Antivirus Software

[lohsmith]

Personally i'd recommend Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes as a good combo. Nothing is 100% but i'm not paying an arm and a leg to someone to turn my PC into a sloth. I used to use AVG before it became too bloated a while back and before MSE came along. To some the choice is a religious one, be warned..

That is my exact combination as well. I had been using Avast - but that became bloated, and also developed a huge memory drain that literally brought my system to a standstill.
I never thought I'd trust Microsoft with antivirus software - but it is just so good on system resources...and hasn't let me or my families PC's down in the 8 or so months of use.
Highly recommended!

[lohsmith]

In general if you want a free one, AVG you can't go wrong with. For a paid one kaspersky isn't bad. Norton and macafee are also good but generally use alot more computer resources, but I could be wrong with newer versions.

I have been repairing and sorting computers for years. My experience is that AVG and Norton tell you they are doing their job...but aren't (BIOS viruses seemed to crop up on AVG a disproportionately high number of times). MSE on the other hand is incredibly unintrusive, and just works.

[lodore]

I have been repairing and sorting computers for years. My experience is that AVG and Norton tell you they are doing their job...but aren't (BIOS viruses seemed to crop up on AVG a disproportionately high number of times). MSE on the other hand is incredibly unintrusive, and just works.

MSE can be good but ive seen it disabled by malware a few times.
I normally recommend my customers one of the following: eset smart security,f-secure internet security or kaspersky internet security.

Thing is I think for most people MSE is fine but users do need to keep all their software up to date and just not be stupid when it comes to opening attachments and clicking on dodgy links on social networks etc. I have found norton to be quite good these days tbh. the software is light on resources due to the whitelisting of trusted files which means alot less scanning. the issue i have is that it flags to much legitimate software because their cloud hasnt seen it before.

[dokdek]

I personally use Avast! Although I feel like any anti virus would do as long as you arent stupid and click dodgy links or download stuff without checking. I personally have not gotten a virus using Avast, but some of my other family members did, so it might not be the best. They now use MSE and it seems to serve them fine.

[pp05]

Malware is main threat these days.

Can you get by without AV? Quite possibly.

[Splash]

Malware is main threat these days.

Can you get by without AV? Quite possibly.

Unless there has been something happen in the last 10 years Malware is a generic term for Bad Stuff, including but not limited to viruses, worms, trojans, spyware etc. Antivirus shouldn't be the only tool to keep you safe, but it's certainly one that I'd recommend you don't avoid.

[dangel]

MSE can be good but ive seen it disabled by malware a few times.

That's true of lots of AntiVirus packages though - the weak point is the user allowing it more often than not. That said, on 7 with MSE my folks haven't managed to infect their PC for years now - a far cry from the XP days (and a paid for big name security solution).

[Phage]

MSSE didn't pick up a Trojan I gained from an Adobe exploit (Updates set to Auto). SuperAntiSpyware did.

[kalniel]

It's true of all of them pretty much - you need to run occasional scans with randomised exe's to get around that issue, but there are free downloads for that, and it's (at the moment) quite a minor issue compared to the volume of malware out there.

[dangel]

Yup, no one package has complete coverage at any one time - that's why a combination of malwarebytes and MSE work quite well together. It's not perfect, but then nothing is..

For perspective - our corporate Virus Checker (McAffe) has let plenty of nasties onto our systems that MSE picked up in R&D (where we have control over our PCs). The reverse could be equally as true though.

[Phage]

Indeed. I run MSSE, with regular scans by SuperAnti and Malwarebytes as the mood takes me.

[RobBerry23]

Avast is great, Would highly recommend it

[Paul_tech]

I use and recommend Avira free edition.