Quick Q, whats the best free virus etc protection at the moment?

[I like Skol]

The free Norton package that came with my new laptop is about to expire. I ran the free AVG protection suite on my last laptop and just wondering if I should do the same again or is there something better?

I didn't have any obvious problems with AVG.

As usual all suggestions welcome and appreciated.

Steve.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Avast is supposed to be quite good. Have a look at Gizmo's Tech Support Alert. I run Avira on my laptop and Mr SHK has Avast. I've just put Microsoft's own protection on a 3rd pc.

 

[PpPete]

On recommendation from my local shop I use Kaspersky IS. Not as bloated as MacAfee or Norton.
I get a multi-year / multi-user licence (we have a lot of computers in this household) - and whilst not free it works out at less than £5 per year per machine....
The one time I came under serious hacker attack (in a hotel in China) it was very quick & effective at alerting me and blocking the threat. Been virus free since I've had it (and yes I do scan all the machines with other progs since I got it)

 

[potsy]

I was using Kaspersky as it came free with Barclays banking (even though I had 1p in an old account I still qualified)
Now I just use the Microsoft security essentials one, been fine so far.

 

[musa]

I got avgs Internet security and antivirus been good ever since its runnin till the 2018

 

[rusky]

I would use Microsoft Security Essentials. I've found it's less resource hungry than anything else & has detected malicious software that others have missed.

 

[defy-one]

AVG free edition 2012


Sent from my GT-I9100

 

[smokeysmoo]

I used McAfee for a few years but got sick of paying. Then I spoke to our I.T Dept at work and they said just use Microsoft Security Essentials and use Google Chrome as it's apparently the safest browswer, not totally safe but in tests it proved the hardest to hack.

I've been running this set up for about 4 months now, and touch wood everything has been fine.

 

[Edwards80]

I install MS Security essentials on all the personal pc's I build (I'm an IT Bod) and have had 0 problems so far.

I use ESET Smart Security for everything else/if someone insists on paying for AV software.

 

[MrJamie]

Ive used AVG for a few years, but none of the 5 pcs/laptops in the house have had any problems in the last few years anyway.

Being behind a routers firewall/nat helps a fair amount in most peoples computers not having their own external IP, compared to ye olde modem days anyway.

 

[LosingFocus]

AVG is a fat thing. Oddly, I've been running the MS Sec Essentials for a while now and it seems to be rather good on resource, detections, removal... *thumbs up*

 

[ianrauk]

Been using Microsoft Essentialist for a few years now and IT has yet to let me down.
I use it in conjunction with Malware Bytes, Spyware Blaster and Crap Cleaner.
All of them free and all of them doing a very good job.

There is absolutely no need to pay for any virus detection software these days.

 

[I like Skol]

Ok, general consensus was leaning toward the Microsoft option so it is now installed and running it's first full scan

While I'm waiting, is it necessary to install the extra's that ianrauk suggests.I would like to be sure that I am not picking up any little freeloaders wherever I may happen to be browsing

 

[LosingFocus]

Quick answer - YES

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Never a bad idea to have more than one thing keeping an eye out. It's interesting to see what some pick up which others miss.