Anti Virus & Firewall

[neath_jmj]

So come on whats the best one to use???

Are there any good free ones out there?????

[alexnifty]

http://forums.aria.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3834

There is no definitive 'best' antivirus, and AVG is probably a good free one.

On my Vista box I dont use any protection apart from the windows firewall. I have a NAT router.

[dtox]

Avira Antivir has had some good reviews and in some it came top in detection.

[cleggypdc]

The best free one is definitely AVG, its really light weight.

If you don't mind paying 30 quid for one thats even more light weight I'd say get Nod32

[timelord]

Avast is my free favorite because it uses little system resorces so it will not slow you down, updates fast, and has a cool boot scan that scans behind windows.

[theBishopp]

I use AVG, and no complaints whatsoever. Simple interface, easy to use, and they have a version for 64 bit OSs. Avira Antivir is also good, not used it for a while as I prefer the interface of AVG, but several friends who are PC literate use it and give it good reviews.

Anti Spyware - Spybot search and destroy, Adaware, and Windows Defender are all on my system (all free). Defender is the one thing MS does that works very well, and is lightweight and unobtrusive. Spybot has a real-time monitor that works well, and is free (Adaware also has this funcionality but charges for it).

Firewall - I use Zonealarm, which is a good free one, but also Comodo is very good and free. I gather there are a couple more free ones that are highly reccommended but I haven't used anything except these 2, and off the top of my head don't know anyone else who has either.

Downloads -
AVG official site - http://free.grisoft.com/
Avira official site - http://www.avira.com/en/support/category.php?categ=9
Spybot - http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html - Use this site, as there are several others who show with Spybot in google, but the download is spywarebot which is spyware itself...
Adaware official site - http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad_aware_free.php
Windows Defender official site - http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
ZoneAlarm official site - http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/dotzone/freeDownloads.jsp - it would be worth using the free 15 day trials of the complete security suite, and when the trial is up it will ask if you want to buy it or not. Choose not and it will convert to the free firewall. Did this myself, and it works pretty well...
Comodo official site - http://www.comodo.com/ - Comodo also has antivirus and antispyware products, but I cannot comment on their capabilities having never used them

Hope that helps :)

[Sl4x0r]

AVG brings up too many false positives - which is tedious and far too intrusive...
I use Nod32 at home and it's top notch - tiny memory footprint, just does what you want it to.

As for firewall - I have a router so don't need one.

[wonderlust]

I use avast on my PCs tried AVG but it failed to find a couple of virii.

I use the Windows built in Firewall with a NAT router. Have done so for years and never been hacked.

My servers are running Symantec Corp. Edition 10

[theBishopp]

AVG brings up too many false positives - which is tedious and far too intrusive...
I use Nod32 at home and it's top notch - tiny memory footprint, just does what you want it to.

As for firewall - I have a router so don't need one.


Hey, no disputing nod32 is good, but it is not a free anti virus, which defeats the object...

Same for Symantec Corporate edition...

Apart from anything else, the biggest problem regardig pc security is between seat and screen, ie the user. Just be careful about what you do and look at online, and you will be reducing your exposure an enormous amount...

[Sl4x0r]

Hey, no disputing nod32 is good, but it is not a free anti virus, which defeats the object...

Almost - the first question was "What's the best one to use"

I just chose not to answer the second question :D

[coiler]

I user AVG and Zone alarm on XP but nothing on Vista. I've just not got round to it.

Am I putting too much faith in Vistas built in security?

[M4T VW]

Whats the best i can go for free on server 2003 then boys?:P

[Sl4x0r]

Am I putting too much faith in Vistas built in security?

Ooooooooooooooooh yes

[coiler]

Ooooooooooooooooh yes

I may have to install AVG and zone alarm tonight :lol: