[SuperGirl]

I have a virus scanner that I use on my network at work and just installed it here at home. It's called AVG by GRISoft. Its free but companies network has never been infected (knock on wood). Can you give your (honest) opinion on this software??

It can be found at www.grisoft.com

thanks!!

[Luthorcrow]

Funny, I just got done airing my opinions on this subject at DSLReports.
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/rema...ty,1~mode=flat

To sum up my opinion, based purely on research of credible security tests, is that AVG is one of the poorest performers of the AV world. That said I have not used this product and infact until very recently I assumed it was a good product just based on how often I see it recommend in this forum and others to newbies, but what I have read recently has changed my mind.

My sources are

1. The Virus Bulletin. AVG has failed 18 out of 19 tests condcuted between 1998 and 2002. In fact the only test it did pass was on a DOS machine in 98.
http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/archiv...ts.xml?avg.xml

2. AV-Testing.Org a project of the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg of Germany. 2002 01 Test, AVG scores very poor on On Demand Zoo Detection, compressed file formats, and script viruses.
http://www.av-test.org/sites/test_al...002-01&lang=en

3. Virus Test Center - University of Hamburg, Germany. For my OS (Win 2000) AVG scores 13th out of 15th place for apps tested for scanning and doesn't even rate for malware.
ftp://agn-www.informatik.uni-hamburg...10/0xecsum.txt

The end result is that it appears that the folks at GRisoft have a lot of work to do. As well, all of these tests would be the pay version which would have all the bells and whistles.

This is saying a lot considering how I feel about Symantec, but I would have NAV on my machine before, or well, just about another dozen other AVs.

My current bias is for NOD32 from Eset. Here is a link.
http://www.nod32.com/home/home.htm

[AbvAvgUser]

Hi!! I have already started a thread and request people to post there opinions on AVG and Norton AntiVirus. There is also a poll going. Please go there, vote at the poll & also post your opinions. It will be of help not only to me but also to others who see it later during a search.

Thanks.

Here is the link

[cnm]

Wouldn't go by those tests too much - all depends on how they test, and most don't say. I've found AVG very reliable and frequently updated. It's certified by ICSA: http://www.icsalabs.com/html/communi...certprod.shtml

[Luthorcrow]

True and I heard that as a defense recently but if you look the apps approved by ICSA, it is pretty much every AV app on the market. This similar to fact every motorcycle hemlet must receive certification from DOT but not helmets are equal.

As for the testing methods, the orgs I listed (at least VB and Hamburg) have pretty detailed explanations of how the apps were tested.

So in the end I am not saying any of these AV apps are dangerous or broken per say, but it comes down to, for the same price, do you want to be driving a Yugo or a BMW?

[cnm]

AVG price = 0. And all over the net you will find people reporting that AVG detected something Norton missed. Sorry, don't have the links handy. so feel free to be sceptical.

[bellgamin]

I have used AVG for nearly 2 years & nothing bad has gotten through. It blocks an average of 4 to 5 tries monthly.

I like AVG because it is very easy on system resources, scans pretty fast, is free, does a good job, updates smoothly, and plays nicely with all the other programs.

For an *average user* AVG should fill the bill.

On the other hand -- if someone is a *well-known* online person, &/or he or she goes around doing flame jobs on message boards & news groups, or yanking the chains of black hats -- then NOD32 is what I'd recommend. If you need something a bit less expensive than NOD32, but 99.9% as good, then go for Dr. Web.

aloha.......bellgamin

[Luthorcrow]

Bellgamin,

Anyone doing that has more problems than viruses

I would also include P2P and visting unknown websites under risky behavior. I read about folks that have had problems with e-mail viruses such Klez but I have yet to receive an e-mail virus since 96. What I personally run into are either script viruses/trojans on websites (nothing black hat, illegal, or incideous--at least it wasn't supposed to be) or bad files from P2P (mailbombs, trojans, worms, etc). To date, nothing has gotten through.

Another free program folks might want to consider that received better ranking than AVG on AV-Test. Org most recent tests is AntiVir PE.
http://www.free-av.com/

cnm said, "...And all over the net you will find people reporting that AVG detected something Norton missed..."

Not to defend Norton, but keep in mind there is such a thing as a false positive.

[Luthorcrow]

This thread is starting to sound like an AVG love feast? Is there anyone out there reading this running something else?

Getting ready to test drive F-Secure and Sophos. I particularly am interested in F-Secure because of the "Heureka-2" AntiVirus Tests March 2002 conducted by the VTC of Hamburg Univserity where they retested AV apps with same definitions used in a prior test in 2001 to see how well the apps would detect viruses that that were not only not in their definition base but did not exist when that build of the app was created. F-Secure faired particularly well in these tests.

[bellgamin]

I ran F-Secure for the free trial period. It's okay. Scans rather slowly on a large HD.

As you may have discerned, I mostly use freebies. I have $$ but tend to spend it on frivolous things like food and clothing.

Another great free AV -- higher rated than AVG by *some* tests -- is Avast. The latest version of Avast is one of the few AVs that has a built-in integrity checker. Kaspersky is another. Also, Dr Web [but its integrity checker -- AdINF -- is an extra cost item].

I use AdInf -- the one security program that I actually paid for, & well worth the $25 it cost. IMHO, a good integrity checker is THE best security that can go on anyone's computer. An integrity checker spots any & all changes to files. Thus, it will spot trojans, worms, viruses, & other malware that NO other program will detect. AdInf is *on-demand* so it spots the fox after he's already in the hen house. Good enough for me because I have back-ups.

If you want a background-running integrity scanner that is fairly easy on system resources, I recommend File Checker by Javacool. A FREE download is near the bottom of the page at...

http://www.wilders.org/downloads.htm

The FileChecker help site at Wilders Forum is at...
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/index.php?board=8

File Checker will do real-time monitorship of any & all files that you tell it to. No changes can be made to those files without your approval. Thus, it not only will block viruses, but spyware & crapware as well -- IF you have it guarding the *right places.*

aloha.......bellgamin

[Luthorcrow]

Some form of app/registry etc monitor was my next step. Currently, I am running Wormguard and TDS-3 to back-up the AV, spyblaster as it updates, and Spybot S&D to clean out other bugs.

As of build 4.0.7.0 AVP has become too slow and eating up my resources. I am also not feeling the love from their tech support.

File Checker sounds similar to Safety System Monitor. I will have to try both and see what fits better, but as you said the cost is $0 so that is always nice.

I am not against freeware, in fact there are some really great ones such as JV16 Power Tools, Sypbot S&D, Spyblaster, Crazy Browser to name a few that I have enjoyed. It's just I don't cut them any slack for being free other than that these folks deserve praise for their time and committment. And the better apps are as good as or better than many commercial apps.

F-Secure, ya when I saw that the uncompressed file was 24megs I was a bit dubious, but hey, we will see how friendly it plays.

I am curious, considering that you mention Avast and Alwil at least is on the map with VB, why AVG instead? At least that was what I had gleamed from your prior posts?

[bellgamin]

File Checker sounds similar to Safety System Monitor. I will have to try both and see what fits better, but as you said the cost is $0 so that is always nice.

I forgot about SSM. [blush blush]

SSM & File Checker do similar jobs, approximately, but SSM is also a true *application firewall* hence EXTREMELY powerful against trojans et alia.

"Root" over at the
Agnitum-Outpost forum, swears by SSM. That should carry mucho weight because Root is a true guru on security matters.

You can read about SSM at...
http://kormushkin.narod.ru/help/ssme.html

...and download it at...
http://kormushkin.narod.ru/ssm.zip

Be aware -- the SSM download site is often VERRRY slow.

I am curious, considering that you mention Avast and Alwil at least is on the map with VB, why AVG instead? At least that was what I had gleamed from your prior posts?

If I didn't already have AVG installed -- with 2 years of faithful protection to its credit -- & if I didn't already have AdInf installed [versus Avast's built-in integrity checker], & if system resources were not so critical on my out-dated box, I would almost certainly select Avast.

Take notice -- unlike many so-called freebies, the free versions of AVG and Avast are NOT "cripple-ware." They both use the same identical, full-powered scan engines & signatures as their respective paid versions.

aloha.......bellgamin

[edsod]

Originally posted by bellgamin:


I like AVG because it is very easy on system resources, scans pretty fast, is free, does a good job, updates smoothly, and plays nicely with all the other programs.

For an *average user* AVG should fill the bill.

On the other hand -- if someone is a *well-known* online person, &/or he or she goes around doing flame jobs on message boards & news groups, or yanking the chains of black hats -- then NOD32 is what I'd recommend. If you need something a bit less expensive than NOD32, but 99.9% as good, then go for Dr. Web.

I agree with it.
I had problems using NAV and I'm not hysterical with
protection from viruses as I'm just an "average" user.
It was a period that after many problems with a combination of NAV and ZoneAlarm I was not using
an AV or Firewall and nothing bad happened to me.
I now use AVG and Kerio and NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM
for me the last four months.(In WinME that I use).

[Luthorcrow]

SSM & File Checker do similar jobs, approximately, but SSM is also a true *application firewall* hence EXTREMELY powerful against trojans et alia.

Ya, I have been following that thread at Wilder's as well. I already downloaded the app a couple of weeks ago, but hadn't got around to playing with it so the slow download is not a problem.

Thanks for the links though.

[CellarDweller]

My .02...

I've been using eTrust EZ Antivrus for a long time - since it was called InoculateIT and was free. It has never failed me - even with the worst viruses out there. It even caught Yaha.k where Norton, McAfee, and a couple others did not for friends of mine.

eTrust became a pay-for utility last year, and I paid. It has since paid for itself many times over. It would be hard to convince me to try another.