AV software: Are you using MSE? This guy reckons you shouldn't.

Hectic

Hectic

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The honeymoon didn’t last, however. More recent tests have shown that MSE doesn’t provide the features users should look for in an effective anti-virus. Here’s where it falls short – and what you should look for in a replacement.
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avtestmse1.jpg

Conclusion

A good antivirus stops the vast majority of threats, has features that protect against a wide range of threats, and doesn’t see its effectiveness reduced by fakes or threats specifically designed to circumvent it.
MSE, unfortunately, fails in all three areas. Initial praise for the software has turned to disappointment and it’s now clear that a third-party antivirus remains the best pick even for users who don’t want to pay. While it does provide some protection, there’s reason to use MSE when other free antiviruses provide better protection, better performance and more features.
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http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/replace-microsoft-security-essentials-proper-antivirus/#twitter
 
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MSE Essentials/Defender is good as a home cybersecurity anti-virus, we also need to note effective malware cleaners as not every anti-virus on the market is a competitive anti-malware detector. I am very much involved with cybersecurity and Essentials is faring extremely well within the "Window of exposure". Also do note that Dennis Technology Labs have a pretty much non-disclosed AV report.
 
I also assume those are all paid versions?
I know some of them are free, but I think that list contains mostly paid versions, apart from MSE.
I did not check if that is the case.
 
The best AV is common sense.

If you take a flash drive from a stupid friend/colleague and then bitch if you get a virus, then you are to blame! :)
 
If you are going to be an idiot and chase after the free stuff then the best Antivirus in the world won't be able to save you.

Number one problem with infections is people simply ignoring the AV and saying "yes please, give me the 'free' porn".

I've never paid for an antivirus in my life always making use of the free versions from one manufacturer to another as I get bored. Then MSE came along and I figured the makers of the OS are doing it then it can't be too bad.

Never had a problem.
 
Bullsht, that review is a lie, AVG is one of the worst and i can prove it.
 
Got malware on two laptops.

One running MSE and other running Symantec Endpoint.

In both cases, the malware was one and the same.

So the AV doesn't matter, it all comes down to user common sense, which they lack in most cases.
 
Toitjie said:
The best AV is common sense.

If you take a flash drive from a stupid friend/colleague and then bitch if you get a virus, then you are to blame! :)
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Common sense is not an AV, we are in era where viruses are designed for the purpose to attack a specific security flaw or target, unknown to the software devs/vendors. Viruses today are cleverly executed and at times unknown to the AV or without any existing signature, common sense cannot stop this and us people in the cybersecurity industry knows this quite well, this is also called the “Window of exposure”. The Malware gap itself increased by 57% since 2007 to 2012, targeted attacks are accelerating.
 
noxibox said:
The article is basically bollocks. Holly Stewart didn't say you should use something else or that MSE doesn't work. Furthermore you can't rely on tests carried out by people who take money from anti-virus makers and create tests that have nothing to do with the real world to make those products look spectacular.
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Yep, this was exactly my point with the report not disclosing the details, pretty pictures without a story...
 
The antivirus really does matter. I dont think people who use MSE for defence really take their security seriously. Its the number one AV virus writers specifically evade. There is lots of empirical evidence online that shows there is a massive difference in the detection rates. Currently I run the free version of Avira, but will drop it for a better one anyday.

People seem to forget you can infect someone just by getting them to visit a website. I
 
It would be interesting to see this empirical evidence. Real world of course, not lab viruses.
 
Well so far from the PC's that I have worked on in the field MSE is usually on PC's with viruses on that it did not detect and stop.
 
NomNom said:
Well so far from the PC's that I have worked on in the field MSE is usually on PC's with viruses on that it did not detect and stop.
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It happens with every anti-virus product.

replicant said:
AV-comparitives is one of the best AV testing companies out there also I've read an article where Microsoft says that MSE is not good enough. I'll see if i can find it again. I use avast free now and it's quite good

edit: Got it http://lifehacker.com/microsoft-admits-that-third-party-antivirus-is-more-eff-1441135677
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What we have here is one hack who misrepresented what was said, and then a whole lot of other hacks quoting the initial article as fact.

This, at the bottom of the article, is the truer reflection of what was originally said.
"We are committed to protecting our customers, and our Microsoft antimalware solutions provide strong, comprehensive defence against malicious code and attacks. We believe in these products and are proud of the protection capabilities we provide to well over 150 million computers worldwide."
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But even this article fails to prominently state that the original writer's statements were not even correct reporting of what was said.
 
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