Ranking of Antivirus Softwares

[chiachean]

top 10:


BitDefender (Gold)
Kaspersky (Silver)
ESET Nod32 (Bronze)
#4 PC-cillin
#5 F-Secure Anti-Virus
#6 McAfee VirusScan
#7 Norton AntiVirus
#8 AVG Anti-Virus Pro
#9 CA Antivirus
#10 Norman Virus Control
#11 AntiVirusKit
#12 AVAST!
#13 Panda Titanium
#14 F-Prot
#15 PC Tools AntiVirus
#16 ViRobot
#17 WinAntiVirus
N/A CyberScrub AntiVirus
N/A The Shield Antivirus
N/A Windows OneCare Live


http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

however , this is not an official ranking, just a reference only

[chiachean]

another ranking here:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,124475-page,1/article.html

Bit Defender still remains top, congrats

[youngyew]

Antivir ranked the highest place for free antivirus.

[chiachean]

Antivir ranked the highest place for free antivirus.


Free antivirus software
After reading several reviews by leading security web sites and forums, there seems to be a consensus that the 2 best free antivirus softwares in the market are AVG Anti-virus Free for Windows (a free anti-virus protection tool developed by Grisoft for home use) and the Avast Home Edition (a full-featured antivirus package designed exclusively for home users and non-commercial use). The limitation with Avast is that it will work for 60 days after installation in demo mode, then you need to re-register every year to obtain a free license key by email that is valid for 1 year.

Other popular security solutions are AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic (for Protection and security against viruses, worms, Trojan horses and dialers) and BitDefender Free Edition (an on-demand virus scanner, useful in a system recovery or forensics role)

Long back, PCWorld has compared these free antivirus protection software. WebHostingTalk shows that AVG Free Edition is the best (though the voter base is small).


http://www.quickonlinetips.com/archives/2006/02/download-best-free-antivirus-softwares/

[youngyew]

I tried both AVG and antivir before, and for some reasons AVG failed to pick up something that antivir is able to. I disliked AVG for its slow update speed too (not sure whether it's still slow now).

But in any case, I would say that both of them are pretty good in their jobs, and consider their price they are all great steals.

[chiachean]

I tried both AVG and antivir before, and for some reasons AVG failed to pick up something that antivir is able to. I disliked AVG for its slow update speed too (not sure whether it's still slow now).

But in any case, I would say that both of them are pretty good in their jobs, and consider their price they are all great steals.
btw, i am now using AVG free edition , but some of the virus found
cannot be deleted by the AV, don't know why.

Yesterday, as usual, i scanned my pendrive before opening it, a trojan horse was found, that AVG can't delete it, a pop up appeared: Access is denied....
I had to delete it manually.... :roll: :cry:

i m now looking for some better AV, i have just downloaded Kaspersky free edition, anyone used it before? I need some comments..

[chiachean]

Link (http://antivirus-software.6starreviews.com/?Refer=OvAV&Keyword=antivirus&ysmwa=tl1ut5t2pSw0R8pvOjQ64u1XBFMekSmlOhVDm4WNYIUradilGWPFitXYZITP5iex)

Moderator Note: Link shortened to fix the page width. ~youngyew~

[maxx]

BitDefender is the best.. obvious...

I'm using it

Btw... recently BitDefender ver10 Free Edition juz released.. perhaps y'all can check it out

http://www.bitdefender.com/site/Downloads/

[Zeroth]

For stubborn trojans, use 'hijackThis'.

It's very sensitive to external agents.

[chiachean]

Don't know why, my college computers are always full of trojans and viruses

when my pendrive is pluged into the college computer, after i plug into my laptop, i find my pendrive is infected with trojans 8O

may be the admin long time didn't update the antivirus..

[JetLee0510]

personally I would say that kaspersky outweigh bitdefender... in terms of performances and effectiveness.. the reason I think y kAV IS SITTING BELOW bITDEFENDER is bcoz of its price..

[Caprio]

Currently what the antivirus you guys are using?

Previously, I used AVG and it is very effective.

However, I am using McAfree now, and I just get infected a virus just now.

I used it because it is free for one year as it has been installed in my laptop.

[capablanca]

Kaspersky. No doubt about its effectiveness. Second, would be NOD32. Actually, there is no need for antivirus, I have Sandboxie and disabled automatic launch of external device such as pendrive. I also on the view hidden folders option. Combining all these, I have a clear view of what I am putting into my computer and see its effects first before installing them permanently into my hard drive.

[nicky_chin]

I suppose it is AVG, loads of updates each day adding to its virus tracking ability.
And it scans the computer without launching its interface:)

[vseehua]

AVG sucks because I've repaired many computers with it installed but still gets infected by common viruses

I currently use Avast which i think ranks the best among the freeware antivirus solutions. It's database is also updated much more frequently than AVG as well....

I would rank Antivir at the same level if not for it's pesky pop-up window...

[Caprio]

AVG sucks because I've repaired many computers with it installed but still gets infected by common viruses

I currently use Avast which i think ranks the best among the freeware antivirus solutions. It's database is also updated much more frequently than AVG as well....

I would rank Antivir at the same level if not for it's pesky pop-up window...

Hmm... are you sure about that?

Maybe the users who you repaired the PC for them, they don't update the AVG.

[capablanca]

No, the free AVG capabilities are severely limited. I tried it before and I can infect a computer even with the latest AVG definition.

[vseehua]

Hmm... are you sure about that?

Maybe the users who you repaired the PC for them, they don't update the AVG.AVG is always set to auto update itself no matter what, so outdated virus definitions are out of the questions. Read Capablance's comments below.

No, the free AVG capabilities are severely limited. I tried it before and I can infect a computer even with the latest AVG definition.

[Olataro]

x()x AVG FREE EDITION IS CLOSE TO CRAP.

Anyway, sometimes some worm, trojon.......can be removed by Hijack This. You need kapersky. Its pretty darn gud.

Now the reasons why you are esily infected because..................

a)You forgot to let ur comp wear a condom.......err....i mean switch on the fire wall.
b)you visited a pal's friendster that is affected by virus
c) In the crusade of finding "free" serial keys for anti virus, you comp was damaged by other hidden viruses, trojans, etc.
d) Dont watch too much porn

[youngyew]

Olataro missed one of the obvious: you still use Internet Explorer, or worse, Internet Explorer 6.

[Olataro]

Ahh, no.........ie is not really at fault, but yeah , some trojans, malware etc do target IE and causes it to crash.

I never let my sis go to friendster so she always in a bad mood. Last time she ent to friendster, my comp kena "full format" all my monkey pictu...ahem, i meant all the important data was lost.

[youngyew]

Ahh, no.........ie is not really at fault, but yeah , some trojans, malware etc do target IE and causes it to crash.

I never let my sis go to friendster so she always in a bad mood. Last time she ent to friendster, my comp kena "full format" all my monkey pictu...ahem, i meant all the important data was lost.
Newer IE (IE 7) is reasonably safe now; but the older IE was known to attract lots of malwares even if you didn't really do any "risky" activity.

Consider this: since I stopped using IE and started using Firefox (and Opera occasionally) full time, I have been getting zero malware. This is amazing, considering that sometimes I do visit some "risky" websites which are known to inject trojans or adwares.

Having said that, of course, a reasonable amount of common sense is required to avoid virus. Even if you use Firefox and updated antivirus, when you get an MSN message called "hey look at my last summer holiday pics!" together with a random attachment called "pic.exe", if you simply run all files like that, then all the firewalls and antivirus in the world can't save one from virus. :)

[vseehua]

Newer IE (IE 7) is reasonably safe now; but the older IE was known to attract lots of malwares even if you didn't really do any "risky" activity.

Consider this: since I stopped using IE and started using Firefox (and Opera occasionally) full time, I have been getting zero malware. This is amazing, considering that sometimes I do visit some "risky" websites which are known to inject trojans or adwares.

Having said that, of course, a reasonable amount of common sense is required to avoid virus. Even if you use Firefox and updated antivirus, when you get an MSN message called "hey look at my last summer holiday pics!" together with a random attachment called "pic.exe", if you simply run all files like that, then all the firewalls and antivirus in the world can't save one from virus. :)
Be careful of what you wish for. i have had my antivirus blocking files that firefox tried to download from certain sites that i accidently venture into via links...

[youngyew]

Ooh SeeHua, if the amount of mods and hacks that you do, it would be outside the scope of my previous post. What I mean is, for most people's browsing habit, Firefox would provide a relatively robust security as compared to IE.

Yup I have had Firefox download stuff too, and this is why everyone should also be equipped with an extra element of computer knowledge and common sense. :)

[vseehua]

Ooh SeeHua, if the amount of mods and hacks that you do, it would be outside the scope of my previous post. What I mean is, for most people's browsing habit, Firefox would provide a relatively robust security as compared to IE.

Yup I have had Firefox download stuff too, and this is why everyone should also be equipped with an extra element of computer knowledge and common sense. :)
nevertheless we should be careful. Firefox will be targeted by more and more malwares with it's rising popularity.

[Olataro]

Ooh SeeHua, if the amount of mods and hacks that you do, it would be outside the scope of my previous post. What I mean is, for most people's browsing habit, Firefox would provide a relatively robust security as compared to IE.

Yup I have had Firefox download stuff too, and this is why everyone should also be equipped with an extra element of computer knowledge and common sense. :)

:) Haha, i have been using firefox for my laptopsince last year. And it rocks.

IE7? Juz got it. Havent tried it yet but yeah, i heard its better.

PS: Ahem, wat u meant by "risky sites"

[vseehua]

PS: Ahem, wat u meant by "risky sites"
in truth, any site on the net can be sneaky if you are not careful with the links that you click on, for example those that you get in your emails

[youngyew]

Lots of them. Phishing sites, "antivirus sites" (yup believe it or not many websites purported to be antivirus / antispyware companies are themselves spreading virus and spywares). Security websites. Game walkthroughs / hacks. Etc etc.

[luke]

:bees:pmg
WARNING! We have detected virus win32.reCom_org running havoc on your browser! Please press Alt+Space+C to clean it up!
:kukuku
:jk:pmg

[vseehua]

:bees:pmg
WARNING! We have detected virus win32.reCom_org running havoc on your browser! Please press Alt+Space+C to clean it up!
:kukuku
:jk:pmg
sudo rm -f /luke

[capablanca]

What is this lah?

[Olataro]

Hmm.....i heard of it b4, Norton Antivirus actually spreads viruses...........duno if this is true though.........

[tanyijing2007]

To all recomers, please use Avast! version 4.8 home edition, it is free of charge, better than kaspersky, norton and avg and the following are the reasons why you should choose Avast! 4.8 Home edition.

1. Small size, only 30 MB or less the exe. file
2. It wouldn't affect your system performance (refresh speed), norton really sucks here!
3. It wouldn't lengthen the time required for your windows to start.
4. It updates automatically, not like Kaspersky (manual update is required, even though the setting can be changed)
5. It gives clear warning and it wouldn't let any worms, trojans or spywares to get away from it traps. you will be forced to take action if the viruses are detected.
6. Easy to use and user-friendly

Please download it from http://www.avast.com, it is totally free and useful.
Be sensible, dunt let antivirus softwares kill your computer.... some really do...
I have used it for 3 years.... Really good!
Support http://www.avast.com/eng/images/logo.gif

[youngyew]

Haha this sounds very much like an advertisement, except that I agree with what you said. Am using Avast and am very satisfied.

[vseehua]

To all recomers, please use Avast! version 4.8 home edition, it is free of charge, better than kaspersky, norton and avg and the following are the reasons why you should choose Avast! 4.8 Home edition.

1. Small size, only 30 MB or less the exe. file
2. It wouldn't affect your system performance (refresh speed), norton really sucks here!
3. It wouldn't lengthen the time required for your windows to start.
4. It updates automatically, not like Kaspersky (manual update is required, even though the setting can be changed)
5. It gives clear warning and it wouldn't let any worms, trojans or spywares to get away from it traps. you will be forced to take action if the viruses are detected.
6. Easy to use and user-friendly

Please download it from http://www.avast.com, it is totally free and useful.
Be sensible, dunt let antivirus softwares kill your computer.... some really do...
I have used it for 3 years.... Really good!
Support http://www.avast.com/eng/images/logo.gifAny antivirus worthy of it's name will autoupdate itself...

Hmm.....i heard of it b4, Norton Antivirus actually spreads viruses...........duno if this is true though.........
treat it as a rumour

[Olataro]

How bout the anti spyware and anti trojan, malware etc,

[vseehua]

How bout the anti spyware and anti trojan, malware etc,
Antispyware protection have been intergrated into Avast 4.8 as well...

As for standalone antispyware utilities, recent tests done by PCMag revealed that none of the free utilities (Spybot, Adaware) did the job well enough to justify an installation. I guess we just need to be more careful of what we are downloading from the net.

a bit of lexicon here:
Malware: a program that is created bad intentions (technically anything that does any thing bad can be classified here: Viruses, trojans, spyware, keylogger etc.)
sypware: Programs that infect the computer mainly to collect information (most notably bank login info and credit card number)
trojan: like the greek myth, it's a program that masquerades as an utility which is helpful (like fake antivirus, antispyware) but in fact does something behind with malicious intentions.

[Olataro]

but i find spyware doctor to be the best though........

[vseehua]

but i find spyware doctor to be the best though........
It's not a freeware

[luke]

Preventive is better than cure ... install SandBoxie (http://www.sandboxie.com/) and run any suspicious freewares/sharewares/screensaverwares/keygens and whatnot as sandboxed. That way if the program silently modifies registry/filesystem the changes are not permanent. The program is tricked to believe that it manages to do the damages while in reality it is all in a sandbox (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandbox_%28computer_security%29). Your system is untouched.

p/s: running a browser sandboxed = sandboxed browsing

[capablanca]

Yup, as I mentioned earlier, use sandboxie. Prevention is better than cure. :)

[tanyijing2007]

How bout the anti spyware and anti trojan, malware etc,

Windows Defender can be used as well, keep updating your newest virus definition.... :)) but it only support genuine Windows XP and Windows Vista