What Anti-virus do you use?

[UtterNutter]

What Anti-virus do you use, and what are your thoughts on it to date?

I've been using Norton Anti-virus 2003 for years now (since 2003 I guess...)
Back in the day Symantec products were the bomb, but I'm sure there are plenty of other anti-virus apps out there that are way better, and probably cheaper as well.

I want to use one that is NOT a resource hog (both in terms of memory footprint and efficient CPU time consumed whilst performing real-time scans).

Advice?

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

Avast. It's free and it seems to work.

[marine1]

Kaspersky, you cannot blv how many attacks I get when online.
Even when playing online

[davemc]

I don't use Anti Virus.

[noswal]

this type of thread pops up about every 2 weeks

my 2 cents : www.cloudantivirus.com

[jvk]

Avast. It's free and it seems to work.

+1

easy to use and it's free for the home edition :)

[Dark Avenger]

I use AVG and once in a while I run an online scan from the BitDefender website. In the last two years I had one file slip by AVG which was picked up by BitDefender as a trojan. You can download AVG for free if you use it at home.

[be_cool]

Kaspersky...it's simple..easy to use..Very effective!

[Voicy]

I've been using Avast since '04...it seems to do the job.

It's free and does it's thing.

[Overmind]

ESET NOD32. Fastest Anti-virus I've seen. Light on system resources. Updates a few times a day. Very good. www.eset.com

[skateboardt]

AVG free edition
been using it ever since and have not had any problems with it

[The_Techie]

NOD32 version 4.

[bwana]

I don't use one - why should I slow my system down because others cant protect themselves adequately.

[defcomk]

Used
Avast Had a the trial
AVG- Dont install on a pc with virotub virus otherwise it screws up sys files
Bitdefender - Most secure imo infact to secure prevents some java based apps from accesing the net
F-SECURE - is Crrrrap dont even bother with it
Kaspersky - have 2010 version its cool with its radar thing but a hastle to install on internet less pc
MacAfee - simlar to bitdefender
Nod32 - Fastest anti Virus good if you bought it bad if you downloaded it then you gotta google had for updates.
Norton - 09 Version Looks pretty cool and keeps me safe currently using well i was till my pc had to go die on me.

[JJRM]

BitDefender. Never had a problem with it on my home machine

[Garyvdh]

Kaspersky +1

Nod32 if you can afford it... although I think I might have a contact now for R129

[Shardie]

NONE - I use a Mac

[Shardie]

Used
Avast Had a the trial
AVG- Dont install on a pc with virotub virus otherwise it screws up sys files
Bitdefender - Most secure imo infact to secure prevents some java based apps from accesing the net
F-SECURE - is Crrrrap dont even bother with it
Kaspersky - have 2010 version its cool with its radar thing but a hastle to install on internet less pc
MacAfee - simlar to bitdefender
Nod32 - Fastest anti Virus good if you bought it bad if you downloaded it then you gotta google had for updates.
Norton - 09 Version Looks pretty cool and keeps me safe currently using well i was till my pc had to go die on me.

LOL - I remember when I was in those days. Tried every AV and everytime 1 virus must come through somewhere. Spent a fortune on updates, downloads reinstalling, loosing data, etc etc...... Now I dont have any problems - I use a Mac. :D

[Terrabiticfossilite]

AVG, Bitdefender for free or Nod32 for commercial...

Can any Nod32 dealers pm me your email details so I can purchase Nod32 antivirus business edition (v4.0.437.0 - it runs on my Windows 2003 server). I'd prefer to do eft or secure online transaction.

Thanks!

[Ecco]

I tried to figure out which one would be best by finding as many reviews of the various tools out there.

Only thing i could conclude from all that reading was that nobody seems to be able to agree on what the best one is.

Check out a few reviews and see which ones appeal to you the most.

For what its worth i am using AVG - not for any particular reason other than, thats the first one i installed, and so i just stuck with it.

[Random717]

None, when I know I'm the only person using the computer.
Nod32 (when I feel like messing with trial versions)
AVG (when I want something that just works)

Currently using Microsoft Security Essentials, and it's on par with Nod32 performance wise. Manually updating it due to lack of proxy settings is slowly getting more and more irritating...

[stefan9]

Nod 32 for my personal pc and avast for my dad's pc.

[Mamba1]

kaspersky... is it a hardware hog though?

[Conradl]

kaspersky... is it a hardware hog though?

No, very light. I run AVAST cause its free....

[R4tt3xx]

Avast

[mobilescan]

NOD32 been using for a couple of years and happy so far

[Park@82]

NOD32 version 4.

+1

[ponder]

Avira AntiVir Personal Edition

[Morgoth]

I don't both to use any.

[Tero]

Bitdefender 2009.

[Isengard]

Avast for the past two or so years. I used AVG before it became crap.

[c-p]

I was on Nortan IS, did that slow my previous machine down, then went to AVG Free on old machine and new. My mem stick was used at a friend’s came home and no virus cool, but in the office which has Bit Defender it picked up Trojans Aggh! Came home plugged it in my machine with AVG Free and nothing searched it on the AVG website nothing. Installed Bit Defender IS and all good cleaned my machine. Not till long when i cudnt log into my modem! Uninstalled BitDefender and intalled Avast few minutes ago, now to put it to the test.

[DarKWateR]

Avast AntiVirus Home Edition - Free
Windows Defender - Free
Malwarebytes - Free

[wishblade]

I tried to figure out which one would be best by finding as many reviews of the various tools out there.

Only thing i could conclude from all that reading was that nobody seems to be able to agree on what the best one is.

Check out a few reviews and see which ones appeal to you the most.

For what its worth i am using AVG - not for any particular reason other than, thats the first one i installed, and so i just stuck with it.

Your point is correct... And I always get shot down on forums because I make it...

And honestly, here's a question - maybe slightly off topic though: how many people work in the industry and have to support the AV product that they recommend? Very few of those that post their recommendations. Yet left, right and centre, people shoot down an AV because it doesn't meet their specific requirements. (Not specifically in this thread, it's just a noticeable trend on forums when viruses and AV products are mentioned). Well in that case, choose another AV product that does. But while the one that makes the skies blue for them, doesn't suit someone else's environment. It IS that simple...

[UtterNutter]

Thanks for all the feedback, people.

I'm surprised there are AV apps out there that are BOTH free AND good!

[TheRidDlerX]

Goin with ZoneAlarm and its built in AV myself - the AV isnt the BEST out there, but ZA is an amazing security platform. I heard Symantec is making a huge comeback when it comes to Windows7 - what that entails i dont really know.

[Garyvdh]

Thanks for all the feedback, people.

I'm surprised there are AV apps out there that are BOTH free AND good!

I would respectfully disagree. Yes there are lots of Free anti-virus packages out there, that are halfway decent, but by no means "Good". All of them have their problems.... the biggest being false positives and deleting users files without asking. Some of them require registration, which is a pain. Several of them have problems initialising their active protection functions. Some of them chew bandwidth and have problems grabbing their updates. But if you are OK with that, then by all means use them.

If you are looking for a "Good" AV though... you will most likely choose Kaspersky or NOD32.

[antowan]

mod note: poll added

[SirFooK'nG]

Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite (I'm sure it uses the Kaspersky AV engine).

[wmaker]

For Windows XP I use ClamWin and ClamWinRT.
Free, Open Source, non-intrusive.
http://www.clamwin.com/

[wishblade]

I would respectfully disagree. Yes there are lots of Free anti-virus packages out there, that are halfway decent, but by no means "Good". All of them have their problems.... the biggest being false positives and deleting users files without asking. Some of them require registration, which is a pain. Several of them have problems initialising their active protection functions. Some of them chew bandwidth and have problems grabbing their updates. But if you are OK with that, then by all means use them.

If you are looking for a "Good" AV though... you will most likely choose Kaspersky or NOD32.

+1
For companies that provide a free edition and a licenced version: the differences being that latest detected pattern files are delayed by a day or two to the free version, as well as the idea that the free edition usually provides a limited protection range, ie: only AV scanning and no rootkit or spyware scannning for example, which would be included in the licenced version.

The idea though of the AV deleting files is usually a setting specifc issue, which is not always fully customizable by the free edition (in most cases it should be though). If you have a licenced version though, and it's still deleting files, then you would need to review your settings, as most AV's provide for renaming, deletion and disinfection actions based on various scenarios (for lack of a better way to describe it).

[Mephisto_Helix]

Other - Avira AntiVir Personal

[Jabberwocky]

Once in a while i install bitdefender to do a scan.. I like it because you don't know its there.
We use Trend at work, it regularly insists on popping with focus into the foreground telling me that it deleted the virus trying to copy itself over the network. I would honestly rather live with the virus.

[bwana]

Other - I surf bareback.

[wikus]

I don't use Anti Virus.

Hmmm, interesting.
I really think you should reconsider

[wishblade]

Once in a while i install bitdefender to do a scan.. I like it because you don't know its there.
We use Trend at work, it regularly insists on popping with focus into the foreground telling me that it deleted the virus trying to copy itself over the network. I would honestly rather live with the virus.

This is just one of those settings that can be set to prevent the popup from displaying. I assume then it is the OfficeScan product that is being used? This should be able to be configured using the central management server, or locally, depending on config settings...

[wikus]

Uninstalled BitDefender and intalled Avast few minutes ago, now to put it to the test.

I'm sure you won't be disappointed. I have used Avast for a few years and have never had any major infection.

Also, AVG has a lower detection rate than Avast, period

[Garyvdh]

Other - I surf bareback.

I hope you have something between you and the poor horse at least!!! :D

[ponder]

http://www.av-comparatives.org/seiten/ergebnisse_2008_05.php

According to these guys Avira & NOD32 come out tops.

[Ecco]

http://www.av-comparatives.org/seiten/ergebnisse_2008_05.php

According to these guys Avira & NOD32 come out tops.

And there are sites where Nod32 comes near the bottom. I read many reviews of the products - they all different.

[LancelotSA]

Other - Avira AntiVir Personal

Yip, I just switched to that from AVG myself pretty much based on this :

http://www.av-comparatives.org/

[KSINGH]

Comodo

[gpe]

NOD 2.7 & A-Squared (on-demand scanner) :)

[ponder]

I read many reviews of the products - they all different.

Usually due to commercialism. Try the independant guys with no advertising & don't sell you jack.

[Bikerza]

Used F-Secure.
But due to problems experienced in Win XP and Windows RC7 - I'm going for something else.
Now using a Beta version of F-Secure on Win7 - so far so good - only reason I'm using it - it is free until December.

[BigAl-sa]

Tried Avast, hogged CPU with downloads
Tried Avira, hogged CPU with downloads
Tried Comodo, less of a CPU hog with downloads, but very slow with them.

I'm really trying hard to convince the missus to move away from windows...

[Archie1]

Avira

[Mephisto_Helix]

Tried Avast, hogged CPU with downloads
Tried Avira, hogged CPU with downloads
Tried Comodo, less of a CPU hog with downloads, but very slow with them.

I'm really trying hard to convince the missus to move away from windows...

Really? I've never had that problem ....... odd.

[ponder]

Really? I've never had that problem ....... odd.

Ja same, pretty light on resources.
Only thing I do dislike is the slightly annoying little popup add when you do updates but otherwise very happy with the product after trying numorous others.

[Asha'man X]

Run Avast at home, which does the job well enough, though I seem to think it may be eating up a little more system resources than before.

At work we run NOD32 v4, which is a dream performance and detection wise, but it has thrown up a few bluescreens on a few computers, not entirely sure why yet.

We used to use F-Secure on the network, but that software was terribly slow, bloated and struggled to pick up flash drive trojans.

[MasterB]

F-Prot Anti Virus along with windows Defender - cheap and extremely low on computer resources.