[RascalHoudi]

I tried Comodo Free AV. I found it too cumbersome/time-consuming especially when it is first installed, and it is learning to "recognize" different software of mine and if it's safe or not. That made it a hassle when installing or updating. Decided to uninstall it and it left a lot of stuff hidden away in the darkest corners of my system. When I went to go back to using AVG Free Edition, I couldn't install AVG due to conflicts with Comodo. So I reinstalled Comodo via direct download and IT was infected. If I remember it was .cpf files. It prompted me to send a copy of those files to their support staff, of which I never recieved a response. My PC went AWOL and was put on the disabled list. Had to learn some very basic registry editing, which made me very uneasy. I didn't want to resort to the system image disc and reinstall the opsys for my backups were about a 1/2 day behind. It took a lot of hunting and the capable aid from SuperAntispyware and SpyBot Search and Destroy. There are many angry people out there when I searched for remedies. Now I am back to AVG, and I run a full scan with SASpyware every few weeks. It finds stuff that slipped by AVG. I scan with SpyBot every few weeks and it catches things that neither of the other caught. I scrutinize its results and fix the problem(s) if I deem necessary, and I like it's immunizing program. So I run one as real-time and the others are for "janitorial" purposes.

[SeSorrow]

deepsand, on 12 May 2012 - 02:18 AM, said:

My2w0S3n5e, on 12 May 2012 - 02:04 AM, said:

2.Multilayer protection is a necessity for ALL Windows PC users. (Hats off to you Linux folks!..)

Huh?

The post is referring to the fact the Linux users currently do not need an AV product installed on their PCs.

[deepsand]

SeSorrow, on 08 June 2012 - 05:53 AM, said:

deepsand, on 12 May 2012 - 02:18 AM, said:

My2w0S3n5e, on 12 May 2012 - 02:04 AM, said:

2.Multilayer protection is a necessity for ALL Windows PC users. (Hats off to you Linux folks!..)

Huh?

The post is referring to the fact the Linux users currently do not need an AV product installed on their PCs.

I know what the intent of the quoted post was.

I also know that it is both irrelevant to the issue at hand and one born of a naive sense of invulnerability.

[BlakeDuckworth]

DBA1980, on 30 April 2012 - 07:01 AM, said:

Too bad they didn't test the newest version of Microsoft Security Essentials. I would have liked to hear the results of the latest release and not one that is over a year old.

I can tell you the new version of MSE is no where near as good as the old versions.
In recent youtube tests MSE was tested against 10 malicious URL and it only blocked 3 out of 10. MSE behavior blocking option is now gone from the current MSE version, which leads me to think it is relying solely on virus definition. A lot of the Antivirus packages have changed their product up, some for the worse and others for the better.

The main thing to do is go on youtube often and watch people test these antivirus packages to see what actually blocks stuff and what doesn't. I would also like to add that people need to go watch firewall leak tests on youtube watching users using a comodo application which tests a firewall against 300 something different attacks.
The average firewall leak tests are so beginner and weak everything passes, you need to watch the comodo tests when you do you will realize how most stuff gets in a computer and that is because of weak firewalls. with that being said here are some links people need to look at

[olmedoicaza2002]

will the newest version of ThreatFire conflict with the newest version of AVG? i read in an article at least 1 year ago that ThreatFire unfortunately was conflicting with AVG, and that's why ThreatFire itself was suggesting not to use it if you had AVG installed, but now, both programs have gone through so many updates and software-versions that now i don't know if that's still the case. is that still the case, or can i now use ThreatFire perfectly fine in my laptop that has AVG [already] installed on it?

this is pretty much one of the only reasons why i haven't used ThreatFire yet: because of that conflicting thing of ThreatFire on computers with AVG installed, that i read some time ago.

[deepsand]

olmedoicaza2002, on 17 September 2012 - 06:04 AM, said:

will the newest version of ThreatFire conflict with the newest version of AVG? i read in an article at least 1 year ago that ThreatFire unfortunately was conflicting with AVG, and that's why ThreatFire itself was suggesting not to use it if you had AVG installed, but now, both programs have gone through so many updates and software-versions that now i don't know if that's still the case. is that still the case, or can i now use ThreatFire perfectly fine in my laptop that has AVG [already] installed on it?

this is pretty much one of the only reasons why i haven't used ThreatFire yet: because of that conflicting thing of ThreatFire on computers with AVG installed, that i read some time ago.

That conflict was reportedly resolved some time ago.

However, so as to not have a duplication of function between the two, I would suggest that, if installing ThreatFire, you disable all heuristic checking in AVG. This will both reduce the load on your platform, and theoretically lower the risk of ThreatFire seeing AVG as engaging in suspicious activity by an unknown process.

[Badge56]

What about SPYBOT. I have using it for years and in my book its the best malware removal tool ou there. Of course you still need a AV to stop them comming in the first place.

[nubwaxer]

seems very odd that kaspersky is nowhere to be found

[deepsand]

nubwaxer, on 06 November 2012 - 12:37 PM, said:

seems very odd that kaspersky is nowhere to be found

That owes to Kaspersky offering no free resident AV applications.

This post has been edited by deepsand: 06 November 2012 - 12:53 PM

[DavidBRosen]

deepsand said:

nubwaxer said
seems very odd that kaspersky is nowhere to be found That owes to Kaspersky offering no free resident AV applications .

Actually, you can install Zone Alarm Antivirus which is free and uses the Kaspersky antivirus engine. You won't see this product tested much, I suspect because Kaspersky won't let them, because Kaspersky doesn't want to have to compete with their own engine. I've been using ZA AV for several months. The other option that may be better for some people is the new Bitdefender Free antivirus which is totally set-it-and-forget-it and has no settings (so a/v buffs/tweakers like me don't like it but normal people will). Bitdefender and Kaspersky engines are pretty much the best, from most of the tests I've seen.

[deepsand]

DavidBRosen, on 09 June 2013 - 02:42 PM, said:

deepsand, on 06 November 2012 - 12:53 PM, said:

nubwaxer, on 06 November 2012 - 12:37 PM, said:

seems very odd that kaspersky is nowhere to be found

That owes to Kaspersky offering no free resident AV applications.

Actually, you can install Zone Alarm Antivirus which is free ...

There is no ZA Free Antivirus, but only ZA Free Firewall and ZA Free Antivirus + Firewall. I.e., you cannot get the ZA antivirus component without also installing the ZA firewall.

DavidBRosen, on 09 June 2013 - 02:42 PM, said:

The other option that may be better for some people is the new Bitdefender Free antivirus which is totally set-it-and-forget-it and has no settings

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition does not run as an active background application providing real time protection, but only a scanner that runs at boot time and when your system is idle.