Phoenix Network Forums

by **Nintendud** on Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:19 pm

If you are running Windows and need free antivirus software, I highly recommend AVG Free Edition. It has been much improved over the older free editions. I install it on all the computers I service that run Windows.

I think the URL is http://free.grisoft.com/ , but that is from memory.

Also, McAfee has a free online scanner you can use to locate viruses. It requires you to use Internet Explorer, but... whatever. It won't remove the viruses, but it will tell you what viruses you have, and you can Google to find ways to remove them. It's pretty handy.

by **dama** on Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:19 pm

s41ted wrote:
De Kus wrote:
s41ted wrote:and a fully featured firewall.

Fully featured firewalls are expensive. Not everyone has a router which he can upload a linux to. Desktop firewall is almost from no use, since it beats the purpose of a firewall (preventing possible dangerous data from intruding into the system. but if the firewall runs on that system the data always reachs it, it can only prevent further processing plus it can be modified by admin privilidged processes).

Very true about the expense. But i still think a software firewall is a bare minimum. There are really good, very customable, free personal firewalls out there (zone alarm) Every windows box should be running one! It stops (in most cases) the propogation of worms and malious scripts. It manages applications access to the net, hence (having the potential to) stop malware, trojans, bots etc.

Obviously it wont save you if your a idiot! But at least its a start. The default security is enough. And i think microsoft thinks so as well, adding their shitty little firewall into SP2

ZoneAlarm is what I used/am using ( I just got a full version out of compusa - before that I used the free one at
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/c ... wnload.jsp

Also a review of firewalls for windows by PC Mag if you're intested:
http://www.pcmag.com/products/?action=d ... dir%3Ddesc

Cheers!

by **Joliko** on Sat Jul 22, 2006 7:29 am

well, for me AVG is the best for windows!

by **jdhore** on Sat Jul 22, 2006 8:07 pm

i used to use AVG on Windows, but then i "acquired" a copy of NOD32 and i like it so now i'm using that

by **ohplzno** on Sun Jul 23, 2006 4:34 am

Go with either AVG or avast. I use avast, haven't tried AVG but a lot of people I know use it. Avast is pretty good for security also. It protects you from viruses through instant messaging, P2P downloading, and the internet. Has a good boot time scan too.

by **Tufle** on Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:14 pm

If u decide to buy any antivirus or download from anywhere i offer u Kaspersky Antivirus - The best payed antivirus in the world(this is my opinion)

by **callihn** on Thu Jul 27, 2006 5:36 pm

Sephy wrote:There's also ClamAV for Windows (IIRC, it's a frontend for ClamAV

I'll second that, get the source.

But then if you had Linux you wouldn't be looking for an AV for your desktop. Wink

by **uzair** on Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:23 pm

I have used AVG for about a year

It updates nicely and has less load on system resources, however it does not capture all the viruses but i still like it

by **Percy** on Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:34 pm

I use AVG Free with ZoneAlarm, and I haven't got any problems so far. I also check my hard drive sometimes with other antivirus softwares, just to be sure. Once or twice a month, or so.

But if you decide to pay for Antivirus, Kaspersky and NOD32 are also good. (BTW NOD32 is a Hungarian product Very Happy

)

by **Botamz** on Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:47 pm

I think that every one of the anti-virus progs have their own problems..
Norton - slow, solutions to viruses might not be the best options for example VBS.Redlof.B. Its a small VB code at the end of the html file but Norton suggests to delete the file rather than the line of code.
AVAST! - fast, but failed to detect a virus once and Mcafee detected it
Mcafee - slow, failed to detect a virus which AVAST! detected.
ZoneAlarm - planning to trying out Question

So far of the 3 they have been minor virues which each has failed to detect..

by **Percy** on Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:24 pm

I suppose not to use Norton and McAffee... Every virus has in the first row of the source code to shut them down. The best way is to use the best and less known software.

by hc on Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:27 pm

I really like AVG Free Edition, and Adaware.

EDIT:
errr, Adaware, not adware :p

by **uzair** on Sat Jul 29, 2006 9:47 pm

You should install avg free its working quite nice, but yeah sometimes it has some problems but works nicely if updated regularly. Smile

by **shadowlabs** on Sun Jul 30, 2006 1:48 pm

AVG is a pretty good choice, as people have stated here, but i also like AVAST HOME EDITION

if what you're looking for is a spyware remover, Spybot S&D does a pretty good job.

by **uzunov** on Mon Jul 31, 2006 1:08 pm

I`m using nod32 i believe it perfect for me because it`s small, fast scaninig and don`t load my system up. It`s perfect for old computers, but even for new one`s. It`s no free actually, it has trail version , but it already had been cracked that`s why this is not a problem. In my opinion this is one of the best anti-virus programs by now.

Phoenix Network Forums

best free antivirus?

Re: Firewall

Who is online