Anti Virus software

[Karl]

I have just had a rather nasty virus attack, and it has taken me two days to get my PC up and running again.

I am on Windows XP, using MS Explorer, and have Mcafee Internet Suite software (which wouldn't appear to be doing its job!). Mcafee was up to date with anti virus downloads - it automatically searches for updates whenever I go online.

So, as my Mcafee licence is due to expire, what software would you recommend?

Cheers

Karl

 

[13eightyfour]

Theres a few i would recommend :-

Avast home (my personal choice)
AVG home
NOD32

Avast and AVG are free and Ive never had a problem with Avast and ive got 4 computers constantly conected to the interwebz

 

[CHJ]

I run NOD32 on my main machine and AVG on the others.

NOD32 has a 30 day trial. It's the least obtrusive one I've used, updates regularly and automatically as required throughout the day.

 

[Raggy]

I have been running AVG for years now and never had a problem

 

[christoph clark]

I used to use Mcafee and when my licence expired I did extensive research and came to the conclusion that Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 was what I wanted.
It comes out top on most tests with nod32 up ther too.
It is a Security Suite so it has some nice features like a anti malware, anti spam, anti spam and Secured Virtual Keyboard to protect against key logging.It also is low on system resources.

The best bit is you can the get OEM version from overclockers.co.uk for 9.99 + vat for 1 user or 12.99 + vat for 3 user. Which is a steal when you see that on the Kaspersky site the 1 user is £39.99
http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/homeuser

overclockers here

 

[christoph clark]

Also I recommend Comodo firewall which is free and better than zonealarm
And Ccleaner to remove all the rubish we collect on our system..
Another program Is Rocketdock , not anti anything but a nice addition to the desktop giving you a OSX type tool bar.

 

[RobertMP]

If you bank online with Barclays Kaspersky is free and it is a 3 user licence. I've used AVG free version for years. Now using Kaspersky and if I don't get next years subscription free from Barclays I'll buy it myself - it is that much better.

 

[xraymtb]

AVG for me and CCleaner once a month to fix my mistakes.

I do have other anti-spyware software installed but only use it if I think something is wrong.

 

[christoph clark]

Not to forget Spybot and Ad-Aware
Both free...

 

[gidon]

I've used AVG free for years and would recommend it.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[RogerS]

AVG for me and CCleaner once a month to fix my mistakes.

I do have other anti-spyware software installed but only use it if I think something is wrong.

Good call. I used to run SpySweeper from Webroot and couldn't work out why my boot time was taking forever. So I ditched it.

 

[christoph clark]

Another top rated software is SUPERAntiSpyware Free of corse

 

[Karl]

Many thanks for all the replies - I have downloaded AVG. I will take a look at the other links this pm.

Cheers

Karl

 

[TonyW]

Karl, nothing wrong with AVG (use it myself - for the moment) or indeed any of the recommendations you have been given here. Ask 10 people for recs. on anti virus, firewalls and anti spyware and you are likely to get 10 different answers :lol:

McAfee also has its fans, many in the corporate sector. Therefore after your virus attack I would be wanting to know how McAfee could miss this threat. Are you aware how this entered your system?

I ask as I have recently suffered a similar fate which managed to wreck my system and cause a couple of days downtime. This was caused by my own silly action of opening an email zip attachment and the resulting doc file (thought I knew where it had come from ). AVG did not find anything suspicious in the zip file or word doc, however what I believe happened is that either the word doc ran a macro or triggered a web demand for a .dll which then immediately changed my screen and did other nasties. I suspect that under these circumstances most anti virus systems would also struggle and not recognise the issue until it was too late.

Cheers
Tony

 

[duncanh]

For spyware/adware scans I've used Hitman Pro

It downloads and runs several other spyware and adware scanners because of the commonly held believe that each one on it's own does not do a complete job

It was recommended to me by our network guy at work (several years ago)

Duncan