What is the best anti-virus software for your home PC?

Question

Okay-- I'm getting cable internet at my house today.
I realize that with cable, the internet will always be connected.
Thus, I DEFINITELY need antivirus software. However, I do not want to pay an arm and a leg for protection. :(
Is there any cheap anti-virus stuff out there that will work just as well??

Also-- what suggestions do you guys have for keeping viruses away from you home PC??

Thanks!

Answer 1

Here you have some free choices, because free is always the best:
http://askcomputerexpert.ws43.com/download

Answer 2

You're cable internet company (ISP) may provide a free security suite for their users. If they offer online chat (also called live chat) ask them or give them a call. This way you have continuous protection without having to install several programs or paying extra for it...

If your ISP doesn't provide antivirus software, there are free options. The best ones that I know of which are free are:

avg, avast, and anti-vir.

Anti-vir is my recommendation because:
1. It installs and can be removed very easily.
2. requires no technical knowledge to use.
3. puts maximum protection on by default
4. automatically updates the software
5. runs antivirus scans in the background. (no more scheduling scans)
6. Uses less than 20mb of RAM and less than 5% cpu when at highest usage levels.
7. Only has 1 system service (unlike computer associates which has between 4 or 5 and Symantec which has like 6 plus LIve update service).
8. Has web protection to keep viruses from getting on the pc in the first place.
9. Auto quarantines viruses and alerts you when one if found.
and...
10. No configuration is necessary...

Hope this information helps. Good luck and stay protected...

Answer 3

There is no "best" anti-anything. Not anti-virus, not anti-spyware, etc. At some point, any given anti-whatever program could miss something that another program finds. That's just the way things are. There's a bunch of freebies available. All of the previously mentioned free programs are good, but they are not infallible. And there's nothing that says you can't have two or three on your computer "just in case". (Just don't run 2 AV programs at the same time or your computer can suffer some serious problems.) And don't forget to ask your ISP if they offer a free online protection suite. Many do. These links can give you some more ideas:

http://www.download.com/Security-Spyware/2001-2023_4-0.html?tag=dir

http://www.majorgeeks.com/

http://www.tucows.com/search?search_terms=security+freeware&search_scope=win&search_adv=0&search_size=&search_size_multi=b

Practice safe computer habits. Don't open email attachments from people you don't recognize (see if your email provider includes an incoming and outgoing scan.) If you have to download programs, you'll usually be given the option to save or run. Save it and scan it first. Don't click on pop-ups, no matter how cool they look.

To summarize, the "best" protection is the one that you install, keep current, and use faithfully. And practice safe surfing.

plrr

Answer 4

Since you asked for whats best, I can tell you that experts in the field not me recommend Nod 32.

If you do not want to spend money then I can tell you that AVG free does have a good reputation, library's use this one as well and so do I.

Your Cable Modem is not always on, at least with mine there is a power button that you can turn off when you are not using it.

Install Windows Defender from Microsoft and Spybot search and destroy and use the immunize feature. Get a router like D-Link DI-604 as a hardware firewall. Check to see if your windows firewall is turned on, it usually is by default, go to control panel and click on Security Centre.

The absolute best thing to do is have someone image your hard drive when you know everything is clean on your computer, then if anything goes wrong you can restore your system back to the way it was, it will save a lot of time in the future if you happen to get infected etc. This can also save you huge repair bills if you have to take it to the shop.

Make sure you keep all the progams up to date.

Angry C- The antivirus program that catches the most viruses in the wild is the best one would you not agree , common sense.
Take a look at the track record for Nod 32.on independant reivews.

I use web based email only, do not have to worry about anything getting in that way, Yahoo mail for example scans everything before it is allowed in.

If you like to chat with friends etc. on the net use Skype at least it is encrypted. Any one who has Win XP can download it for free

http://www.skype.com/download/skype/windows/

Answer 5

I would agree on AVG being the best bet for free antivirus for personal use. Depending on how you are connecting to the internet (ie directly to cable modem or router then cable modem) it maybe highly recommended that you also have a firewall if you are directly connected. The good news is there is a free personal use one available a http://www.zonelabs.com called Zone Alarm. Others have recommended Symantec which I do not. It will drastically slow down your computer. I use to like McAfee but have since stopped recommending it. The other two commercial packages I like are Computer Associates or TrendMicro PC-Cillin

Answer 6

These are free, I use the first one
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1
http://avast.com

All of these are ones that I personally use and all are free.
Try this scan, its free, it removes
I-Worm/Stration · BackDoor.Generic3.GBB and .GBC · Worm/Generic.FX · Exploit.WMF
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5

Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer.
http://www.safer-networking.org/

http://superantispyware.com/
SUPERAntiSpyware is the most thorough scanner on the market. Our Multi-Dimensional Scanning and Process Interrogation Technology will detect spyware that other products miss! SUPERAntiSpyware will remove ALL the Spyware, NOT just the easy ones!
Easily remove over 100,000 pests such as SmitFraud, Vundo, WinFixer, SpyAxe, SpyFalcon, WinAntiVirus, AntiVermins and thousands more!
Make sure after you download any of these, that you update them.

Answer 7

Avg is free,fast,easy and works great,This is one of the best anti virus out there and it is free,Norton and Mcafee do not catch the virus this one does.And as far as keeping virus away from your home PC.don't turn it on lol I am serious a computer tech told me that when i asked him this same question.He said the safest computer is one that is not on.But that is a chance we all take for surfing the WWW.Good Luck

Answer 8

http://www.avast.com I use this antivirus program for nine years an I never had one virus. You can download their free for home use personal. Their paid version for corporations is the same, they just make corporate pay. They will ask you for your email so they can send you a key that is good for one year. After the one year you must ask for a new key.

Updates atleast twice or three times per day. As an excellent free background scanner that really works. In my own personal opinon this software is light years ahead of any antivirus free or purchased. (Used in my back-up pc).

If you want to spend money I use what the Government of China uses for antivirus program. http://www.filseclab (They are out of Beijing, China). Both program are equal in my opinion on state of the art technology This program is "Twister", you pay a one time fee for life. Includes all automatic updates, excellent support an all new versions. (You will be hard pressed to find any one else who will give you this for a one time fee $29.99). Avast I use in my backup pc.

Please note that you can only use one antivirus program, or you will have serious conflict with your system. You can use three or four antispyware programs without conflict.

All of these programs that I am giving you are very low on resources. They are nothing like Nortons or Mcafee junk an one big resource hogs.

For spyware,adware,malware and rogue dialers, (I use ADSL, but like the added protection for rogue dialers)., Download from http://www.emsisoft.com This is an excellent company out of Austria. They also will ask you for your email so they can send you the key for the free version. I prefer the paid version, because it comes with an excellent backgroud scanner like "avast", and never will miss anyting. The free A2Squared v2 for personal home use, does not come with the background scanner.

Another good free one I use is from Sweden. http://www.lavasoft.com Download their free home personal versions Ad-Adware Se Personal. This company has been around long before any one ever thought of antispyware.

Last of all there is a good program out of Prague that I also use, "Ewido Spyware". This is a purchased only version that becomes free after thirty days if you decide not to purchase they will remove the background guard and the automatic updates. You will have to update on a manual basis. Also scans 175,000 objects in my system.

http://www.cyberhawk.com is an excellent free program for “zero day attacks”.

http://www.sophos.com You can download their free rootkit protection.

Clinical Psychiatrist, France

Excuse my english

Answer 9

McAfee or Norton antivirus, they cost about $29 but it's for an entire year, and they give you great deals if you renew early, or pay for a two year subscription- can be bought at best buy, walMart...etc.

Answer 10

AVG!!! The first guy gave a link to it. Let me warn you, Norton or Symantec do not always get viruses, my desktop was running extremely slow a year or two back, all we had was norton, we ran it, it didn't pick up anything, I installed AVG, and it found seven, yes, seven, viruses, five were trojans....

Answer 11

Give up using Windows, and install Linux on your computer. Linux is immune to all viruses, malware, spyware and adware.

Go to www.distrowatch.com to find out how to get all the popular flavors of Linux...

...then do an image search for Linux screen grabs on Google.

BE COOL - GET LINUX

DC :)