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Best Free Security

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6K views 32 replies 10 participants last post by  lazarking 
#1 ·
Good afternoon TSG. I have been running Windows 10 now for about 8 months without any problems. My current security Trend Micro, is about to expire and I am leaning towards Avira as a free alternative. Can I please get some feed back on Avira and any others that you feel would be better and provide me with a safe download link.
 
#4 ·
Avira was getting some pretty good heuristics detection scores as I remember. Probably did not earn top place because of some usability issues or something non-essential. I would recommend it. I would get it from here: https://www.avira.com/
I was using Avast back in my in my old XP days. I wont elaborate but I was not that happy with it. A friend has just bought a three key Norton 360 Windows 10 compatable. Any comments for this one please. I have friends that have used it and have had mothing but trouble and have elected to go for Avira free or Bit defender free. I realise that Windows 10 has its own security, but Google tells me that it is still to my advantage to install a third party security. In which case Windows Defender is automatically disabled.
 
#6 ·
can't say i'm a fan of Norton after my early experiences with it on XP. but i've had Avast installed on a win7 machine for years, without any issues.

also, Avira isnt a bad choice which ive found to be ok and the same with Qihoo 360 Total Security Antivirus. installed it on a friends and went into the settings to enable the Bitdefender scanner.
 
#7 ·
Ok. Thankyou all for your feedback. I'd like to leave this thread open for a few days if its ok until I have spoken to my friend about Paid Norton 360. The uninstall for my current security appears to be in the start menu{Not the control panel}, so I may need a bit of assistance there. I am still leaning toward Avira and still have a lot to learn about Windows 10
 
#8 ·
I use Avast 2016 free on both desktops with good results, plus it updates common programs like flash player. Had bit Bit defender free on my laptop but has is very few features, works ok but I noticed there is no way to manually update the definitions. I turned it on after being off for a month and it took several hours before it updated itself. Switched to Avast 2016 free. In the past Norton 360 has been called a resource hog.
 
#9 ·
Don't understand LY. What do you class as a resource hog. I have installed the paid version of Norton 2016 Windows 10 compatible and so far no problems but its still earl days. I would prefer a paid version. Still running through all its features to see what it has to offer over free versions. Any problems, I wont hesitate to give it the flick and gofor the Avast.
 
#10 ·
I read on several web sites that Norton would use 5-10% CPU when the computer was idle, this was in 2013. It may be improved now. Pull up task manager and see what it is doing under processes. I used to use Norton back in 2005-2006 and if you chose to uninstall it would leave parts on your computer that would cause problems with other programs. You had to search and find a special uninstaller to find an get the rest of it off your computer. I think Norton security 2016 has replaced 360 this year and comes in different flavors and prices. Check for Reviews. If you decide to uninstall, check the website for an uninstaller for it. I worked on a friends laptop last year and it had Norton 360 on it. It also had a browser hijack virus. Norton couldn't get rid of it but it gave me a link to download and I did and ran it and it got rid of the Virus. Strange Virus, Win 8.1 laptop , when you click on Internet explorer a Chrome page would come up and would say "page not found " and you couldn't surf. Click on Chrome same thing. Had to go to file manager and click on the Internet explorer.exe to get on the internet and troubleshoot. Pasted the Norton link there to get it.
 
#11 ·
'years ago' is probably the key here, as my old desktop found norton troublesome but it was back in the day when the machine lacked grunt.

as for undetected viruses, i have found the best way to tackle them and their many forms is good habits and to use a combination of an AV and Malwarebytes. there is the addition of several smaller progs that can help too. but its a combination that does the job in the round for me.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I was using a paid version of Malwarebytes back in my XP days which I found slowed down the 8ry old relic considerably until my granddaughters cat piddled all over my surge board. lol {That was the end of that}. My new machine is an HP which came with Windows 8.1. I was one of the few that received an offer to upgrade to Windows 10 and have never had a problem. Others who have had to pay for a the upgrade have no end of problems. Bob, the Norton that I have installed isn't 360, its 2016. My question to you is whilst googling around, I came across a free version of Malwarebytes anti-exploit from memory, and is a good backup for your AV. Any comments please people.
 
#13 ·
Bob, the Norton that I have installed isn't 360, its 2016. My question to you is whilst googling around, I came across a free version of Malwarebytes anti-exploit from memory, and is a good backup for your AV. Any comments please people.
good to know your well secure and up to date with your AV.
there are a variety of Malwarebytes programs and Anti-Exploit Free is one i also use as it protects my Browsers from exploits. but it also combats the problem of exploit attacks against software vulnerabilities by effectively "shielding" popular applications.

generally, when speaking of MWB's its usually a reference to the main program used for scanning drives for malware and removal. its been a little trickier to find since the last site makeover but this link offers the free version or the payfor for home use. it makes a decent double act with your AV
https://www.malwarebytes.org/dl-confirm/
 
#14 ·
Just one question Bob. I have used the older paid versions of MWB with out any problems apart from slower start up. Apart from that, it will stop a truck. I have had a good read up on the latest free WMB and I'm quite impressed. The question is, if I install it, are you aware of any problems that it might clash with Norton 2016. If not, I'll go ahead and install it. Thanks for the link.
 
#15 ·
The question is, if I install it, are you aware of any problems that it might clash with Norton 2016. If not, I'll go ahead and install it. Thanks for the link.
hi, malwarebytes free is not a real time scanner and doesn't interfere or effect other progs, imo. theres no worry with the free version because it functions as an on-demand scanner. it doesn't run automatically in the background and only does something when you launch it and click the Scan button.

a free version will be fine installed on a machine with norton. just install it and occasionally launch it to perform a scan as and when you need it. and to be fair I've never heard of anyone having bother with a paid version clashing, either.
hth
 
#16 ·
Back and no end of problems with Norton 2016 particularly with EM Client so I have uninstalled it. So right now the only protection I have is Windows defender. I have also given EM Client the flick and opted to go back to Incredimail for Windows 10 which I used for many years with XP without a hitch. However, having done that, this is a whole new ball game. Anyone struck any problems with Avast or Avira using Incredimail. I found that after tossing out Norton and EM Client, the emails came pouring in. Its anybodies guess where they have been all this time. I could use a link to rid my computer of any traces of Norton.
 
#17 ·
defender with win10 is agreeable for security and has shown to be worthy for protection. EM client is an equivalent for malwarebytes, imo so... if you have MWB's is installed, thats ok though, milage may vary.
please see the link for norton removal tool. look to the chevrons to click for downloads, not the big green button.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/norton_removal_tool.html

not had any issues with avast or avira with incredimail, thunderbird or fossemail. but its good to know theres access with emails.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Ok Bob. I've opted for Bitdefender with MWB as a backup. I ran a full scan and the machine is clean. I've also given EM Client the flick and downloaded Incredimail. Everything seems to be running ok. MWB is not running at the moment that I can see. How often do you suggest I run a MWB scan and how do I check that its not running in the background.
 
#19 ·
How often do you suggest I run a MWB scan.
there really isn't a blanket answer to that. it depends more then anything else on exactly how the computer is used - and a users surfing habits.

but moderately, running a scan a couple of times a month or partial scans. but when unknown changes occur, maybe browsers, security or the system acts odd. its certainly time to check with a scan.

together, (Bitdefender and MWB's) one catches what the other might miss and vice versa, making a good team.
 
#21 ·
its ok..
the free version of MWB's is not a real time scanner and will be off. so leave as is.. in other words, it doesn't run automatically in the background and can be used as on demand and when needed. avoiding running two AV's is the rule but differs where the paid version of MWB's is concerned as its been designed with this in mind..

Malwarebytes is coded in a different way and is designed to run alongside other antivirus programs without interfering. It may even work without any further configuration. But, to make it work as well as it possibly can and improve performance, you should set up exclusions in both Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium and your standard antivirus program.
for more info see this page about both versions of MWB's.
http://www.howtogeek.com/230158/how-to-run-malwarebytes-alongside-another-antivirus/
 
#22 ·
No worries. I'm pretty much up on the paid version from my XP days so you've pretty much answered all my questions and thanks for all your help and all the others involved. I might leave this thread open for a couple of days in case I have anymore questions. Then mark it solved. Thanks TSG. You've done it again.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Hello keno-ken :)

I know you consider this answered but I would like to quickly throw my 2 cents in.

A couple things:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is designed to run alongside traditional antivirus software. You should be able to safely use the paid version of MBAM with real-time scanning with any antivirus product. Having real-time scanning on will result in some performance loss but on any modern system this will be just about unnoticeable.

Using the free version of MBAM, I would recommend a scan every week or whenever something makes you suspicious. One cool feature is the ability to add a context menu (right click menu) item to scan individual files. This is convenient if you need to open or run something from a less than reputable place (for example, I would scan any email attachment including Word or PDF files before opening them).

As far as antivirus software is concerned, when it comes down to it, they all perform rather similarly. Research spreads quickly so generally the databases are never that much different. Avast! Free Antivirus compares well with most paid solutions. Microsoft's products generally don't perform as well but in my opinion they're good enough (I use Defender and Security Essentials on all my machines). You can take a look at the benchmarks at AV-Comparitives.

What I usually tell people is to have one antivirus and one antimalware and only one of each installed, updated and enabled. There are a handful I would stay away from for various reasons (AVG due to privacy concerns, Comodo due to security concerns, Spyhunter for various reasons, IOBit due to a questionable history of stealing Malwarebytes' database). Other than those whatever you like best is fine. Since Avast! Free performs about as well as any paid product and is, well, free that would be my strongest recommendation.

As Bob mentioned, Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit is a good thing to have. It belongs to a relatively new group of software known as (surprise) anti-exploit software. Microsoft has a similar solution called the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET). This takes a bit of doing to set up but it is a very powerful solution if you are a relatively advanced user and willing to put a bit of time into the set up. As with antivirus and antimalware you only want one anti-exploit program.

Beyond Anti-X Software

There are many complementary programs that are designed to run alongside your standard security suite. Two of them you may want to check out are:
  • WinPatrol - watches important registry keys and files for changes and prompts you before allowing them. The free version offers limited functionality.
  • CryptoPrevent - applies policies that prevent common crypto ransomware from running. Ransonmware is a newer threat that encrypts your files rendering them inaccessable and demands payment to unencrypt them. Prevention is key with ransomware as most of the time you cannot recover your files even if the malware is removed.

There are also assorted software that addresses specific concerns. While not security software in the strictest definition they can nonetheless be valuable additions.

Adblockers

I'm somewhat loathe to recommend adblockers on a site that is supported by ads as I would hate to hurt TSG. That said, the rise of malvertising as well as the ever present threat of phishing or fraud means you should be blocking ads until the ad agencies clean up their act. Supporting the free sites you like is great but should not come at the cost of your safety. Many sites (including here) may allow you to pay to remove ads or simply accept donations so you can still help support them.

As far as adblockers go uBlock Origin wins hands down in my opinion. It is fast and good. You can install it can go or if you are an advanced user there are pages and pages of options and information to play with.

Adblock Plus is the most popular and probably easiest to use. Personally I don't agree with their monetization model (acceptable ads) but some people like it so to each their own.

Assorted

Site reputation programs can help steer you away from shady sites. The two big ones are Web of Trust and McAfee WebAdvisor (formerly McAfee SiteAdvisor).

Unchecky is a program that monitors installs and automatically unchecks 3rd party/optional offers. These are a major vector for getting what's known as potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) that can range from useless (i.e. McAfee Security Scan) to actual malware (i.e. Conduit browser hijacker).

Password managers allow you to use strong and unique passwords for all your logons. This greatly decreases the chances of your accounts being hacked. I use LastPass which has free and paid versions; I like it because the paid version is multiplatform and it automatically syncs between my devices. KeePass is a well known free and open source solution. It is also multiplatform but getting it to sync across your devices takes a fair bit of setting up.

WARNING! This is very important.

Security software only does so much. If you download free_photoshop_crack_LEGIT.torrent from piratesite.ru then follow the instructions to disable your antivirus to install it you're going to get infected. User behavior is number one when it comes to security. No program is perfect. Your antivirus will miss bleeding edge threats. You adblocker will fall a step behind the adblocker blockers. Site reputation programs can be gamed to make malicious sites seem legit. Unchecky may miss a check box if you choose Express rather than Custom install. Your password manager is only as good as your master password is strong. You get the idea.

Don't get lulled into a sense of false security after installing every security app on the market. A bit of caution and common sense goes a long, long way. I won't go into it since that's not your question but if you want to know more Krebs's 3 Basic Rules for Online Safety is a good place to start.

See also: How to Protect Yourself and Tighten Security by one of our mods, dvk01.

Stay safe out there ;)
-capnkrunch
 
#27 ·
I forgot to mention about BitDefender Free (which I think is what keno-ken went with). This also applies to the free Avira and any others (except AVG).

As I said, as long as you avoid the 4 I mentioned, which AV you pick doesn't matter so much. So BitDefender is as good a choice as any.

The reason I choose to recommend Avast is because:
1. For some reason the benchmarking guys seem to test Avast and AVG free versions but only the paid versions of other products. So while likely similar to the paid versions, you don't have as good an idea of the performance of other free software.
2. I'm more familiar with it. I know this is not a great reason but I feel more comfortable suggesting something I've used myself than something I haven't.

My strong recommendation probably would be better states as a strong recommendation for free antivirus with some preference towards Avast.
 
#29 ·
Sorry I've left this thread open for so long guys but I've had a problem with Bitdefender since I installed it about a month ago. The problem I'm having is with the use of Steam, so that I can play one of my favourite old Dos games, Wolfenstein 3D. Steam or the game itself seem to be over riding Bitdefender causing Wolfenstein to minimize to the task bar and I cant maximize the game again. I think I'd like to give Avast 2016 free another try but in Window 10, I've got no idea how to uninstall Bitdefender. I've been into the control panel and all programs from the start menu and its not showing anywhere. Help please and can you provide me with a safe link for Avast 2016 free??....eek! Or alternatively can anyone tell me how to maximize Wolfenstein to full screen again. Alt + Tab doesn't work. Sorry to run off at a tangent. I think Windows 10 is just a little too complex for me. Bitdefender seems to be doing its job BUT, I cant understand what's going on.
 
#30 ·
Hello keno-ken

Please give this a shot:

Note: in the time between uninstalling Bitdefender and installing Avast your computer will be vulnerable. You should install Avast immediately after uninstalling Bitdefender.

You should not browse the internet with no antivirus installed. For that reason I strongly recommend you either print these instructions or make sure to have them available on another device.

First download Avast Free.

Next, just to be safe, create a System Restore Point.

Create a System Restore Point
  • Click on Start.
  • Type Create a restore point into the search box and select it from the results.
  • From the Available Drives list select the Windows drive. It will be the one that says (System) after it.
    • If Protection is Off, click Configure.
    • Select Turn on system protection and click OK.
  • Click on Create.
  • Type Uninstall Bitdefender into the textbox and click Create.
  • Once it is finished click Close

Now we will try to uninstall Bitdefender using their uninstall tool.

Bitdefender Uninstall Tool
  • Please download the BitDefender Uninstall Tool.
  • Right click the downloaded file and select Run as administrator.
  • Follow the prompts to remove Bitdefender .
  • If the uninstaller does not reboot your computer automatically, then reboot manually.

Stop! If BitDefender was not removed from your system do not try to install Avast. Reply here and we will try something else. Have two antivirus products installed at the same time is almost as bad as having none!

Install Avast Free
Note: the Avast installer may contain bundled software, usually Dropbox or Google Chrome. I recommend you always uncheck any optional offers.
  • Double-click on the downloaded Avast installer to run it.
  • Click Customize.
  • The following items should always be installed. They are the core antivirus components:
    • File Shield
    • Web Shield
    • Mail Shield
  • The rest are up to you. Personally, I would only install those three but at the very least I would uncheck the following*:
    • SafeZone Browser
    • Cleanup

*SafeZone Browser like most bundled "secure" browsers is not secure at all.
Avast Cleanup includes a "registry cleaner". These are dangerous and may render your computer unbootable for no benefit. It is against this site's policy to recommend them:
Please do not recommend running registry cleaners and/or system optimizers. The staff at Tech Support Guy generally recommend that registry "cleaners" not be used because many of the "errors" shown in scan results are actually incorrect or "false" detections and "fixing" them may cause serious problems. Some resulting issues can appear immediately while others may only become evident months or even years later when you discover that you can't uninstall a program or software you haven't used for a while doesn't work properly. Furthermore, fixing any "real" errors or attempting to optimize the system by tweaking it won't result in any significant gains in space on the hard drive and/or performance so it's best to simply avoid using these types of programs.
Hope this works, if not let me know what went wrong and we can go from there.

Regards,
capnkrunch
 
#32 ·
Standard Windows Defender is actually not bad. It stops the majority of nasties, and is very unobtrusive. You do need to make sure Windows Update is set to keep updated.

Also, being smart and taking care what you open helps.

Login on as a non-administrator when you don't need admin access works well; if you do happen to cop Malware, it can only infect that user profile, making it east to recover from. If you have kids, NEVER log them in as admins.

Also, you need to have some sort of backups in place, unless you have nothing on the machine you value. For most home users. it is pretty easy to just drag and drop files to a $10 USB key every so often, and keep it somewhere away from the computer.
 
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