Anti-Virus-ish

[faelaenx]

OK, this is for all you tech-heads out there....

And seriously, i don't just want opinions, i want hard data...

My PC took a dump when i accidentally clicked on a link a coupla weeks ago. It's taken me a while to get everything back to 'normal'. So my query is this:

what's the best anti-virus out there?

i ran into an Italian guy at MicroCenter and he recommended Avira - free download - over buying anything from the store, even Nod. He claimed that they were all outdated anyway and overpriced. So i DL'd it and haven't really had any problems, but, like i said, he was some guy i ran into.

So, opinions?

[Berger Stahl]

At a corporate level, this is the most commonly used one

Symantec Endpoint Protection

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4Y3KTHRS

does not bloat the system nor it becomes a resource hog...

(a bit more than what most home users would need)

Alternatively, you have the free option which is Microsoft Security Essentials

and if u dont mind a bit of pay, there's also MalwareBytes

(i use all 3 in all of my systems at home)

[Lexus]

OK, this is for all you tech-heads out there....

And seriously, i don't just want opinions, i want hard data...

My PC took a dump when i accidentally clicked on a link a coupla weeks ago. It's taken me a while to get everything back to 'normal'. So my query is this:

what's the best anti-virus out there?

i ran into an Italian guy at MicroCenter and he recommended Avira - free download - over buying anything from the store, even Nod. He claimed that they were all outdated anyway and overpriced. So i DL'd it and haven't really had any problems, but, like i said, he was some guy i ran into.

So, opinions?

I have Avira as well. And I never had any problems, nor did it ever became a resource hog or anything. Never had any viruses fucking my computer over since I use Avira.

Then again, the problem is that I dont know how many viruses slip the net. I mean, combined with the standard windows firewall and Avira I never have much virus reports. That either means its a really good program that simply stops all the viruses dead in their tracks or that it simply doesnt recognize a lot of viruses as viruses.

[Drewthetexan]

One of the bits of advice I've been given from an IT guy is to make sure you run your system without administrator privelages. That is, setup two logins - one for normal use, and one for any maintainance or installations you need to do. The locked down account simply doesn't have access to your system, and can't be hijacked nearly as easily. Its a bit of a pain in the ass sometimes, but less so than doing a rebuild because your box cratered.

As far as antivirus, I couldn't give you an unbiased or educated recommendation, but the same IT guy has been running McAfee on all his personal and clients' machines for years.

[swarmofcats]

Two things I've been using that have kept my computer entirely clean over the years:

Firefox with the NoScript addon.  By defualt it blocks all Javascript on websites, which is the most common way to catch spyware and viruses.  When you have a trusted website that needs access, you click a little icon and allow only that website, not the 3 or 4 that potentially are also trying to run alongside it.  It's very easy and can actually speed up your browsing because you are running less unwanted junk overall.  (As an added bonus, with FireFox you can also install AdBlock Plus and you'll never see any advertisements, either.)

And use an antivirus program with active scanning.  There are a lot of good antivirus programs, personally I have used AVG for years without any problems.  It is updated almost daily, is totally free to use and non-intrusive, and will find stuff as it tries to run and before it is able to infect your system.  This is really important.  You can always remove viruses after the fact, but it's better to just not pick them up in the first place.  ;)  GL

[thinkingthing]

Been using COMODO Internet Security without any drama.

Agreeing that NoScript for Firefox is a very, very good way to surf.

[Berger Stahl]

if you all want to put your trusty antivirus software to the test, pay a visit to

http://www.rlslog.net/ 

and see what i catches    ;) 

[faelaenx]

hmmm, show me how to use this and i might...other than that, happy BDay to me, since i consider it the same day since i been 'wake..   =)

[faelaenx]

so Avira has been kind to me...just was wondering what the hacker feel was like out there...or if we dinnae e'en deserve such protection. Being simple humans and all -

[xeno]

I can tell you what NOT to run...

I started off with Norton some years back... managed to buy it too... was a complete resource hog, and was impossible to uninstall...

Switched to AVG, since that one got good reviews, got lots of good recommendations, and the free version worked nicely... so I ended up buying the commercial version. Was ok until the day they launched AVG9, and from then on my average CPU consumation was close to 100% (on a core2 duo).

Right now, I was really without an antivirus, but somehow McAfee sneaked itself in. Think it was bundled with some software, and I failed to notice a "do you also want McAfee" checkbox...
So, unless you wanna support google/yahoo style ninja-installing software, then I recommend you stay away from McAfee too...

To be honest, I think any antivirus maker is ultimately doomed... they start off with a tiny little great product, gets a lot of customers, then capitalistic owners that wants growth, hires a ton of developers to write new state of the art virus detection - and then you, the consumer, gets stuck with an ever increasing stack of resource consuming innovative new protection software... until you tire of it, goes for a brand new tiny little great antivirus product, and the loop starts all over again...

[xeno]

oh, and thank god the topic wasn't an anti Access Virus thread like I first thought :)

I kinda like that synth :)

[faelaenx]

thanks for the input Xeno, being a dedicated cynic myself, i have to fall in line with your views. Still, AV has not done me wrong so far and until i have to recover again or - fates forbid, format - i'll stick with the free over spending $100 for, what?

Again, just a cynic, being cynical...

[mikepowell512]

I used AVG 9.0 free too, his link scanner is beautiful.. But he cant repair and remove BASIC threads like autorun.inf in portable devices, some auto-copying trojan horses..
Its not bad antivirus, he does his work correctly and reliably.. e.g. he is powerful against worms and tracking cookies..

Im now using trial version of NOD32 but thats only temporary solution..

As I looked on this topic I think youre inspired me.. :P

Thanks for interesting info.. :)

[faelaenx]

Whoa, don't quote me on anything, ok? Don't want to be responsible for what happened to me. All i'm sayin is that it's doin me fine. but i am no PC expert. That's why i asked the one's here. And this community is curiously quiet....?

[mikepowell512]

Dont worry, your name wont be quoted anywhere..
I used this topic only as a source of information because I havent any problems with virus shits and co. till some weeks ago..
All users here are protected by internal firewall, so something must happen there..
My NOD32 keep the ground, still..