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Best AntiVirus

There is no 'best' product as no one product finds everything. However, I feel the best antivirus you can have is smart browsing. As for top scoring antivirus products, here are a few:

Top Paid
  • BitDefender
  • G Data
  • FSecure
  • Kaspersky
  • Symantec

Top Free
  • Avast
  • AVG
  • Avira
  • Microsoft Security Essentials

I suggest you check out AV-TEST to do your own research. They are one of, if not the most respected AV Reviewers out there. http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/home-user/marapr-2012/
 
When did Eset start to suck? I have used them for two years now in businesses and for home users. Not what they used to be?
 
rosco said:
When did Eset start to suck? I have used them for two years now in businesses and for home users. Not what they used to be?
Click to expand...
I use Eset too. They rock!

For free version I like Avira, Avast and MSE. AVG is and will always be crap.
 
Avast has better detection numbers than MSE however it is also more obtrusive than MSE (albeit not too bothersome). There isn't a nag screen per se but there are popups every once in awhile about their Android security or buying the Pro version, and you do have to re-register Avast every year to continue getting updates. MSE also has a lower number of false positives.

I've used both Avast and MSE with no issues, and they're both fairly lean on the computer itself....MSE is more of a "set it and forget it" solution, and it is what it's called....'essential'. No tons of features or extra bells and whistles....it's more barebones compared to Avast but (again) it's also less bothersome.

Switching back and forth a few times, I'm currently back in the MSE camp myself. I don't really like some of the extra stuff that Avast has added, and I don't feel like endlessly tweaking it or doing custom installs to get more of a base/barebone install of it when MSE comes that way out of the box.
 
I feel Microsoft Security Essentials is the way to go, personally. It's not as good about detecting things it doesn't have specific definitions for (so heuristic detection), but I like it that way....Microsoft Security Essentials is extremely good about not throwing false positives at you, and a lot more lightweight than other virus protection programs and I would put that down to its heuristic methods just being simpler and lighter.

Besides, as long as Microsoft Security Essentials does a good enough job, that's all I need. I'm not concerned about having the 'most secure' anti-virus software because I have other measures along side my anti-virus software. I don't use an administrator account for day to day use on my Windows computers (since in my mind, it's always been a rather illogical thing to do), and that does a lot more for me than any anti-virus software could. If you're worried about your computer's security, that should be your first step, and worrying about which anti-virus suite prevents more threats should come after that.

Using an admin account for daily use (especially if you have UAC off) and then expecting an anti-virus program to keep things locked down is a bit like installing a high end alarm in your house, but not bothering to lock your doors.
 
Wow, shocked at some of the choices listed above. No Malwarebytes or NOD32?
 
I have a friend who is Director of IT at a firm in the UK that provides equipment to movie studios and recording artists. He had his team do a study last year and they came away saying that Kasparksy was the best product.

Since, I've read reports that the new Kasparsky PURE is far and away the best product on the market right now.

For what it's work, I've used Kasparsky exclusively for the past four or five years and never had a problem. I've upgraded to PURE.
 
gamerk2 said:
Wow, shocked at some of the choices listed above. No Malwarebytes or NOD32?
Click to expand...

Malwarebytes is not an anti-virus program, it is an anti-malware program. Big difference.

MBAM should be used in tandem with an AV; not as an AV. Even with MBAM Pro being cheap and offering realtime protection, I still would not use MBAM as a lone solution.
 
I've had to stop using Avast because of this unusual issue: File transfers would lock up the computer, and often times to the point I'd have to do a hard reset to fix it.

It's rare though. I've posted it on Avast forums and it's happened to a few other people using Avast version 7 and up. I've tried a fix Avast suggested and hasn't really fixed it.

Currently using AVG at the moment until it gets fixed-- hopefully.

For those that don't have this issue, it does work and it works very well. If you get an issue with the auto-sandbox feature, disable it or set it to prompt you instead.
 
NOD32 started declining with V4, and was kind of left behind. Avira is trending in that direction too, sadly. I'm a huge fan of Avast, and AVG is starting to look better, though I still hate them with a passion.

Bitdefender, G-Data, Kaspersky & Norton are all excellent. Bitdefender has a few free versions running around, though detection rates are supposedly *slightly* lower. Look for RoboScan if you want to try it out. If you have Comcast for your internet, they give you Norton 360 for free, and I'm a big fan. Haven't had any issues in the past 2 years running 360 with MBAM (paid).
 
IMO:

Short answer, Kaspersky.

Long answer, Kaspersky :cool: Norton is pretty good these days but I've seen a few fairly bad infections slip past it. Bitdefender 2012 has too many issues, and can be a complete PITA to remove if the uninstaller breaks. Which it does often from what I've seen. NOD32's detection rates aren't as good as they used to be and it has gotten a bit bloated. Norton now is like NOD32 used to be, quick and effective.

AVG, McAfee, Trend Micro, Panda, CA, Vipre and F-Secure are trash. The new Webroot SecureAnywhere is lean (<1mb installer!) but slow to respond to new threats.

When it comes to free, Avast is tops. Avira second & MSE third. MSE is better than nothing, but couldn't catch a cold these days.
 
I wouldn't say ESET declined, I would just say that others got better.

MSE used to be reviewed as the best free AV for detection rates. 2.5 years later it's one of the worst. Times change.
 
I think Eset's focus and direction as a company has been somewhat lacking as of late, but I've been using NOD32 for years and don't see any reason to make the move to anything else, especially when combined with MBAM Pro...great combo.
 
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From the top three free antivirus programs, I am currently using Avira. It works properly and provides good scanning engine.
 
Top paid

Kaspersky internet security (check slick deals for free and dirt cheap deals on this) Forget pure its a waste
Gdata
Webroot security essentials(again you only need this version)
Bitdefender ( the other two are better by far)

Top free (proven solutions)

Mse
Avast

Change of pace

Roboscan ( lightest of the "cloud" free avs)

and stay the hell away from McAfee and Norton!
 
Kaspersky for best paid, MSE+Malwarebytes is my personal favorite setup for free
 
Vipre has treated me well, it was a bargain at $39 for 3 years for 10 workstations.
 
rosco said:
When did Eset start to suck? I have used them for two years now in businesses and for home users. Not what they used to be?
Click to expand...

IMHO? Version 4.

It's still good, but too expensive.

I also hate to see that it's performance impact is rising apparently. Symantec is 4 points lower. That's embarrassing :) Especially since it's supposed to be written in assembly.
 
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bigdogchris said:
I wouldn't say ESET declined, I would just say that others got better.

MSE used to be reviewed as the best free AV for detection rates. 2.5 years later it's one of the worst. Times change.
Click to expand...

That's because, sadly, Microsoft has a "Stick-With-It" factor of zip-dot-shit.
 
bigdogchris said:
MSE used to be reviewed as the best free AV for detection rates. 2.5 years later it's one of the worst. Times change.
Click to expand...
Cite your source.

At the end of the day the brain is the best AV software. Don't engage in risky behavior and you won't have a virus problem. The last time I had any kind of virus issue was when I was still downloading keygens some 10-ish years ago.
 
Thuleman said:
Cite your source.
Click to expand...
For which claim? Just go to AV-TEST.org and see for yourself. If you don't believe them then check out av-comparatives.org. I also cite my own experience as technician who deals with many different AV products.
 
bigdogchris said:
For which claim? Just go to AV-TEST.org and see for yourself. If you don't believe them then check out av-comparatives.org. I also cite my own experience as technician who deals with many different AV products.
Click to expand...
Just helps to point out where you get your numbers from, however at the end of the day synthetic tests are just that.

It all comes down to what the end-user actually does. Like I said before, my latest personal infection was probably a decade ago. Here at work we probably have some 400-ish desktops and I see maybe one infection per quarter (we are running Symantec Endpoint Protection) and that infection is usually not a virus but malware that people installed themselves.

The whole product A rates 0.5 out of 6 higher than product B is imho pretty meaningless.
 
Thuleman said:
The whole product A rates 0.5 out of 6 higher than product B is imho pretty meaningless.
Click to expand...

Goes a lot farther than some random user posting videos on youtube of malware tests inside a VM using predetermined (but not given) "malware test samples" or links.

Yes, the end user is the biggest problem of malware infection vs. not infected. However when one product catches more products out of a sample list than another, and the site providing the info is unbiased and reputable....you call it "meaningless", I'd say it's "meaningful".
AV-test and AV-comparatives are good sites to rely on; arguably the only ones out there. Most of the other sites are paid off and biased.
 
You should just use kaspersky, its proven, its got everything you need, and you can get it near free or free with a deal. Pair that with a malwarebytes lifetime deal and you are set.
 
Used to use avg but it seemed to get too bloated. Switched to avast a few months back and so far I'm liking it.
 
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