What AntiVirus do you use?

[jefboyardee]

I

 

[SiempreTuna]

Apart from a year with MacAfee coz it came with my new machine, I've used AVG Free Edition for as long as I can remember.

You have to remember that no AV is 100% effective - in tests, the best only manage to spot around 60% of threats - so I back up AVG with an occassional scan using MalwareBytes free edition.

If I suspect there may be issues these aren't picking up, I'll also install other free AV packages and run a scan or two - favourite alternative is probably Avast!. After the scans, I remove the other packages - you definitely don't want more than one AV running at a time: there'd be no resource left for anything else

 

[kate]

I've been using AVG for the last few years.

No complaints.

 

[BRAINZ2013]

I just started using avg itz good i think itz better than Norton from what i have seen so far.

 

[NYCHitman1]

I use Avira Premium. Inexpensive 3-yr licenses and reliable.

 

[Davdi]

Linux for 90% of the time, but when I *MUST* use Windows, it's Comodo (Free A/V and Firewall)

 

[warrior12]

My laptop came with Kaspersky. Its actually really good.

 

[Trooper]

I use different AV's depending on the machine. However for the most part I run.

Eset Smart Security
Webroot Secure Anywhere.

I use both for different reasons and both are top notch AV software.

 

[argedion]

Fedora and OpenSuse Mostly. When I used to have a windows machine I used Avast as it was free. Now I just say no to Winblows and life has gotten better

 

[mikedt]

I know of an antivirus you should NOT use....Qihoo 360...which comes from 360.cn...probably the most useless antivirus I've ever encountered, and most computers here seem to have it. In fact it actually comes with the standard install of Windows XP Professional Ghost Edition. ...this thing is so crap it can't even detect Conficker on a USB thumb drive.

Beijing Qihoo 360 Technology Co.,Ltd. :thumbdown:

I use Linux Mint and Mac OS X exclusively these days.

 

[dibblebill]

Old thread, but I'll weigh in.

I've tried just about every AV out there- my favorite and the only one I use now is Kaspersky One. I like it because I can protect my laptop, desktop, tablet, phone all for $50/year, including anti-theft.

 

[zuben el genub]

NOD32 (ESET) Online Armor FW, and SAS.
I've used NOD32 since either late W95 or early 98SE. Only AV I could find that didn't need that POS Internet Explorer. It used Winsock. I ran a 98SE shell that didn't even show IE.

Neither one is free, but there is a local security firm that is an ESET dealer, so I can get help on the phone or email instantly.

I use the Linux box for banking and buying, but have a few legacy programs that I like. I still use WP9 which won't run past XP, so it's on virtual XP on the laptop. All my old files are wpd. I've hated Word since DOS, and won't use it. I don't care for the open source programs either, they look too much like Word. WP used to have a Linux version but I can't find it. No other word processor did "reveal codes"

 

[EM3]

Keep em coming if you can because I let a fried use my laptop this weekend and now it is fried with the DOJ virus looks like I may have to wipe it clean and start from scratch. I guess my antivirus wasn't as good as I thought it was. Oh well such is life

 

[Davdi]

ClamAV in Linux (Only so I don't pass on nasties to MS uers), and Comodo internet security premium (Free despite the name) on Windows (When I really, really need it - that's very rarely now, only when an Office 2007/2010 file won't play nicely with Libre Office).

 

[skarecrowz]

I've tried several different a/v ... all good. But I've yet to find one with a log of actions. Frequently with different a/v's... i get them popup to say scanning new download, or scanning file...with no indication WHAT they were scanning. Don't ask which a/v ....ALL seem to lack this session log.
Galaxy Nexus btw

 

[striker325]

I was using avg antivirus and then I switched to Microsoft security essentials + malwarebytes (as a backup scanner). Haven't ran into a virus on my personal computers since 2003 when a trojan made me find malwarebytes.

 

[SiempreTuna]

An illustration of what I meant by using different AV: last night I downloaded some free s/w from CNet and it came with a stack of adware - so not exactly viruses but still a total PITA. AVG flagged 3 issues. Malwarebytes flagged 14.

That's not saying Malwarebytes is always going to be better, it just happens to be more focused on the sort of issue I came across last night so was better then.

 

[cybersa]

I'm satisfied with Avast Free Antivirus and Comodo Firewall over a year.

 

[ahomelessguy]

its funny i read through this, and see how many people use Avast and AVG , and guess no one knows that Avast, AVG and Norton all have common problems with "false positive" results on scans....

i use Panda Anti-Virus and have never been happier, i switched to them almost a Decade ago and have no issues since...

 

[zuben el genub]

Does MS own Panda? I used it once years ago as it didn't need IE. Halfway through the subscription MS bought it, and I got a notice that I needed to install IE (running a shell that didn't have IE) I refused and they refunded the unused part of the subscription.

 

[codesplice]

its funny i read through this, and see how many people use Avast and AVG , and guess no one knows that Avast, AVG and Norton all have common problems with "false positive" results on scans....

i use Panda Anti-Virus and have never been happier, i switched to them almost a Decade ago and have no issues since...

In the latest AV-Comparitives False Alarm test, Panda clocked twice as many false positives as Avast. (AVG and Symantec also scored fairly poorly, but Microsoft's Security Essentials handily won that round.) If you prefer Panda that's absolutely fine, I just wouldn't go around boasting that it's immune to false positives.

Does MS own Panda? I used it once years ago as it didn't need IE. Halfway through the subscription MS bought it, and I got a notice that I needed to install IE (running a shell that didn't have IE) I refused and they refunded the unused part of the subscription.

No, I don't believe so.

From Wikipedia:

The company, whose shares were previously 100% held by Urizarbarrena, announced on 24 April 2007 the sale of 75% of its shares to Southern European investment group Investindustrial and private equity firm Gala Capital.

 

[ahomelessguy]

i guess i should point out that im using the Enterprise Version of Panda, not Consumer..

 

[PaulS]

Whatever AV you decide to use or not it's good practice to keep a,"Clean" well working system back-up image that can be reloaded quickly and easily.

Free Download EaseUS Todo Backup Freeware and Trial version. Complete Backup and Restore Software for Windows & Linux.


I have used the free version of EaseUS,"ToDo" backup software for years,

and also used an old 1gig SD card in a free USB stick adapter that came with it years ago as a bootable flash drive which ToDo cam make easily.

HTH

 

[jefboyardee]

And of course...

Do Antivirus Programs Spy On You?

Your antivirus occupies an exalted position of trust. It's allowed to look at all your files, communicate with its home base, and more. What if it abused that trust to spy on you? Could that happen?

 

[Molltano]

I use AVG, its free, never had any problems with it. I highly recommend using a variety of programs tho. I also use Glary Utilities and Revo uninstaller.