What free AV solutions are people using today?

[Nexxus]

I was using avira until it did a thing & found out its log display method is absolute trash (I never found out what the thing was) so looking for new ideas.

No Windows defender, already have MWbyte thanks, and "common sense" isn't AV software.

[Oshino Shinobu]

Windows Defender

Malwarebytes (for system scans)

Caution/common sense/my brain

 

That's kept me virus and malware free for years. 

[LtStaffel]

switch to linux

[WereCat]

Windows Defender

Malwarebytes

Sanboxie

Common sense

 

[Nexxus]

2 minutes ago, LtStaffel said:

switch to linux

Thanks for not being vaguely helpful.

[Razor Blade]

9 minutes ago, Nexxus said:

Thanks for not being vaguely helpful.

Actually for internet browsing on sites you haven't been on before, Linux wouldn't be a bad option. That's the reason I have mint installed on a USB drive. When I boot into mint I don't mount any drives and I don't map my NAS. Maybe it isn't completely foolproof but at least prevent malicious sites from detecting a windows machine... I want to start using a VM soon so I don't have to boot from a USB drive on my computer anymore.

 

On my gaming computer I still run Malwarebytes and keep Windows Defender on. Then I have my firewall on the router...for what that's worth.

[Nexxus]

Just now, Razor02097 said:

Actually for internet browsing on sites you haven't been on before, Linux wouldn't be a bad option. That's the reason I have mint installed on a USB drive. When I boot into mint I don't mount any drives and I don't map my NAS. Maybe it isn't completely foolproof but at least prevent malicious sites from detecting a windows machine... I want to start using a VM soon so I don't have to run the drive on my computer anymore.

 

On my gaming computer I still run Malwarebytes and keep Windows Defender on. Then I have my firewall on the router...for what that's worth.

I have precisely 0 interest in Linux for anything.

[Razor Blade]

2 minutes ago, Nexxus said:

I have precisely 0 interest in Linux for anything.

That's fair enough. I know you didn't really specify, but if you're wanting a free solution Avast and AVG were the go to back in the day. But seems like both have become kind of bloated with nagware...

[Willowwizard]

Back in the day Avast and AVG were my go-to's, however recently on my personal Windows partition; uBlock Origin, Windows Defender and Malwarebytes keeps pretty much everything at bay.

For my brothers (and dad) I installed Bitdefender but it requires you to register with an e-mail address to use it for more than a month, and the interface is very simplistic (pretty much only an on/off switch for the virus shield & auto scan, and a small button for viewing the log files)

[LtStaffel]

12 hours ago, Nexxus said:

I have precisely 0 interest in Linux for anything.

 

12 hours ago, Razor02097 said:

That's fair enough.

 

I don't consider a statement of no interest as fair enough.

 

Linux is the best family of operating systems overall and Windows literally holds not a single candle to it.

 

Also, @Nexxus Linux is a very valid answer in multiple ways to malware threats.

[Razor Blade]

17 minutes ago, LtStaffel said:

 

 

I don't consider a statement of no interest as fair enough.

 

Linux is the best family of operating systems overall and Windows literally holds not a single candle to it.

 

Also, @Nexxus Linux is a very valid answer in multiple ways to malware threats.

Given the statement made, I decided not to pursue it. You can't force someone to change their mind. If the person has no interest in switching to Linux then there isn't really a point in suggesting it anymore.

[Nexxus]

8 hours ago, LtStaffel said:

 

 

I don't consider a statement of no interest as fair enough.

 

Linux is the best family of operating systems overall and Windows literally holds not a single candle to it.

 

Also, @Nexxus Linux is a very valid answer in multiple ways to malware threats.

As valid as it might be to combat malware as mentioned I have exactly 0 interest in the OS & it is 100% irrelevant to me.

[Zodiark1593]

What is it you're looking in an AV exactly. Something of a safety net for the potential misstep, or a neigh impenetrable wall even venturing within the dankest parts of the Net?

 

While I have Defender and MalwareBytes (free), a strong first defense would be at the browser. Extensions to whitelist which websites can run java (NoScript for FireFox users) would be a good start, albeit, a bit of a PITA for the first day or so. I did use MalwareBytes to extract a nasty piece of malware some years ago, and finished up by deleting the registry entries manually, though beyond that, I've had no further encounters with malware.

[Nexxus]

5 hours ago, Zodiark1593 said:

What is it you're looking in an AV exactly. Something of a safety net for the potential misstep, or a neigh impenetrable wall even venturing within the dankest parts of the Net?

 

While I have Defender and MalwareBytes (free), a strong first defense would be at the browser. Extensions to whitelist which websites can run java (NoScript for FireFox users) would be a good start, albeit, a bit of a PITA for the first day or so. I did use MalwareBytes to extract a nasty piece of malware some years ago, and finished up by deleting the registry entries manually, though beyond that, I've had no further encounters with malware.

Safety net, Use MWB, not interested in defender cause I have heard its gone to trash over the recent years. Just something to passively run in the background, notify me if something suspicious is up and let me see a damn log of actions it takes so I can dismiss what it does or take further action.