What home user virus and firewall software do you use?

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Chris583

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
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Well with Vista's windows firewall and protection being suitable for some people's needs, consumer firewall and anti-virus products claim to have the fastest and most up to date definitions and only some of these speak truths.I am currently using Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0 which I like for its up to date and usually non-bothersome but effective interface.
I have be been having problems with the software's firewall seeing torrent files that I am downloading as a possible hack attempt and using KIS7 with uTorrent seems to mean I will have to find away to disable these notifications.

Kaspersky has some of the best anti-virus protection IMO as it connects to one of the largest and up to date databases for virus definitions every hour. Yet their firewall is somewhat problematic with file-sharing, p2p, torrents, but I think most firewalls have such a problem.


Anyways I am accessing my current security protection and am considering removing Kaspersky in place of NOD32 and just using the windows firewall or something different. So for my benefit and the benefit of other computer knowledgeable people tell me what you believe to be the the most effective av/firewall combo (hopefully lite-weight and not anything like bloated and problematic Norton).

Please share what firewall and anti-virus software and combination of windows security tools that you use to keep your system protected and healthy.
 
I use

Avast! free edition
Spyware Blaster
Spyware Guard
Ad-aware free edition

No firewall. If you have a router just use that and set it to block the wan ip ping requests.

If you're looking for a paid solution I believe NOD32 is what a lot of guys around here recommend. I used a trial version a few times and never had any issues.
 
Esets NOD32, managed from a console on my SBS box (Enterprise Edition)
Behind a NAT router...RV082.

No 3rd party software firewalls.

Kaspersky and NOD32 are IMO the two top antivirus products out there.

If you're doing a lot of P2P stuff...you're going to run into security software that doesn't get along well with it...well...because P2P stuff is crammed with bad stuff. Usually home grade broadband routers are the first weakpoint with P2P programs, because they can't handle the traffic. Seeing the dangers of P2P apps....and the demands they put on routers....I'd recommend building a UTM *nix based router such as Endian, IPCop with the Copfilter add-on...or Untangle. Strong performance to handle the heavy traffic...plus an added layer of malware protection because they scan traffic through them.
 
I use:
Avg Free (loads better interface then avast)
Spyware Blaster
Spybot S&D
Windows Firewall

I used to use adaware but its become bloated and deletes cookies it shouldn't be deleting.

Honestly I don't think you need to pay for anything, I haven't ever gotten a virus or any spyware, I install all the software to make sure I dont get any but even then I haven't had to use it to remove stuff. If your smart on the internet you shouldn't have any problems.
 
I used to use AVG on everything but have been mostly using Clam-Win AV lately.
Windows firewall mostly.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Usually home grade broadband routers are the first weakpoint with P2P programs, because they can't handle the traffic. Seeing the dangers of P2P apps....and the demands they put on routers....I'd recommend building a UTM *nix based router such as Endian, IPCop with the Copfilter add-on...or Untangle. Strong performance to handle the heavy traffic...plus an added layer of malware protection because they scan traffic through them.
Click to expand...

well actually i have a crappy belkin wireless g router that was given to me for free and im looking to upgrade to a better one, especially cause a few areas of the house dont seem to be able to get a signal for wireless...i dont know anything about building myself a router like you said but if someone could perhaps direct me to an inexpensive and solid wireless router for my home 3mb DSL (PPPoE) connection I'm sure most things would be better than what im using now.

I decided to uninstall kaspersky and am gonna put on NOD32 for the time being with only windows firewall as I have seen less and less use for a better firewall these days as good AV can pick up any and all the normal problems and I am not a huge risk for hacker attacks.
 
munkle said:
I use:
Avg Free (loads better interface then avast)
Spyware Blaster
Spybot S&D
Windows Firewall

I used to use adaware but its become bloated and deletes cookies it shouldn't be deleting.

Honestly I don't think you need to pay for anything, I haven't ever gotten a virus or any spyware, I install all the software to make sure I dont get any but even then I haven't had to use it to remove stuff. If your smart on the internet you shouldn't have any problems.
Click to expand...

I do not like AVG anymore, Avast uses no resources and the interface is fine.
 
NOD32 and a hardware firewall here... I can't speak highly enough of the guys at Eset, constant updates, light weight and effective... great a/v/ in my opinion.
 
digital_exhaust said:
NOD32 and a hardware firewall here... I can't speak highly enough of the guys at Eset, constant updates, light weight and effective... great a/v/ in my opinion.
Click to expand...

QFT - if I leave realtime scanning enabled with NOD32, gaming performance is unaffected. You definitely cannot say the same for an AV program with a larger footprint like Symantec AV...
 
Dallows said:
I do not like AVG anymore, Avast uses no resources and the interface is fine.
Click to expand...

Avast bogs down machines more than AVG....although granted Avast has better detection. I used to install Avast as the freebie AV I'd use for friends PCs that I'd help clean up..after ditching AVG because of its lack of detection. But a high percentage of people whos machines I put Avast on..complained of agonizingly increased bootup times, login, and glacially slow PC performance. I soon started using AntiVir for my freebie AV of choice...when I'd uninstall Avast and put on AntiVir..they were happy about their PCs performance again.

This coming from many many people, with many different levels of PC horsepower.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Avast bogs down machines more than AVG....although granted Avast has better detection. I used to install Avast as the freebie AV I'd use for friends PCs that I'd help clean up..after ditching AVG because of its lack of detection. But a high percentage of people whos machines I put Avast on..complained of agonizingly increased bootup times, login, and glacially slow PC performance. I soon started using AntiVir for my freebie AV of choice...when I'd uninstall Avast and put on AntiVir..they were happy about their PCs performance again.

This coming from many many people, with many different levels of PC horsepower.
Click to expand...


That's bizarre. I have used Avast on many machines without any hiccups. I've used Antivir before as well and I like that too. I just think AVG is too bloated overall. I had the antispyware stuff installed and it was using an insane amount of memory for such a program.
 
I also use Avast but I do also notice that it does take quite a bit of processor power, nothing mentionable with nicer PC's but in the older Pentium, Celeron it makes things slow. I also like Avast's boot time scanner a lot more.
 
How bout 64 bit Anti Virus or Firewalls?

anyone use a 64bit OS like me (Vista64), and have any security software that was built for 64 bit operation?
 
I have Avast installed on multiple machines, all different specs, they all boot quickly.
 
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