Your top choice of Anti-Virus.

Paid - Kaspersky IS (and cheap retail, decent margins)

Free - AVG 2012 (seems a big improvement on detection rates - or Avast if they don't like AVG)
 
Microsoft Security Essentials for both home and smaller business. The big win is that it's supported by the Windows Update mechanism. That saves the customer a lot of trouble because they already know they need to perform those dreaded Windows updates! I also think the MSE team probably gets back-door access to the kernel team at Microsoft so they can write the fastest and tightest code.
 
This whole thread is a good example of the problem our customer's face and why I don't sell antivirus software.

While I think I see a bit of a trend (Avast, Kaspersky, MSE), there isn't really a consensus even amongst us "experts". Possibly because it's not only a moving target (what's "best" this month?), but for some of you financial self-interest also influences the decision.

My feeling is whatever product is number one today based on detection rates, adoption levels, etc. will soon be targeted by the bad guys. Flaws will be exploited and the product will slip back down the list for a while.

Not to mention that no product protects users from themselves. Every day I watch over user's shoulders as they blindly click on popups ("OK", "Agree", "Send", "Approved", "I'm an idiot"). When I say "Wait a second, what did that just say?" - they have no idea.

As a result, I've decided the exact antivirus product installed matters little to not at all. Unless specifically asked, my due diligence ends with ensuring they have SOME kind of updated main-stream software. If they don't have any, or what they have is corrupt - I'll install MSE.
 
We have used and sold CA (formerly Computer Associates) Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware for many years. We have found it to be a relatively small footprint, and our customers are generally quite happy. I almost NEVER sell the full security suite - I think most of the extra features in the full suite tend to be redundant for most users. With built in firewalls, Anti-Phishing in most browsers, and so many people using web mail so as to make Anti-Spam unnecessary, we usually just sell the Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware.
 
I just don't get it. :confused:
MSE is getting good, no great, reviews from everybody, all over from everywhere. :(
What i don't get is that many if not most viruses are able to do the damage they do because Windows is flawed. Partly because it's impossible to have so much code without bugs and partly because M$ is incompetent in the tech but very competent in the $$$. ;)

Using MSE is like using the cat to watch the milk. I would be scared to trust the culprit to protect me.:eek:
Maybe I am over reacting, let me end by saying that M$ incompetence is part of what keeps us in business so I'm not really complaining just making a point. :D

BTW I use AVG
 
A couple years ago when MS came out with I believe it was called "One Care" or something like that had AV software, I didn't trust MS to handle the AV either. However when MSE came out for Free I decided to give it a try, and have been using it ever since. For one, the vast majority of my customers that have infected PC's have Norton or McAfee installed. Once I install MSE on the infected machines it usually picks up and removes the culprit(s) right off the bat. Also it doesnt give many false positives or popups.

The one thing i wish MS did was make the definition updates in windows update more important or stand out more.
 
ScarletPathos said:
What do you like about the paid version that the free version lacks?

Rarely do I use paid versions, but I'm thinking of paying for a good paid version (Kapersky, etc.)

I mainly use Avast Free and MSSE, MBAM & SAS.
Click to expand...

Notice he said "Paid version for commercial".

It's probably not that he likes features of the paid version more...but the reason would be, it would be illegal to use the free version of Avast (as well as AVG) in a business. It is against their licensing. They are only free for home users, they are not free for businesses. MSE is the only free antivirus that I know which states in its license that you can use it in a business...as long as the business is only up to 10x desktop PCs (cannot be used on a server).
 
jogold said:
I just don't get it. :confused:
MSE is getting good, no great, reviews from everybody, all over from everywhere. :(
What i don't get is that many if not most viruses are able to do the damage they do because Windows is flawed. Partly because it's impossible to have so much code without bugs and partly because M$ is incompetent in the tech but very competent in the $$$. ;)

Using MSE is like using the cat to watch the milk. I would be scared to trust the culprit to protect me.:eek:
Maybe I am over reacting, let me end by saying that M$ incompetence is part of what keeps us in business so I'm not really complaining just making a point.
Click to expand...

Windows has actually gotten fairly secure...if you've been following the trend of malware, since XP service pack 2 malware writers have found the operating system more difficult to compromise, so they're since turned to 3rd party software such as "web players". Example...Java, Adobe Flash, Adobe PDF Readers. Outdated versions of those are what lets the malware into systems now...via the browser. Which is also why much of this malware has gone cross platform....hitting apple/*nix systems browsers and causing similar "fake alerts/redirects".
 
Paid - Kasersky - the margins are huge with a little trick ;).
Free - MSE - purely because its so damn easy to install and for the client to use, however I am having second thoughts about it as it is pretty useless at stopping scareware.

Also bought a copy of Panda Anti Virus 2012 for £4 which I may offer for a cheap skate :D.
 
joydivision said:
Free - MSE - purely because its so damn easy to install and for the client to use, however I am having second thoughts about it as it is pretty useless at stopping scareware.
Click to expand...

To be honest...they're all crummy at stopping the rogue/fakealert/scarewares...although I find MSE seems to do fairly well. The key to those is keeping the web players (java, flash, pdf, shockwave) up to date. And making sure no old versions are still installed.

Also, MSE is about to release a new version..version 4, which will have improved protection against the web based rogue/fake alert threats.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Notice he said "Paid version for commercial".

It's probably not that he likes features of the paid version more...but the reason would be, it would be illegal to use the free version of Avast (as well as AVG) in a business. It is against their licensing. They are only free for home users, they are not free for businesses. MSE is the only free antivirus that I know which states in its license that you can use it in a business...as long as the business is only up to 10x desktop PCs (cannot be used on a server).
Click to expand...

Yep, spot on. Avast Free is for non-commercial use.

MSE doesn't directly scan inbound/outbound email. Mind you, this may not be an issue if the user only uses web-based email.
 
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