Windows 7 Which Anti-Virus do You Use?

[monk]

I followed results given in sites like AV-Test and selected the free version of software that did the best in terms of performance, detection, etc. In this case, Avira.

 

[benjack5]

i know Avast is ok . but i like free software

 

[catilley1092]

i know Avast is ok . but i like free software

While some types of free software are OK (example, VLC Media Player), it's best to stick with a paid AV/AM solution. I use a ESET Smart Security on some, Emsisoft Internet Security on others, and most has Malwarebytes Premium Lifetime licenses, where I stocked up when on promo as a second layer of protection.

With free solutions, most ships with some type of catch, be it pop-up advertising, getting emails for promos constantly (that are recurring subscriptions), another reason why I grab one year/3 PC's on promo. Some may be as old as 2013 versions, though all one has to do is download the latest one, and use the enclosed key to activate. Then I enjoy peace of mind, in fact, I have 3 unused ESET Smart Security for 1 year/3 PC's unopened, yet still will be good.

I get Emsisoft Internet Security (3 PC's) for free by continually referring others where allowed, though did pay for the first year over three years back, that's a lot of folks taking up my referral link.;-)

One thing that I do suggest, and it's 100% free, is download the Emsisoft Emergency Kit, it can be extracted & installed to a USB Flash drive, if it's the only item on it, a 4GB one will do. Then one can scan every computer in the house that's running Windows, one may be surprised at what'll be found, will remove PUP's, known bad registry entries & more. The good thing is that as long as any file will fit on the drive, will be quarantined, one reason why 8GB models are the 'sweet spot' today & really costs no more than 4GB models when on promo, sometimes 3 for $10 shipped. No, they're not the fastest, yet gets the job done, and I've never had one to go bad on me, though have had a couple to sprout legs.

I had a gut feeling whom the suspect was, only there were two, not just one. The first was my wife's son, who grabbed another, loaded with quarantined Malware files from at least a dozen computers & bundled to look like games. He paid the price by becoming infected as soon as the drive was inserted, though didn't realize until too late.,and eventually brought both he took back to his mother when I wasn't here. The other was an in-law, it was the same deal, only he traded it for two packs of cigarettes at a store within sight of his home. He paid the price with the butt kicking of his life, my mother-in-law threated to sue, but the store owner showed her the Flash drive & knew it was mine, as I had used it on her computer several times. That got him a few more whacks in the head with a broom for stealing.;-).

Anyway, since the good old days when Avast was a top dog, back when it had the auto stereo look, and also featured a great boot time scanner, once MSE first hit the scene (& was also great for a year or so), their software has gone downhill. For me, free doesn't cut it, though I do admit to having MSE on one Windows 7 install, with MBAM Premium as a active backup. It's the only one I've had that doesn't nag.

Cat

 

[acme]

i know Avast is ok . but i like free software

Just use Microsoft Security Essentials or Windows Defender and you will be safe. I use it and it works. Try it, it's FREE

 

[Henry Wong]

Just use Microsoft Security Essentials or Windows Defender and you will be safe. I use it and it works. Try it, it's FREE

Remember that before Windows 8, Windows Defender was not an AV. Just throwing that out there.

 

[acme]

Remember that before Windows 8, Windows Defender was not an AV. Just throwing that out there.

Depends if he will keep WIN 7 or change to WIN 10. Microsoft Security Essentials or Windows Defender will cover which ever he has.

 

[Henry Wong]

Oh, my bad. I read that as you were saying Defender was always a AV. That's my bad.

 

[Zuce]

I use Webroot SecureAnywhere as well as an occasional Malwarebytes scan.

 

[catilley1092]

Just use Microsoft Security Essentials or Windows Defender and you will be safe. I use it and it works. Try it, it's FREE

Works good if one has Malwarebytes Premium to intercept what it doesn't. Have had Windows Defender (Windows 8 version onwards) on several systems since 2012, and hasn't caught a cold, let alone a virus.

Malwarebytes was always picking up the slack, blocking Webpages that WD missed, time & time again.

And on a Windows 7 install, the Windows Defender on there (a Spyware app) caught a trojan deep in the backfield that all of my premium options totally missed. I guess it goes to show, that it's still a decent app when used with Avast or other free AV solution. Note that on Windows 7, MSE & Windows Defender cannot run together, WD will run only if a 3rd party security app (free or paid) is used.

Cat

 

[Tomsonn]

Earlier, I used Microsoft Security Essential. Recently, i switched to SafeBytes antivirus.

 

[kurteb]

In Windows 10, I use Defender, made by Windows for Windows. I added Sandboxie as well, and still use WinPatrol.

 

[catilley1092]

In Windows 10, I use Defender, made by Windows for Windows. I added Sandboxie as well, and still use WinPatrol.

You may want to download & run a free scan with Malwarebytes, now at version 3, which will offer a 14 day free trial to Premium features, no harm in accepting. MBAM has now evolved into a full fledged AIO AV + AM app, if running the licensed versions, of which on Newegg, one can find 3 PC's for the price of 1 deals, usually download only. For $24.99 it can't be beat, and is in my arsenal of security apps.

Actually Viruses (what AV's are designed to catch), represents less than 10% of online threats today, Malware & Ransomware are the major ones, along with rootkits. Some of these are installed with downloading free software & unknown apps comes along for the ride, which the free Unchecky catches many of these, still one has to look before clicking 'next' to everything. Unchecky is also part of my security, help to prevent hijacking of home pages, even when new versions of Skype are installed.

Unchecky - Keeps your checkboxes clear

And a bit more information on how Unchecky works.

How to Avoid Junkware Offers with Unchecky

There's lots of free tools that can help keep one safe, one simply has to hunt for these. Examples are Emsisoft Emergency Kit, ESET Online Scanner, F-Secure Online Scanner (this is a fast one), AdwCleaner (now a part of the Malwarebytes family) & many other tools to scan & cleanse one's computer from threats. I have the first listed above (Emsisoft Emergency Kit) on a USB Flash drive to scan multiple computers, this is OK, as long as not for commercial use.

I don't trust Windows Defender at all, plus it uses a tone of resources, with it's constant scanning, and is rated low on the AV-Comparatives list, is used for a 'baseline' comparison. Since WD is bundled with Windows, it's limited as to what it can & can't do, in my limited use of it, never blocked a Malware loaded page, nor a downloaded file with Malware (this was on a test system). There are several other free choices that uses fewer resources & more effective at intercepting infections before your computer is hijacked.

Just some things to think about.

Cat

 

[Standa]

I'm using Avast Internet Security 2017

 

[Axel PC]

I'm still rocking Kaspersky despite the drama.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Windows Forums mobile app

 

[kurteb]

In Windows 10, I use Defender, made by Windows for Windows. I added Sandboxie as well, and still use WinPatrol.

I added Kaspersky, Acronis, Malwarebytes Anti-malware, and Ccleaner to round things out. Malwarebyte's pay version works fine with Defender and Kaspersky, which is the only antivirus that catches everything in unbiased testing, tested it myself, it found two Trojans that Norton and Defender both missed. Was glad to pay for two years at that point. Evidence trumps drama.

 

[Neemobeer]

Webroot also has a perfect score, but it works differently than traditional AV/M it also has a tiny footprint on the system. Cylance is also supposedly going to start a consumer offering which is a extremely effective AV/M product

 

[kurteb]

99% isn't 100%... see Webroot vs. Kaspersky

 

[Neemobeer]

Webroot works differently. If you want to take it literally yes Webroot doesn't flat out block everything 100% it flags items and runs it through their cloud. While that is happening everything is journaled and rolled back to a clean state if it's determined to be malicious Webroot will even rollback ransomware and encrypted files.

 

[Axel PC]

Webroot works differently. If you want to take it literally yes Webroot doesn't flat out block everything 100% it flags items and runs it through their cloud. While that is happening everything is journaled and rolled back to a clean state if it's determined to be malicious Webroot will even rollback ransomware and encrypted files.

So does Webroot have to be connected to the internet to work?

Sent from my SM-G935P using Windows Forums mobile app

 

[Neemobeer]

It can still block threats offline, for items it needs to continue analyzing it will eventually need to communicate to their cloud platform. Even through reboots though it can still roll back a threat