Virus Problem

[Hasan Sainudeen]

What is the best antivirus software?

[Pugs501]

Spybot Search&Destroy Avast and AntiMalware Bytes

[SadTech]

AvG isn't bad for Anti-Virus and it is free, Kaspersky is also good. Spybot and Malwarebytes are not Anti Virus they are Anti-Malware.

 

But if you need a Anti-Malware get Malwarebytes for sure I find that it works 10x better then Spybot. CCleaner is very good to, it fixes files in registry and gets rid of ones that are pointless like lingering files after uninstalling programs.

 

Avast is a good Anti-Virus also.

 

Just google and do some research on multiple forums and read reviews.

 

NO matter what Anti-virus you get or Anti-Malware make sure you update the definitions right way and click the update button multiple times just to be sure.

[emachado99]

I use Kaspersky and Malwarebytes. I've been using Kaspersky since 2010 and have't had an issue with it at all. It's a really good anti-virus

[Horrorfull]

I usually don't get virus' on my main rig but the rig I built for my little cousin always seems to have some. I just end up wiping a bunch of drives cause he doesn't have anything important on them.

[LudoTheGreat]

AVG is not a good antivirus. I work on more PCs that are infected and have AVG installed than any other AV out there. Windows Defender or Security essentials are efficient enough free AVs for more semi-smart internet users. Be cautious about what sites you are visiting and what links you are clicking and it'll do just fine. Use some sort of malware remover every month or so and you should be good. If you are looking to purchase one, ESET NOD32 is the best AV on the market.

[Ptopman]

Personally I use Microsoft Security Essentials (Free) and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Pro, The free version of malware is just as good, only thing the pro lets you do is real time and scheduled scans. I have never had an virus/malware on my computer, and if there is a hint of one they alert me immediately and quarantine it for me until I tell it what to do.

 

Edit: As well I have Rkill for those viruses I can't get off easily, usually used for clients.

[STRMfrmXMN]

I stopped using AV about two weeks ago and the marginal performance gains seem to be worth it. All I do with said computer though is web browse so it may not be a huge worth. I suggest Avast or Defender for free.

[Nuluvius]

What is the best antivirus software?

 

That stuff that runs inside your skull in your brain? I think it's known as common sense:

 

 

That plus the experience plugin and maybe a VM for testing should see one past 99.9% of current pitfalls.

[dalekphalm]

I stopped using AV about two weeks ago and the marginal performance gains seem to be worth it. All I do with said computer though is web browse so it may not be a huge worth. I suggest Avast or Defender for free.

 

 

That stuff that runs inside your skull in your brain? I think it's known as common sense:

 

 

That plus the experience plugin and maybe a VM for testing should see one past 99.9% of current pitfalls.

Both of these are EXTREMELY bad suggestions, unless you are an extremely advanced PC User/IT Technician.

 

They will not save you from all viruses/malware, as even legitimate websites can become compromised and infected, and the occasional vulnerability is discovered in Operating Systems, Routers/Firewalls, browsers, etc. Generally these are patched quickly, but without a second line of defense (eg: Antivirus), you are vulnerable.

 

@STRMfrmXMN if all you are doing is web browsing, then the performance increase is really not worth the risk. I suggest at least using a free AV like MSE (Or Windows Defender on Windows 8/8.1/10).

[NARAKU_KAT]

I've used avast and Malwarebytes, also Super anti-Spyware, didn't have any issue; even when i have many non-bought things in my Pc, The latest version of malwarebytes could be a bit agressive with torrents but it's still good.

[STRMfrmXMN]

Both of these are EXTREMELY bad suggestions, unless you are an extremely advanced PC User/IT Technician.

 

They will not save you from all viruses/malware, as even legitimate websites can become compromised and infected, and the occasional vulnerability is discovered in Operating Systems, Routers/Firewalls, browsers, etc. Generally these are patched quickly, but without a second line of defense (eg: Antivirus), you are vulnerable.

 

@STRMfrmXMN if all you are doing is web browsing, then the performance increase is really not worth the risk. I suggest at least using a free AV like MSE (Or Windows Defender on Windows 8/8.1/10).

I might start using Defender although I just hate anti-virus in general. I haven't gotten viruses with/without AV. I got rid of Avast as disk usage would ramp up suddenly and randomly rendering the computer almost useless. That is annoying in it's own and I'd rather run AdwCleaner or MBAM once every few weeks when I don't need to use the PC rather than having the AV constantly update or decide it needs to alert of something.

[dalekphalm]

I might start using Defender although I just hate anti-virus in general. I haven't gotten viruses with/without AV. I got rid of Avast as disk usage would ramp up suddenly and randomly rendering the computer almost useless. That is annoying in it's own and I'd rather run AdwCleaner or MBAM once every few weeks when I don't need to use the PC rather than having the AV constantly update or decide it needs to alert of something.

Windows Defender (Or MSE on Windows 7 - Windows Defender on Windows 7 is NOT a full AV software, only a basic adware/spybot scanner) will never bug you unless something is wrong. Occasionally you'll get a system tray notification saying a scan hasn't been done in a while, but you can safely ignore those for as long as you need to.

 

What are the specs of your PC? How long has Windows been running for without a full format and reinstall? Avast should not be exhibiting the behaviour you describe. I've used it on many machines in countless configurations and it would not render the computer "almost useless", unless I was doing a full system scan, which it will never do on its own.

 

Also, keeping the AV software constantly updated is a feature It ensures that no matter when a virus strikes, you have the latest definitions to combat it. A good AV will be discrete when updating. Avast even has a "gamer" mode, that will basically turn it completely silent, and ensure that it doesn't interrupt you OR update itself, so that it doesn't give you ping spikes or lag accidentally.

[STRMfrmXMN]

Windows Defender (Or MSE on Windows 7 - Windows Defender on Windows 7 is NOT a full AV software, only a basic adware/spybot scanner) will never bug you unless something is wrong. Occasionally you'll get a system tray notification saying a scan hasn't been done in a while, but you can safely ignore those for as long as you need to.

 

What are the specs of your PC? How long has Windows been running for without a full format and reinstall? Avast should not be exhibiting the behaviour you describe. I've used it on many machines in countless configurations and it would not render the computer "almost useless", unless I was doing a full system scan, which it will never do on its own.

 

Also, keeping the AV software constantly updated is a feature It ensures that no matter when a virus strikes, you have the latest definitions to combat it. A good AV will be discrete when updating. Avast even has a "gamer" mode, that will basically turn it completely silent, and ensure that it doesn't interrupt you OR update itself, so that it doesn't give you ping spikes or lag accidentally.

As for specs, I have an old C2 Quad, 6GB of DDR2 and the real bottleneck - a 5400 RPM HDD (for Windows 8 at least, I have a 7200 RPM one for W7 which uses Avast). Having an already slow HDD being slowed down even occasionally is annoying. And it was fresh-installed in July if that makes any difference. I never go past 5% fragmentation of the drive either. I also use the gamer mode on Avast but find the occasional messages from Defender annoying on other machines.

 

But I am using Avast on the drive I exclusively use now (some issues with my mouse and Windows 8 that just made me stop using it) with Windows 7 and can't complain. My laptop with an SSD currently has no AV (I have everything backed up on another HDD in case anything goes horrible wrong). Windows was last re-installed about two weeks ago on it (Lenovo bloatware that I didn't want to mess with - just wanted gone). 

 

But as for now, I'm happy with how everything runs. I'll try running Defender for a day again and see if the performance decrease is worth it.

[Akolyte]

I recommend AVG or Avast for basic free protection.  My favourite is AVG, it offers several awesome features including an identity protection module which runs all unknown programs inside of an emulator and has a list where it can rank applications safety and therefore determine how much it needs to monitor it.  This provides for a very effective behavior blocker.   It also has great detection.  And AVG actually recently purchased Norman Security, while I haven't heard the plans to do with it yet you might get some extra protection there.

 

In terms of paid suites, which I do recommend if you have money.  Is Kaspersky, Eset and Bitdefender.  They are all great security suites, lots of people think they have the same protection as free software.  Not true, they have a bunch of features under-the-hood including exploitation prevention methods such as ASLR and DEP and can have custom Firewalls which while not anymore effective than Windows Firewall can be more automatic and configure themselves in realtime for whatever case your in, they also contain Intrusion Detection systems which improve deteciton. 

Eset is pretty basic but if you enable its HIPS or Host Intrusion Prevention System it will alert you of suspicious programs changing protected registry keys and files.  Its not enabled by default but you can enable it.

 

However, no matter what.  Always add layers of protection.  Make sure you have.

1. An antivirus                        3. An anti-exploitation solution like Microsoft EMET or Malwarebytes AE

2. A Firewall.                          4. A secondary scanner.  Its  important to scan your system with a secondary scanner every month or so.    

 

 

 

I might start using Defender although I just hate anti-virus in general. I haven't gotten viruses with/without AV. I got rid of Avast as disk usage would ramp up suddenly and randomly rendering the computer almost useless. That is annoying in it's own and I'd rather run AdwCleaner or MBAM once every few weeks when I don't need to use the PC rather than having the AV constantly update or decide it needs to alert of something.

Thats the problem. Viruses and malware aren't the obvious things anymore.  Allot of malware these days hides in the Master Boot Record of the hard drive preventing antivirus from finding it at startup.  So, its important to use antivirus even just Windows Defender to increase your chances of preventing an infection like that from occuring.

[Theo]

That stuff that runs inside your skull in your brain? I think it's known as common sense:

 

 

 

That plus the experience plugin and maybe a VM for testing should see one past 99.9% of current pitfalls.

FFS the day people stop having that dumb idea that "common sense" is enough to avoid virus.

Learn the different ways you can get one, then comment on threads like this pls

[dalekphalm]

FFS the day people stop having that dumb idea that "common sense" is enough to avoid virus.

Learn the different ways you can get one, then comment on threads like this pls

It happens at least once in every single "What AV should I use?" thread. It's quite tiresome.

[Theo]

It happens at least once in every single "What AV should I use?" thread. It's quite tiresome.

you mean at least once per page per thread? Even malwarebytes isnt enough for scanning ( it failed to find a gen.variant.Kazy ) that bitdefender found. (even kaspersky didnt find it)

[dalekphalm]

you mean at least once per page per thread? Even malwarebytes isnt enough for scanning ( it failed to find a gen.variant.Kazy ) that bitdefender found. (even kaspersky didnt find it)

To be fair, each AV Vender will go back and fourth in what they will detect (or how soon vs when the virus goes in the wild). Kaspersky will find some that BitDefender misses, Malwarebytes will find ones that both of the others missed, etc.

 

But yes, it's a quite common (And very antiquated) false-belief that common sense is enough. It's simply not, for the modern internet.

 

EDIT: Here's a great article explaining why common sense is not enough:

http://lifehacker.com/why-you-should-use-antivirus-even-if-you-browse-carefu-476330249

 

Zero day exploits are the biggest risk. These are security holes that HAVE YET TO BE DISCOVERED OR PATCHED, and can even infect you if you have "No-script" and "AdBlocker" enabled, and Java disabled, as they can often get directly through a previously unknown security hole in the browser.