Windows 7 Free Anti-Virus .vs. Purchased Anti-Virus

[oneextraid]

Are there any risks using the free products versus the purchased products?

I have used a variety of the free products and each has produced some false positives. Not sure of they have missed any viruses or not.

 

[fjgold]

My Avast! pro won't let me visit sites it deems unsafe.
I get a popup warning me with no way to override.
A good thing IMHO since it prevents me from opening the site anyway.
It has saved me in this manner on several occasions thus far.
It also scans incoming emails for malware.
The browser addon WOT also warns me about potentially unsafe sites though it will allow the user to visit flagged sites, not recommended.

In addition to all the other stuff I do to protect myself and my machine I also run all my internet facing apps in a sandbox using the excellent
Sandboxie app.
Doing so prevents anything nasty that gets by the other stuff from ever installing on my machine.

Awareness, caution and resisting the urge to click every link on the web goes along way to preventing problems.
Common sense seem to be underrated these days.

 

[Joe S]

Frank I use Avast free and have hit redirects and only get the square saying AVG or whatever no buttons or graphics just a red X which I don.'t click. I just bring up task manager and close IE there. I didn't add the Web Rep when I installed Avast.
Joe

 

[Andrea Borman]

But I am pretty sure that an anti-virus program like Microsoft Security Essentials cannot stop you visiting websites or clicking on site links in Yahoo or Google.

So I think that even if I had have had a strong anti-virus program. The redirect I got to the blank page which tried to scan my computer would have happened anyway.

My friends computer had an anti-virus on it, but that site link did the same to them as well. They had Microsoft Security Essentials and McAfee security.

But I could also set my Windows Defender to scan my email. But G.Mail has a spam filter anyway. Which puts spam into the spam box,which at most times is spam. So I just delete the spam.

But as I said before,my computer is in the clear and I have no viruses or malware. I was very lucky. Andrea Borman.

 

[Captain Jack]

You could use MVP's Host file to prevent such attacks Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File

 

[Andrea Borman]

You could use MVP's Host file to prevent such attacks Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File

Yes,I have clicked your link to the article about it. But I don't really understand how to use MVP Host file. It seems to complicated to use.

But what happened two days ago would have happened anyway,even with virus protection. As anti-virus does not stop you going onto a website or clicking website links in search engines. See here for full story- Link Removed But that was just bad luck.

That was the first time it has ever happened,and that was one bad website experience out of over 100,I visit on the Internet. But the site I tried to visit was a reputable site,a web hosting forum. But the site owner emailed me and told me that their server was hacked by a computer hacker. But it has been fixed now.

So it is unlikely to happen again and my computer does not have any viruses. But I still am not going to install an anti virus program. I don't like third party security programs controlling my computer. Andrea Borman.

 

[Captain Jack]

It's not complicated. It's a batch file would replace the HOST file. Even though it's a reputed site some time the adds might be malicious link. The modified Host files will have these link predefined in it that would block such link. All you would get when you click on those link is it could not find the webpage

 

[Super Sarge]

The Anti Virus Program Micro$oft Security Essentials (MSE) really cannot be called a third party program, it is not included in W7 because competitors and EU would take Micro$oft to court for unfair practices

 

[fjgold]

Frank I use Avast free and have hit redirects and only get the square saying AVG or whatever no buttons or graphics just a red X which I don.'t click. I just bring up task manager and close IE there. I didn't add the Web Rep when I installed Avast.
Joe

Web Rep isn't as robust as WOT.
It won't stop you from visiting a bad site like WOT.
Of course WOT can be overridden though that ain't really a good idea.
I tend to err on the side of caution and take such warnings seriously.

The same goes for the warnings provided by Avast!, actually the popups are more informational than a warning.
More like Avast! has determined this url to be an attack site and has prevented it from opening.
I'm sure there is some way of overriding this but I wouldn't.

BTW, I have never had a virus or any other item of malware.

False positives are possible of course but I would rather have a few false positives than let an attack site get through.
Of course sandboxing prevents anything from installing.

JavaCool's free SpywareBlaster provides a hosts file type protection and is non intrusive.

 

[stueycaster]

I use NoScript with Firefox. It has a Click Jacker blocker that has stopped me from going to a redirect link quite a few times over the last few months. No Javascript is allowed to run unless I allow it. That plus AdBlock keep all the websites clear of ads and other video garbage. I don't need to see all the animations on every web page. I'm just into the internet for the information.

I also use the MVP Hosts File. My computer won't go to a site that is on their block list.

I use Web of Trust too.

 

[stueycaster]

Also I've disabled Autorun system wide. Nothing runs in my system unless I turn it on. If I want to watch a movie in my computer I have to find the VIDEO_TS.IFO file and click it for it to run. I think that's a small price to pay for not having exe files running on their own.

 

[stueycaster]

Andrea you told us in another thread that you have reinstalled your factory image. That's why you have no viruses.

Quote from Andrea Borman:

"Re: I clicked on a website link in a Yahoo search but got redirected to a blank page that tried to scan my computer.Is this malware or a computer virus?

Well, not only did I do a system restore yesterday when the incident happened. But I did a factory restore after that. But this time I chose the minimized image restore. Which puts the Netbook back to factory settings, but with only the Windows software,not HP's. So it is like having a clean install of Windows.

But because I was smart enough to shut down my computer before that fake scan could scan it. I think I stopped the virus or spyware from being installed on my computer.

And even though Windows Defender and MRT said that I was clear of viruses and malware. I still did a system restore just in case. And just to be really really sure-I then did a factory restore just in case they-Windows Defender and MRT -missed something.

I think it was unlikely that my computer was infected with a virus, as by shutting it off before it could scan. I stopped it in time. But as I did a factory restore as well as the other things. I think that if there was any spyware,which is unlikely. It is off of my computer now.

But the Windows Defender and MRT scans are accurate.

And I am right to be wary of websites that say they want to scan your computer,when they don't have a right to do that. Andrea Borman"​

 

[Andrea Borman]

Yes,I did restore to factory image,just to be sure that there was no viruses or malware. It is true that after the unfortunent incident happened. When I got redirected to the blank page that scanned my computer, but I shut it down before it could scan.
Although I did do both a Windows Defender and Malicious Software Removal Tool-MRT scan, and they both said, negative no virus or malware.

I was so worried that the scans may have missed something, and that if a virus,malware or spyware,could still be there, and that the scans could have missed it.

In which case, if there is a virus,malware or spyware on your computer,someone could get your email addresses,passwords and personal details. So that is why,in the end I did a factory restore to clean install Windows,so to speak. In case the scans missed something.

I was very frightened when that blank page started scanning my computer and told me I had 50 worms and viruses before it even started.

Which of course is a con to try to get people to believe that the scan was real. But because of what I read on the web I KNOW IT WAS A FAKE SCAN.
And so I quickly shut down my computer,before it was too late.

But if I had been silly enough not to do that,I could have been infected with a virus. Andrea Borman.

 

[Andrea Borman]

Windows Defender and MRT, which are bundled with Windows Vista and Windows 7, are reliable in their scans. And in most cases they WILL remove malware,spyware and viruses.

But you can always restore to factory condition. Which wipes the computer completely and gives you a clean install of Windows. Because it puts your computer back to the way it was before you bought it.

That is why you should never delete or alter your hard disks or recovery partition. And if you paid money for a good computer,why would you want to chop up the hard disks anyway?

Windows Defender and MRT is not included in Windows XP. But Windows XP users can download and install both Windows Defender and MRT from the Microsoft website. And I recommend that you do so. As these two tools are both free. Andrea Borman.

 

[Super Sarge]

I am going to say it one more time and hopefully it will be understood Micro$oft Security Essentials (MSE) actually replaces Winows defender and is much better.
It could not be included in the W7 Operating system due to legal reasons.
It is "SUPERIOR" to Windows Defender in every aspect, when you install MSE (it is Free for XP Vista and W7) it turns of Defender because they cannot both run at the same time and can cause conflicts. You can schedule defender to do a full scan while you are sleeping everyday.
In your case If you have a USB port on your net-book I would highly recommend you purchase a external hard drive and do a full image backup to that hard drive at least weekly. You can then use this to go back in time to before you had a problem. It operates the way restoring to original condition does but it also keeps everything you have added after your original restore.
EXAMPLE I can restore to Wednesday of this week if something happened today to my machine, it is as quick as restoring your original installation. I use Macrium Reflect (There is a free version) for weekly full backups. I keep 3 weeks worth of backups on hand at all times

 

[Mocchi]

For free anti-virus. I choose MSE. For the simple reason...

It's free and efficient.

Though here is my experience...

Paid AV subscription is good... till it decides your programs are viruses due to their uber advanced heuristic scans. I remembered my friend changed his AV 4 times to different brands some paid, some not because he can't open the games like dinner dash and various programs because it's being block by his AV solutions. When I installed MSE and reinstalled his programs. All things worked great.

All I can say is... I may try paid if I'm going VPN/VPS or server due most of these have great hardware resources and requires thorough file analysis and monitoring. But I wouldn't install it in a dual coal or pentium poor laptops o PC (puns). I had my share of paid AV, and if you install it on a customer's slow PC or laptop (too stubborn to upgrade or by a new one). They usually complain the complain. If I install MSE. They are content and happy.

What I like about MSE the most is you have options to allow false-positives. Unlike some free. Even if you allow the .exe. It will block some of its .dll files or .ini files.

Well... just my POVs. Just shared it.

 

[Raan03]

I'm not using any virusscanner on both my Windows 7 and Ubuntu Linux setup.
It's almost useless to run any kind of virusscanner on Linux and Windows (if you understand what you're doing).
Ofcourse frequently I'm checking my running windows processes and - services to fine tune it to my needs. Traffic needs to go through my router anyway (with firewall disabled), so that adds another layer of security. I'm also using Adblock + noscript. But if I'd forced to chose any anti virus program; I'd go for Eset NOD32 Antivirus, simply because of past experiences with it.
I have to admit, it's been a long time since I ever ran an anti virus but as I whipe my harddisks clean very often (it's a ping pong between linux distro's and Windows 7) I don't deem it necessairy to have any. And if I wreck my Windows, I don't mind (re)installing an OS more or less.

 

[DinZ]

there is difference between those two. free edition wont provide full functionality. Bitdefender wont give online backup for free edition. this is just an example.

 

[msfanboy98]

I prefer to use free avira antivir no problems my dad used mcafee paid and it slowed down his computer can't say anything else about other paid av's

 

[msfanboy98]

Windows Defender and MRT, which are bundled with Windows Vista and Windows 7, are reliable in their scans. And in most cases they WILL remove malware,spyware and viruses.

But you can always restore to factory condition. Which wipes the computer completely and gives you a clean install of Windows. Because it puts your computer back to the way it was before you bought it.

That is why you should never delete or alter your hard disks or recovery partition. And if you paid money for a good computer,why would you want to chop up the hard disks anyway?

Windows Defender and MRT is not included in Windows XP. But Windows XP users can download and install both Windows Defender and MRT from the Microsoft website. And I recommend that you do so. As these two tools are both free. Andrea Borman.

I don't use defender but I used to use Microsoft Security Essentials it was good but I saw that the process in task manager was taking up some ram so i deicided to uninstall and get avira

 

[Andrea Borman]

I just want to say that readers here know that I do not use any anti-virus programs. But I do use the Windows Defender and MRT-Malicious Software Removal Tool,provided with Windows 7. And yesterday Windows Defender did save my computer from what I believe to be Malware.

I read in a recent article that Windows Defender as well as scanning when you want it to,depending on the way you set it up. It also works and scans in the background to alert you of any new threats.And yesterday while I was downloading amsn an open source version of MSN messenger,I got a warning alert from both Action Centre and Windows Defender," HARMFUL SOFTWARE DETECTED."

So I did a scan with Windows Defender and the alert was still there and Windows Defender gave me a list of options as to what action I wanted it to take. I chose,clear system and it removed the software from the system 32 folder,which was Open Candy.

You can read about Microsoft's warning about Open Candy on the Microsoft website here in this article. See here- Encyclopedia entry: Adware:Win32/OpenCandy - Learn more about malware - Microsoft Malware Protection Center

Open Candy is additional software that is bundled with many products such as a msn but it has been flagged by Microsoft as being harmful and harbouring spyware. And as you will see by reading about it on the Microsoft website.Microsoft have updated both Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows Defender,to scan and alert Windows users if they have any software with Open Candy on their computer. And both MSE and Windows Defender will remove it from your computer.

And after Windows Defender cleared my system of the software and removed it, I uninstalled amsn from my computer myself,of course. So Windows Defender can protect your computer and save it from viruses,as it did with me. Windows Defender is bundled with both Windows 7 and Windows Vista,but not with Windows XP. But Windows XP users can download Windows Defender from the Microsoft website. And if you have got Windows XP,I recommend that you do install Windows Defender. As it is not as high security and intrusive as an anti- virus program but it will protect your computer and remove spyware,malware and viruses. It worked for me.

And another thing-Do not download amsn, it has got spyware in it. Andrea Borman.