[oviedo7]

I was actually scanning around, using this place a lot, to figure out which free antivirus program would do me good...

Then I read a bit about the paid alternatives, finding that Nod32 and Kaspersky seemed to be doing quite good at numerous places, forums, tests etc.

Anyway I ended up finding a good offer for a 3user 1 year Kaspersky IS 2010 at $40 including shipping which seems pretty darn good. Now I'm thinking that it would be foolish to pass on such an offer.

Before I've used various AV's - latest have been a quite outdated eTrust one - but I haven't had much trouble really. I use my computers for browsing, gaming, word processing, online banking and shopping as well as downloading old sport matches....

Well lately one of my computers went down so I might have been doing something wrong - But I don't visit the grey sites of the internet - not intentionally, and I don't download much - if any shareware, freeware stuff. Well back in the days I searched and found some of those files enabling my old Madden and NBA games running without cd, since my cd-rom device was acting up. That's solved now and I now know that places offering those things really do fall into the "grey area" places, so such browsing is in the past now.

Anyway - I know that it's down to preference, but would an offer like the one for Kaspersky be an okay one, considering my computer habits - or should I stick to my initial approach of finding some freebie AV's? Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance...

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I use Avast myself and find it to be very good.
It is a free one and only requires you register it once a year for free. It updates usually twice a day so to me it is nice that it is kept up to date so quickly.
I have been using it for a year with no problems.
Here is my canned speech on it.
Please download Avast from my signature below. Please make sure you do the registration as it is good for a year or more. When it is due simply just reregister it.
Avast in my opinion is better because:
It's FREE to the Home User
It Updates it's Definitions daily
You can scan Individual Files, Folders and Drives
No buying new versions every year

[rshaffer61]

I use Avast myself and find it to be very good.
It is a free one and only requires you register it once a year for free. It updates usually twice a day so to me it is nice that it is kept up to date so quickly.
I have been using it for a year with no problems.
Here is my canned speech on it.
Please download Avast from my signature below. Please make sure you do the registration as it is good for a year or more. When it is due simply just reregister it.
Avast in my opinion is better because:
It's FREE to the Home User
It Updates it's Definitions daily
You can scan Individual Files, Folders and Drives
No buying new versions every year

[oviedo7]

Thanks for your fast reply - kudos!

Initially I was down to deciding over Avast, Avira and that new Cloud stuff... Then I was wound up in the search for the best paid alternative as to cover my computer habits. But do you believe - with my computer usage - a free one like Avast or Avira would be sufficient?

Of course topped off with anti-spyware, malware and the like...

[rshaffer61]

My current programs.
Avast
SuperAntiSpyware
Malwarebytes
Windows Firewall


No problems and no worries with updates as I stated above.
I believe with this setup you will be as protected as good as you can. Realize that there is no 100% real protection with the malware being created at such a fast pace. This should give you the best possible protection but to even further help your internet surfing habits would be to stay away from suspicious sites. No P2P use as most of these files are known to have infections in them.
Never open emails from someone you don't know and especially do not click on any executable file included with a email.

[xblindx]

Personally, I would recommend using either Avira AntiVir Free/Personal edition or avast! for an antivirus program, just be sure that you only have 1 anti-virus program installed on your machine

For a firewall I would recommend Comodo, please note that the Comodo firewall installation also includes an Anti-virus program, if you decide to choose another anti-virus (not Comodo), then please be sure to only install the firewall, you will be prompted during installation if you want to install just the firewall, or the firewall and the anti-virus.

The on-demand anti-malware scanners I recommend are Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and SUPERAnti-Spyware.

For additional protection, SpywareBlaster is a great program to protect you from visiting malicious sites, and blocking tracking cookies. Note that SpywareBlaster isn't an actively running program. You download it, run it once, and then make sure you update it every week or 2 and you will always be protected. It works by modifying your HOSTS file and tweaking some IE and Firefox settings to block tracking cookies and provide additional protection.

Edited by xblindx, 04 January 2010 - 02:45 PM.

[oviedo7]

Thanks for your inputs so far.

So basically you'd suggest me to go with one of the free AV's? - It's a jungle out there trying to decide what horse to bet on. In the past an entourage of a couple of free programs have served me well, so I might very well stick to my original plan.

However I felt a bit tempted by the offer for the Kaspersky, and was starting to wonder if copping it for a price like that would be too good and offer to let go. I'm actually running the KIS2010 now and it looks sweet and has a ton of features - I really like the idea of the Sandbox mode - anyways, with all the recommendations for the free ones like Avast and Avira, it might be stupid not to try them...?

In that matter - any suggestions or tools to combat keylogging? - Online banking and shopping makes that a priority I feel...

[xblindx]

Honestly, regarding keyloggers, from the Anti-Virus test results I looked over (I'll try and find the link), none of the programs did too well in detecting commercial keyloggers. As long as you run routine Anti-Malware scans as well though, you should be fine.

[oviedo7]

Definitely the scary warnings about keylogging is for me the main nightmare scheme - then again you shouldn't end up being too paranoid.

But scanning regularly with programs such as Malwarebytes and so would be okay protection against keylogging?

[Rorschach112]

If you are worried about keylogging, use an add-on like KeyScrambler

http://www.qfxsoftware.com/

[oviedo7]

Sweet - thanks for the link. I must admit I've been quite impressed with KIS2010, but it really seems there are a lot of great free products out there. I'm really not against paying for security, but with all these recommendations for the free alternatives, I'm starting to lean towards some of those.

I really do appreciate the info from a forum like this - the suggestions of experienced users in here really weighs highly when trying to decide which programs to take for a spin.

[Rorschach112]

KIS is by far the best, its one of the few programs I love. But like you said, there are very good free alternatives out there. Have a read of this, will help

http://www.geekstogo...ng-t225044.html

[oviedo7]

That is one very good and informative guide. Thank you...

Seems some of my current applications could need a substitution with some of these.

It might sound stupid but I'm really finding it hard to decide whether to use KIS or a free alternative... If we were talking a new computer I think I would just go with KIS, then again security is just as important on a old one.

[xblindx]

If you are willing to pay, then by all means go with Kaspersky, I have heard great things about it, but if you would like to save a few bucks, a free alternative can be just as good.