AntiVirus - If I have a choice?

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jackyleunght2002

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Ultimate Geek

#208502 14-Feb-2017 22:33

Hi all Computer Geeks out there?

if i have to choose a particular Antivirus program, Norton Security with 3 devices or the McAfee Anti Virus?

I have got 4 Windows computers....

what one is recommended now days?

Thanks

Jacky

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#1720319 14-Feb-2017 23:38

Windows Defender.

Yes seriously.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/01/antivirus-is-bad/

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.

bigalow

566 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1720356 15-Feb-2017 01:25

out of the top paid antivirus i would go

(in no order)

Norton Security

trendmicro

dont buy the top full on version just the basic version will do

you dont need one with a firewall as windows has one built in

dont pay big money you can get oem cd on trademe for $20-$30 for 3-5 computers

buying them online can cost over $100+

keep away from McAfee , the ex owner John McAfee says keep away from it too

some free ones just work as good as the paid versions

Jedsdad

120 posts

Master Geek

#1720368 15-Feb-2017 07:42

I use Sophos Home, its apparently a Business Grade Anti Virus but free to home users.

You need to create an account though

https://www.sophos.com/en-us/lp/sophos-home.aspx

Batman

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#1720370 15-Feb-2017 07:47

I use avast - only install the file shield (and maybe behaviour shield)

PeterQ

84 posts

Master Geek

#1720373 15-Feb-2017 08:12

ESET

PaulBags

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#1720375 15-Feb-2017 08:15

Can't remember the last time I ran an always on AV, possibly more than a decade ago. I've used malwarebytes & spybot maybe once every few years when feeling paranoid, always turns out to be nothing. Only viruses I've ever had came from ads or porn in insecure browsers, some of that may even have been with an AV but I can't recall, now days I block javascript & keep updated. And ignore anti-adblock messages.

Windows defender seems to be doing it's job, and windows firewall has been usable since windows 7 - I even find it's defaults a tad paranoid.

xpd

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#1720382 15-Feb-2017 08:26

Jedsdad:

I use Sophos Home, its apparently a Business Grade Anti Virus but free to home users.

You need to create an account though

https://www.sophos.com/en-us/lp/sophos-home.aspx

Thats what Ive been running until last night, for some reason on one out of about 6 systems I've got it on, can no longer browse the internet with Sophos enabled - removed Sophos and everything appeared to be fine again. Weird and hopefully one off issue.

Will reinstall it in a few weeks to see if its some odd conflict with other software I have.

Otherwise, been very happy with it, last employer and current employer also use it.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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richms

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#1720385 15-Feb-2017 08:31

I use the nagging one with the little umbrella from avira on a few of the PCs, and AVG on the others.

Everytime I seem to try to change AV on a computer, it stuffs something up and one wont remove properly or something daft so I tend to not try changing them

Richard rich.ms

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#1720396 15-Feb-2017 08:47

Lias:

Windows Defender.

Yes seriously.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/01/antivirus-is-bad/

It should be illegal to even consider Windows Defender.

PeterQ:

ESET

Only one I recommend, Norton are only good at marketing nothing else.

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#1720425 15-Feb-2017 09:48

Anyone else recommends ESET and why? Thanks. First time I've heard about it.

richms

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#1720432 15-Feb-2017 10:00

It came on some ex lease pcs I got from pbtech a few years back. I found the white plastic robot creepy so removed it because of that

Richard rich.ms

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#1720438 15-Feb-2017 10:15

ESET aka NOD32 - good software, never had issue with it at an employers, had it on over 500 systems centrally managed.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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#1720440 15-Feb-2017 10:20

Other than spam, is Avast ok? I just ignore all the stuff they try to sell. Seems to block all viruses at the rare times.

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#1720449 15-Feb-2017 10:36

Was running Avast before switching to Sophos, never had an issue with it apart form the occasional advertising/popup.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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#1720451 15-Feb-2017 10:49

joker97: Other than spam, is Avast ok? I just ignore all the stuff they try to sell. Seems to block all viruses at the rare times.

Avast is OK . IF you do a manual install & ONLY install the file & email components
But some of their popups are now no worse than malware (just my opinion) , basically scareware & Avast try & trick you into paying for the full version
Many have been tricked into paying for it
I removed Avast after its update put addons into my browsers, despite me specifically not enabling that function . That was the last straw

ESET/NOD : also good
Its not perfect though (no AV is perfect) . Ive installed it on hundreds of PC's , its great for corporate/company PC's
Its Reliable , rarely causes issues .

McAfee/Avast/Norton : one issue I have : why do I have to google to find where its hidden the AV log files
Thats THE most important thing to make easily available, yet its buried under sub-sub-sub menus in some obscure place
Marketing & pretty flashy interface deemed more important than function
Even John McAfee now hates the McAffe AV . However, it used to be free for Spark/telecom customers , possibly still is
Nortons AV reputation was trashed by some past truly bad AV products . Its not as bad as it once was, but once removed, Ive never had anyone
ask to have Norton re-installed

I would always pick an AV that scans incoming mail. Unless you only use webmail . Many of the free AV's dont scan email .
And I hate the AV that tries to do everything (eg Internet Security) , not as reliable as the plain AV version . Ive seen plenty of issues caused
by some AV's built in firewall .
Also, some all in one security software (AV +Firewall etc etc) can sometimes be truly difficult to completely remove . One AV product used
to break the Windows firewall, so when that AV removed, Win firewall was trashed .

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