Free internet security

[kit]

Morning all

 

Does anyone know of a good FREE internet security? I was running Microsoft security essentials but after a nasty virus which it failed to block it wouldnt work anymore and my IT crowd downloaded AVG free but the trial is about to run out and need something else. Any thoughts folks?

 

Cheers

 

Kit

[whitep]

Use Microsoft Security Essentials.

[kit]

Use Microsoft Security Essentials.

 

See above !!! thats what i was using ...it didnt block the virus and now wont work anyway as it attacked security essentials :(

 

K

[Gyp]

I tend to use both MSE and Malwarebytes anti malware and have used adaware in the past. My recommendation (as an enthusiastic amateur rather than a highly paid AV professional) would to be to try Anti-Malware (https://www.malwarebytes.org/) and Adaware (http://www.lavasoft.com) then uninstall/reinstall MSE.

 

The AV suppliers are always playing catch up and will always be susceptable to zero-day exploits, so none will ever give you 100% coverage

[whitep]

Thats the first thing all viruses do is kill the antivirus programs. And viruses work when you download and activate programs you install with them embedeed in them, no matter what your AVG software is. I used to pay £60 for norton that didnt work, then McAfee but that just hijacked everything, so not I use MSE and have done for years. Its been just as good as the rest and doesnt need the 1GB of memory some of the bigger programs need.

[kit]

I ran MSE for a long time and never had an issue and always thought it was great, then after the attack my IT crowd couldnt reinstall MSE at all!! Malwarebytes found the virus but couldnt remove the corrupted MSE file so MSE then wouldnt reinstall so i ended up with AVG free, which i thought was free but appears to be a trial, now i dont know what will happen when the trial runs out.

[whitep]

Piratebay is your friend...?

[kit]

From just having a wee scan around the tinterweb AVG free is supposed to be totally free not just a trial!!!...Just dont want to be left securityless!! :(

[domhnall]

I use MSE and Malwarebytes too - it's what we do at work 

[Coops]

I've used AVG and Avast before - both free. But moved over to MSE some months ago with no issues.

 

Also have CCCleaner and Malwarebytes to do the tidy up

[kit]

I would happily go back to MSE but it just wont reinstall!! I run malwarebytes once a week.

 

K:)

[Gyp]

Have you read and tried these?

 

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/mse-protect_start/uninstalling-mse/a63b8c4b-58ed-437e-8086-fa08d80725a4

 

or

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2483120

[kit]

Think my IT guy tried all those but still no joy!!

[Scribbler]

I Would go to www.bleepingcomputer.com and download combofix and run this. It will find the viruses that Malwarebytes has missed then as above I just use MSE at home however if your struggling to install it you may have to tweak the registry or reinstall your ops system. I look after a network and we use Sophos which is very good. I have used all the free & paid for AV's NOD32, KASPERSKY, NORTON, COMMODO, MCAFFE, PANDA, AVG, AVAST etc.

 

The only one I would say is avoid commodo and Panda like then plague. The others are all a much of a muchness.

[Aspman]

I got MacAfee free with my broadband.

 

I don't particularly rate it but all fine so far. Malwarebytes is good but not an antivirus.

Avast is ok for free and I found the MS stuff fine too.

 

Best option is not to get anything in the first place. A bit like vampires most nasty computer things these days need to be invited in.

 

Don't use Internet explorer.

I like Firefox, or Opera as a second.

Chrome is ok as long as you are happy with Google recording absolutely everything you do.

 

What I always recommend is -

 

Switch on automatic updates and get them installed.

Check for Abobe Flash, Acrobat and Macromedia updates if you've not seen them update for a while

Don't download crap programs without thinking, especially if they are free, that includes Facebook apps and phone apps.

If you must download something always take the custom install option.

Refuse all extras such as toolbars or smilies

 

I use Firefox plus two add ons - Adblock plus and Noscript.

 

Adblock plus is great, I couldn't live without it these days.

NoScript is also very good but a little hardcore since it blocks every bit of java etc on a page which you can then selectively unblock. Until you build up a happy set of controls with your common sites it is a bit of a chore.

 

But with ^ stuff I've not had a virus or bit of malware in more than 6yrs.

[kilted]

I got MacAfee free with my broadband.

 

I don't particularly rate it but all fine so far. Malwarebytes is good but not an antivirus.

Avast is ok for free and I found the MS stuff fine too.

 

Best option is not to get anything in the first place. A bit like vampires most nasty computer things these days need to be invited in.

 

Don't use Internet explorer.

I like Firefox, or Opera as a second.

Chrome is ok as long as you are happy with Google recording absolutely everything you do.

 

What I always recommend is -

 

Switch on automatic updates and get them installed.

Check for Abobe Flash, Acrobat and Macromedia updates if you've not seen them update for a while

Don't download crap programs without thinking, especially if they are free, that includes Facebook apps and phone apps.

If you must download something always take the custom install option.

Refuse all extras such as toolbars or smilies

 

I use Firefox plus two add ons - Adblock plus and Noscript.

 

Adblock plus is great, I couldn't live without it these days.

NoScript is also very good but a little hardcore since it blocks every bit of java etc on a page which you can then selectively unblock. Until you build up a happy set of controls with your common sites it is a bit of a chore.

 

But with ^ stuff I've not had a virus or bit of malware in more than 6yrs.

Very similar to me except I am using MSE.

 

Always check with downloads about "addons" such as browser "helpers" etc and make sure they are unticked.

[VWD]

I've always found Avast warns you if you /anything else tries to disable it. Add to that malwarebytes anti malware and anti rootkit and Spybot, and if there's a funny in mine it soom gets found. I've also found Rogue killer and Adwcleaner handy as aquick check for PUM/UNWANTED STUFF .

[kit]

Thanks for the replies folks I'll wait to see what happens to my AVG free when it runs out next week...from what i can gather is should just continue as a free one!!...if not i will look at some of what you lot have recommended.

 

Kit

[ColinD]

There are a few additive approaches too. 

 

You will never be 100% safe, it's why trojan horse worked thousands of years ago and will continue to do so.

 

I used to rebuild my windows boxes every 30days. That was before cloud storage, even easier to wipe and build now, just a lot of hassle.

 

So set that thought aside, consider these:

OpenDNS

http://www.opendns.com/

DNS service that helps combat malware and botnet stuff... it can mess up cdn services which may effect the speed of some sites, but really not much to notice.

 

ClearOS

http://www.clearfoundation.com/

A step up, but more protection for your whole network. Ideally installed onto an older machine with two network cards. This is easy for any tech and offers out of the box protection and proxy so can speed up sites/downloads improving everyone's experience.

 

It's not just your laptop, it's everything now, phones, tablets and alike.  One co I've been into is been hit over and over due to a download, then we discovered one pc under a dust/paper mountain desk still infected and powered up...

 

The only way to be sure you're clean is wipe, it's the only way I'm afraid.

 

As to cost, sure it's £30 here and £20 there, but actually what do you lose trying to fix. A day? Think of it as computer tax! *cough*

 

Howe I run my windows now is, in a virtual machine. I setup a clean install, as much as I can, then I take a clone/snapshot. I boot my laptop, if I want windows I run it... if it gets slow or worse, then I delete and re-clone from my good images. It sounds like a lot, take s a little getting into, but really a couple of days. I don't know how to clean a windows box anymore, I just delete it. HTH.

[Bian]

i use eset smart security , lightweight and not had any issues of the past couple of years. Got a code you can have for free if you want it, coverage until next feb.

[gadgetman]

MSE is likely to be targeted heavily, so I wouldn't use it on my personal machine.

Personal opinion based on others using AVG who've had their systems heavily infected is it's absolutely useless. You'd have the same protection running nothing at all.

[Macdemon]

Try Avast.

 

http://www.avast.com/index 

 

I use it for my Mac and its GREAT.

 

Not sure if there's a Windows version. 

[Kgod1991]

Malwarebytes

Spybot

Avast

AVG

Are all good

[king@rthur]

Bitdefender...

[king@rthur]

Bitdefender...