't check for spyware. Anyway Eset 3.0 did show to be worse than their previous versions in this year's comparatives,except perhaps in the last November testing. Personally I believe that using SAS or MBAM alongside Eset plugs their most prominent weakness.
I've looked at those, but they just can't compare to real world experience. Everyone seem s to have an option I know, some opinions are better than others.
There are two major things to look for in an Antivirus, First is detection rates, and the other is scanning speed. Now everyone seems very familiar with the first, but not as familiar with the second. Scanning speed, and how your antivirus affects your system performance is very important. Take a system with a clean windows install on it, and no antivirus, and it will fly. You'll be amazed at the difference in the performance and snapyness of the system. Then you put antivirus on it, and the system slows down. Why, because everything you do is getting scanned for viruses. Everything now has to go through that scanner. If that scanner is slow then your system is going to be slow.
Now the problem that I have with the tests that you linked to is that it says that several antivirus that I know have slow scanning speeds have fast scanning speeds. Even the reviews here contradict these tests. The test says that AVG has fast scanning speeds, but here its says AVG "has very slow scan speeds".
I have used avast for years. I use it on all the computers that I work on. All the computers that my family all use avast. Its not perfect, but it the best FREE solution that I know of.
It looks to me like the independent testing pretty much verifies the list recommended here, but it is that 1 virus that gets through that can make your day go bad. The best thing I ever did was to buy Acronis True Image and run a backup everyday. My comp is so old that I just cant run full time AV plus Crapware detection and Acronis has saved me from a few Crapware incidents lately. It's just a home comp, so if I lose a day it's not a big deal. Acronis also has a Try and Decide Service (Virtual Mode) that works excellent at the cost of only 4mb of ram. If this were a work comp, I would go ahead and pay for NOD32 also.