Comparing Free Anti-Virus Software

February 2nd, 2014, 09:18 PM

Based upon that report you should also be avoiding AVG and AVAST as well and should probably be focusing on Kaspersky and Avira. Seems that Kaspersky conistently comes up as the or one of the highest rated year after year, but I have no experience with it. Of course both of these are not free and hence dont meet the threads initial requirements.

I've had considerable experience with both AVG and AVAST and think both are very poor in both detecting virus's and being performance hogs. I also agree that Malawarebytes is the best software for removing undesirables once you already have them. I normally find that as Malawarebyters is removing the undesirable AVG and AVAST finally see it for the first time!

Fat Tails

Microsoft Security Essentials offers the WORST protection from 25 antivirus packages tested by AV-Test, a Magdeburg based independent institute, which regularly publishes surveys on antivirus software.
Please note that the CPU performance and the useability of the Microsoft Security Essentials is excellent, but I believe that the key point is protection.

AV-TEST - The Independent IT-Security Institute: Home

I recommend to avoid Microsoft Security Essentials.

February 3rd, 2014, 12:29 AM

Kaspersky is intrusive I can't uninstall it fast enough.

February 3rd, 2014, 01:53 AM

cory

Kaspersky is intrusive I can't uninstall it fast enough.

Share a bit more? I was thinking of using it.

Sent from my LG Optimus G Pro

February 3rd, 2014, 07:47 AM

I use the free version of Avira Antivirus and it has stopped 24 viruses dead in their tracks till date.

(when I tried to copy some old stuff from an old old PC from college years)

February 3rd, 2014, 08:30 AM

Big Mike

Share a bit more? I was thinking of using it.

Sent from my LG Optimus G Pro

if I download something I want to see it on my computer right away but with that software on it will scan the download file first. It took a long time and I couldn't turn off scanning feature. That's about 2 years ago.

February 3rd, 2014, 11:34 AM

iqgod

I use the free version of Avira Antivirus and it has stopped 24 viruses dead in their tracks till date.

(when I tried to copy some old stuff from an old old PC from college years)

What are you doing man? I've not had a single virus EVER in my history of using computers (nearly 30 years).

Mike

February 3rd, 2014, 11:37 AM

Big Mike

What are you doing man? I've not had a single virus EVER in my history of using computers (nearly 30 years).

Mike

I think the keyword was 'college'. Think floppy disk and/or peer-to-peer.

February 3rd, 2014, 11:39 AM

cory

if I download something I want to see it on my computer right away but with that software on it will scan the download file first. It took a long time and I couldn't turn off scanning feature. That's about 2 years ago.

If one is unsure about opening an exe file or whatever one can use a so called sandbox.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandbox_(computer_security)

February 3rd, 2014, 11:43 AM

ratfink

I think the keyword was 'college'. Think floppy disk and/or peer-to-peer.

@ratfink, LOL and you are right.

Peer-to-peer. Kazaa to be more specific, while the 20th century was in its last gasping year.

Yesterday, I was trying to copy my college photos and started copying a folder called PHOTOS.

Apart from my personal snaps there was random stuff choc a bloc with malware / viruses and the like. Silly unorganized me putting it into PHOTOS.

February 3rd, 2014, 11:45 AM

Big Mike

What are you doing man? I've not had a single virus EVER in my history of using computers (nearly 30 years).

Mike

You don't have to do much. One of Yahoo's advertising partner's recently distributed Malware through advertisements on Yahoo.

CNN: Malware attack hits thousands of Yahoo users per hour

Comparing Free Anti-Virus Software

Discussion in Tech Support

Comparing Free Anti-Virus Software