Whate free av software do you use/recommend?

[nagidar]

AntiVir

Avast free in the background and and Avir free and Anti-Malware free to double check downloaded files..never any problems

 

[16k_zx81]

For paid for I use Trend Micro - specifically their WFBS line.

But....why would you do that?

 

[Rosco]

It is the free Antivir ("Antivir Personal") that ranks so highly on AV-Comparatives. I prefer to sell them Antivir Premium but if money is an issue, I'll install Antivir Personal, AVAST! Home, or MSE (in that preference order). They can't beat Antivir Premium for a whole bunch of reasons that I outline on my web site and ask them to read if they want to know why I prefer it. MSE and AVAST tend to hobble older PCs running XP whereas Antivir Personal is very transparent. I recommend against AVG because it's a resource hog and ineffective/unreliable.

^^^^ agreed Avira is the best free by far. coupled with superantispyware i find it unstoppable. I use the free verison myself works great!

 

[PR Tech]

We also do not like to send clients off with just a free antivirus scanner. If they insist or are on a very tight budget, we will at least sell them on supplementing MSE with the paid version of Malwarebytes for $24.95 for a lifetime license. 99% of customers don't balk at it and are happy for the added protection to their system.

 

[JW The Computer Guy]

Avira Antivir, one of the best free a/v's out there. Never had a customer return with a virus issue. They usually call me to do networking, or upgrade hardware now.

 

[Styxbound]

MSSE and free Avast, the first for it's lightness and the second, where I expect problems, for it's great bootscan. MBAM and occasionally SAS for on demand.

 

[othersteve]

If someone requests a particular free A/V, that is exactly what they get. If they don't, they get MSSE.

I default to it for a number of reasons. Mostly it's a tiny download, a fast install, it's very light on system resources and runs on older system pretty well, it detects well enough, it negates Windows Defender in Vista which would otherwise want to run and consume more resources with a 3rd Party A/V installed, and also it's Microsoft so people actually have brand recognition with it vs. the likes of Avira/Avast/whatever else others use.

But they always get the conversation from me, rather disclaimer, that I don't *recommend* MSSE, or any A/V for that matter paid or not, over another - and I usually do a pretty good job explaining why I won't stake my rep on something as variable as a particular A/V's reliability, especially when new malware is introduced. When they understand this, it's a lot easier to deal with them should they get an infection in the future while running that A/V I put on their system...



It does. Fake A/V in the shop a few weeks ago had the big K on it. It wasn't functioning properly as I recall and needed a reinstall - unsure if that was the malware or just a malfunction...

But personally this is a very rare event for me to see. Not sure if it's because Kaspersky is so rarely used among my customer base or if it's just that good against all the fake A/V floating around out there these days. *shrug*

Quoted because this is exactly my approach to the situation.

I find that layering MSE/MSSE with up-to-date plugins, a good web browser with safety extensions, and updated Windows makes for quite a safe machine indeed.

 

[gunslinger]

I don't personally use any AV and cannot understand why any tech would on their personal machine. I do recommend Avira or MSE and spywareblaster on systems I work on. If someone insists on paying for AV its Kaspersky.

 

[comprx]

For me it is MSSE for free (which most clients default to. I think I need to get better at pitching my paid)
Which is Kaspersky AV (not IS as anything above the AV product from most publishers becomes rather bloated)

 

[Mr.Mike]

I use MBAM, SAS and manual removal (still trying to hone that skill) and have loaded Avast free on client machines. When the going gets tough, Kapersky has come through when I needed it the most.

I haven't seen very many new Rogues lately. Anyone else notice that?