Best Anti-Virus?

[Zarlunce]

There is no substitute for safe browsing habits. You could have the top of the line software, but it won't do you any good if you just click through its prompts and allow things to run. Be smart, use your head when browsing sites, install an ad-blocker, or look up editing your host files to block 99.9% of advertisements, and you'll find anti-virus software to be an insurance policy, and almost unnecessary.

All that being said, I do tech work at a corporate level and when we do removals on infected machines we use our corporate license of Malwarebytes along with several other tools from other companies, such as some Kaspersky software. My recommendation would be to run Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 and set your PC to auto-scan once a week with Malwarebytes. If you manage to attract anything through that combination of tools you are likely torrenting, using p2p with infected software, or simply really stupid.


Kaspersky has a gaming mode you can enable which detects when you launch games, it then runs in a more performance friendly mode making sure not to hinder your gaming experience with background scans, definition updates, etc. until you close whatever game you are playing.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I haven't bothered to install any anti-virus software for a few years now, and I don't remember the last time I ever had a virus or any malware. And I do my fair share of torrenting and such.

From personal experience in the past however, I've always found avast to be the most effective.

[Fraza]

I wouldn't recommend Avast/AVG. Get Microsoft Security Essentials instead.

[Brewski]

I've been using AVG for a long time with no problems, its great & easy to use.

[Tasandriel]

ESET SmartSecurity <3

[Verth]

Malwarebyte's + Microsoft Security Essentials.

This. Dont use anything else. Essentials are the best antivirus ever. Not just the best free, but the best.
Well i should say, the best anti-virus is knowing wtf you're downloading or clicking on, but in general security just get essentials and nothing else.

[Mad_Murdock]

I Use Norton AV 2011 and Spybot. I know previous version of Norton's AV was piggy, but version 2011 so far has been fairly light and fluffy. So far it's catches all the website's that tried to give me a little something something. But like the others have noted, smart browsing tends to be your best defense. Sadly Warcraft Realms seems to have that worm that tries to pretends it's MS Essentials alert to get you to download it. Before Norton 11, I'd get the fake pop-up wanting to run a scan. Now Norton's just tells me a threat was blocked.

[Dion04]

Better than any av is browsing the web in a non admin account. Make a standard user account for web browsing.

I like MSSE and Webroot personally.
Trend Micro and Kasperksky also do good work.
Kaspersky's son was just kidnapped and he paid a huge ransom. Might see sub prices increase next year.

[Deleted]

I think you will get much better advice in the other forums, most people with good knowledge over computer programs dont get into this particular wow-general forum, they helped me so much with a problem I had with a blue screen over there.

[Vrases]

I've tried Norton and had gotten viruses left and right without doing anything. I use Microsoft Security Essentials now and it's awesome.

[Hoggs]

As others have said already, Firefox + AdBlock + NoScript and some common sense and you shouldnt need any anti-virus program, though it never hurts to have one. I also use use addon for firefox call Web Of Trust, which is basically gives ratings/comments for a lot of the websites out there and can give you an idea of what you're about to click on. As for anti-virus, i've been using Avast for almost 2 years now and haven't had any issues with it.

[Wing Zero]

antivirus Avast
spyware spybot search and destroy
firewall zonealarm

all free never had issues with security

[Scuravolpe]

Norton is a piece of shit. Get malwarebytes and avast.

[IKT]

You took the words right out of my mouth. I haven't bothered to install any anti-virus software for a few years now, and I don't remember the last time I ever had a virus or any malware. And I do my fair share of torrenting and such.

From personal experience in the past however, I've always found avast to be the most effective.

As someone who did the same for something like 7 years straight I'd recommend Microsoft Security Essentials, it's possibly the only Microsoft product that I've ever recommended to other people, and it's the first anti-malware product I've ever recommended, really only because it sits in the background and does its job, simple layout, very low memory usage, it doesn't bother me, and that's important.

[Tovarish]

Kaspersky Internet Security (I use this), Trend Internet Security Essentials (other family members use this), Avast, F-Secure or others will do well for you than just having Anti-Virus. Anti-Virus by design reacts to a problem on your system -- which many hacks take advantage of. Internet Security however prevents the problem from getting to your pc. You get whay you pay for and unfortunately alot of people like free things to protect them.

The biggest protection you can do for yourself is between the keyboard and the chair -- watch what you click on.

A worm has been making the rounds for almost 5 years that comes from banner ads on websites. A very professionaly crafted popup comes up tell you that you have x amount of viruses and would you like their software to fix it for you. The ONLY thing you should do at that point is turn your PC off and back on. Clicking close, cancel or (as many have) OK -- only leads to a visit to your local Geek or Tech store to have it fixed.

In the end don't use just Antivirus, go with Internet Security. Whichever company that you pick will serve you better and you probably won't have as many issues as you may have now or have had.

Just my .0234234 cents.

[Riboe]

I prefer AVG Internet Security.

Generally, I avoid anything Norton-related

[Dch48]

I'm using Avast! free and it's very good. I used Norton for over 10 years though and never had a single problem or slowdown. I also have never been infected since I got on line back in 1999. If I was again willing to pay for a security product, it would be Norton.

MSE is okay but far from the best, It's scans are the slowest in the industry, it's detection rate is just average, and on the Vista machine here it failed twice to upgrade to the new program version. It partially uninstalled the old one and then quit, leaving the machine with no protection at all and I had to do a full manual uninstall and then reinstall of the new version. It got dumped in favor of Avast! which has had no problems and has upgraded flawlessly three times already. Avast also updates the definitions every 4 hours instead of once a day (maybe) like MSE.

[Sharpopiev2]

Non-free anti virus software programs i've had that were excellent: Trend-Micro PC-Cillan and Norton 360 security suite. Both of these are fantastic...


but avoid the PoS known as SecureIT, it took my PHOTOSHOP FILES as viruses and couldnt use them. Its a piece of crap.

[Deleted]

Malware Bytes - Anti Malware
Combo Fix (if everything goes tits up)
Super Anti-Spyware
Microsoft Security Essentials

[Nachtwarrior666]

MSEssentials if you insist on having any at all. AVG's live scanning slows your computer and even your browsing. Lastly, Norton is terrible.

All I use is Firefox with Ad-block and no-script for a site here and there. Never have any viruses. The only virus I've ever gotten was when I temporarily tried out Google Chrome a few months back. (Not joking.)

Don't click on stupid things like ads saying "You might have a virus, click here!" and stuff like that.

Don't listen to people saying P2P can give you viruses, it's no different than downloading an executable from somewhere else, you need to know what you're installing. If you don't know what it is, don't touch it.

[Deleted]

Free AVG editions dont get most viruses,
Kaspersky makes alot fake alerts,
cant say any thing realy good bout avast and avira.

Norton like all times was huge memory eater (especialy when scaning)

IMO Malware-Bytes antimalware (or Super antimalware) + MS Security Essentials + Zone Alarm (if u know what to do)

Zone alarms is the best all time firewall, easy setings, low cpu / memory load.

I'm working IT so when client takes his PC to me with virus problems there is no av at all or is avas/avira/kaspersky