Internet Security Software

[junk2drive]

I have been using Zonealarm free for firewall and McAfee paid for antivirus for years and never had a problem. Except for one time when I tried the trial version of McAfee and it fixed my computer and then I felt it was worth buying.

McAfee is up for renewal and I am debating my choices.

My ISP, Frontier, offers CA internet package for free. I installed it. So far it has been less of a resource hog than McAfee.

AOL offers a free McAfee package.

AVG is highly touted but the free version doesn't seem to offer much.

Opinions?

[Arjuna]

We use ESET Smart Security. Very low overhead, very fast. Has caught everything except one recent incident where a transaction site was being hacked and it installed some malware on one of our machines. However, ESET came to our rescue within 24 hours. Excellent service.
http://www.eset.com/

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Avast is a good one:

http://www.avast.com/

And it's free.

PoE (aka ivanmoe)

[sabre1]

I use Kaspersky (think that is the right spelling).

[NefariousKoel]

I've been using Avast, myself.  Hell, it's free.

If you feel like paying for a good one, I'd go with PrevX as I've used in customer's computers that were lousy with viruses and other junk.  It actually got rid of even the ones other AV software couldn't.  None of them are perfect, but that one is the best I've seen in the past couple years for outright nuking the bastids.

There's a cheaper version that you can install along with other AV software that just scans & removes and then the premium one which does it all. Using a free AV and then the scanner version isn't a bad option.

http://www.prevx.com/

[JudgeDredd]

Avast is very good. It's non intrusive, so doesn't bug you and it's free. I've never had a problem with Avast and  I've never had a virus either.

Drop McAfee and go avast...you save money AND protect your PC. [:D]

[Arsan]

Another Avast happy customer.[&o]
4 years with it and no virus infection!

[junk2drive]

Thanks for the replies. I'll have a look this weekend.

[Nomad]

I've been using AVG - free for many years and I have had no problems.

[hadberz]

I use Symantec Endpoint Protection v11. It's free from my works home-use license. If I had to pay for one I would probably stay with Symantec. I never had any virus since using it. 

[Gem35]

I also use Avast v4.8.
Free and does the job.

[Ironclad]

AVG and Zonealarm are very good. I have used them for years, unfortunately I couldn't get Zonealarm to work on Vista so now use Comodo's firewall - another good free one.

[Arkady]

I use AVAST as my antivirus and COMODO Firewall Pro and Defender as another layer of security
... additionally my entire home network is behind router with built-in firewall that drops all uninitiated incoming packets

[Zap]

ORIGINAL: Arkady

I use AVAST as my antivirus and COMODO Firewall Pro and Defender as another layer of security
... additionally my entire home network is behind router with built-in firewall that drops all uninitiated incoming packets

Your post brings up a good discussion question. Do you need all of that with a router? I admit I don't know much about computer security. I was told, that multiplying security programs really slows down your computer. So I took this persons advice to use only the router with its firewall. I still use avast anti-virus. It was also suggested to not use explorer but firefox when doing this. Does this approach sound right?

[Arkady]

yes, you're right, if you have firewall on your router then anitvirus should be enough, with carefull behavior during net surfing

I use COMODO package with firewall and defender - defender is something like Intrusion Prevention System, it check what is running and what resources (files, memory, registry) are accessed by runnig processes.

The reason for two firewalls is simple, router's firewall is good in filtering transport layer, but for comunication on application layers I need another level of defence. ROuter's firewall is not able detect that current connection on port 80 is good or not, it is just http session. Firewall within my computer then need check values and found if response packets in this http session are not malicious.

ORIGINAL: Zap

ORIGINAL: Arkady

I use AVAST as my antivirus and COMODO Firewall Pro and Defender as another layer of security
... additionally my entire home network is behind router with built-in firewall that drops all uninitiated incoming packets

Your post brings up a good discussion question. Do you need all of that with a router? I admit I don't know much about computer security. I was told, that multiplying security programs really slows down your computer. So I took this persons advice to use only the router with its firewall. I still use avast anti-virus. It was also suggested to not use explorer but firefox when doing this. Does this approach sound right?

[Cmdrcain]

One thing to consider in buying an anti-virius is does your ISP
Scan incomming email?

Mine does, it uses Nortons, so one buying Nortons would be just
pretty much duplicating... other then maybe your definations updated more...or less then ISP, the email gets scanned by same companys product...

In such a case, one might be better off buying an anti-virius from a different company... then email is being scanned double by different programs and more effective, what passes nortons may not pass the one on your PC, but if using same as ISP, neither may stop a virius
then, because if using like Nortons same as ISP... Both miss it.

So check if your ISP is providing antivirius scanning.

Also if does don't presume to not need own, since antivius
is real time its scanning when visit websites etc... ISP only scans email.

[Adam Parker]

Buy Norton.
 
It's a wonderful way to learn 6 dialects of Indian whenever you need their help desk.
 
Here's some of my favorite friends:
 

Response (Azhar Valangaar) - 11/16/2007 07:21 PM
Hello Adam,
 
Welcome to Symantec Online Technical Support.
 
This is Abraham from Symantec Online Technical Support.

Hi Abe!
 
And:
 

Response (Yogesh Bhardwaj) - 06/10/2008 05:18 AM
Hello Adam,

Thank you for contacting Symantec Customer Support; this is Yogs.

As requested, I have placed a refund request for you.

Good ol' Yogs!