# Antivirus Software - whats considered effective now? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 22, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555 "2013-11-22T19:28:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/1 "2013-11-22T19:28:17Z")
I’m using Microsoft security essentials on a couple PC’s at work. Wanted to test it out. What else is considered \*effective \*these days? Free or pay. If it works then I’d like to hear peoples opinions. I also run scans with Malwarebytes, Adwcleaner, and JRT (Junkware Removal Tool). JRT is very good at removing browser hijacks. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/2 "2013-11-22T19:35:35Z")
The big names generally work just fine, it is more a matter of preference and if you want to pay for it or not. AVAST and AVG offer free versions that are effective and quite popular although I am partial to AVAST. I find that it is helpful to run Malwarebytes and Spybot Search and Destroy along with whatever anti-virus software you choose to catch all the different types of malware out there besides just viruses, worms and trojans. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/3 "2013-11-22T21:58:14Z")
[Right now](http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/home-user/windows-7/julaug-2013/), AVAST is testing the highest, with AVG trailing pretty badly. MSE is really low, though–I only recommend it on slower systems because it’s really fast. If you do use AVAST and find it a bit slow, there are a lot of options you can turn off. I’ve turned off Email scanning and the Web scan portion of the Web Shield. I don’t use external email programs, so the first is useless, and the second isn’t all that useful, as all it does is detect malware before you get it completely downloaded. There’s not that big a difference waiting for it to download completely and then be detected by the file scanner. In the old version, I had more stuff turned off, but most of that stuff seems to have been removed from the latest version. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/4 "2013-11-22T22:05:22Z")
I kicked Avast to the curb because it had a recurring pop-up ad for the premium version that was only disable-able in safe mode which irritated me too much. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/5 "2013-11-22T23:28:41Z")
I wouldn’t use MSE by itself, but I think MSE and Malwarebytes Pro are a good and inexpensive combo. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/6 "2013-11-22T23:32:14Z")
What works well with Firefox. Adblock & noscript? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/7 "2013-11-23T00:36:44Z")
I use flash block with Firefox. It’s made my life much better on the web. I can click videos when I want to watch them. Never auto plays. I was freezing up and then getting a flash busy abort yes/no message. flash block has nearly eliminated that. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/8 "2013-11-23T02:30:34Z")
antivirus, i meant ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_York](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_York](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_York)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/9 "2013-11-23T04:04:23Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > I wouldn’t use MSE by itself, but I think MSE and Malwarebytes Pro are a good and inexpensive combo. I also use free ZoneAlarm firewall as well. I ditched Avast because it slowed my internet by over 50% This is a very good site for working out the best and worst antivirus softwhare. [https://www.grc.com/lt/leaktest.htm](https://www.grc.com/lt/leaktest.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/10 "2013-11-23T04:11:38Z")
I use Norton/Symantec, because the best way to be sure you don’t catch a virus is to bog your machine down so much that you never use it. When did MSE fall from grace? It’s first couple years it was touted as very good and complete. What happened? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/11 "2013-11-23T04:25:31Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > When did MSE fall from grace? It’s first couple years it was touted as very good and complete. What happened? [How-To Geek](http://www.howtogeek.com/173291/goodbye-microsoft-security-essentials-microsoft-now-recommends-you-use-a-third-party-antivirus/) did a write-up last month. Basically, it started falling off in evaluations, and the upshot was this: > [@](#): > > In an interview with Dennis Protection Labs, Holly Stewart, the senior program manager of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center, said that Microsoft Security Essentials was just a “baseline” that’s designed to “always be on the bottom” of antivirus tests. She said Microsoft sees MSE as a first layer of protection and advises Windows users to use a third-party antivirus instead. > > According to Holly Stewart, Microsoft “had an epiphany a few years ago, back in 2011, where we realised we had a greater calling and that was to protect all Microsoft customers.” She says that Microsoft passes its information on to other antivirus makers and helps them make their products better. “We used to have part of our time directed towards predicting test results,” but these people have now been directed to focus on emerging threats and share that information with other antivirus companies. How-To Geek now recommends Avast, although they do state “Now, if you’re a geek like we are, MSE and Windows Defender are very usable. If you have good security practices and know what you’re doing, you can manage just fine with this lightweight option. But average Windows users don’t always follow proper security practices and should use a strong antivirus that does well in tests — as Microsoft themselves now recommend.” So if you’re not doing anything more nefarious than plain-vanilla web browsing, it’s not absolutely necessary to move away from MSE (I still use it myself). But if you’re paranoid or legitimately worried about your online encounters, some of the other options may be more to your liking. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/12 "2013-11-23T04:25:53Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_York](#): > > I also use free ZoneAlarm firewall as well. I ditched Avast because it slowed my internet by over 50% > This is a very good site for working out the best and worst antivirus softwhare. > [GRC | LeakTest -- Firewall Leakage Tester  ](https://www.grc.com/lt/leaktest.htm) That appears to have been last updated in 2008? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/13 "2013-11-23T04:46:28Z")
## [This report](http://www.pcworld.com/article/2017197/report-declares-antivirus-software-a-waste-of-money-for-businesses.html) from a year ago indicates that all anti-virals suck. They take an average of 3 weeks to catch up with newly released malware. On zero day, they all get zero percent (though I’ve seen more sanguine studies). IIRC, the variants of the Zeos keylogger were picked up about 60% of the time. Anyway, that link recommended Avast and Emisoft as least bad. PC World’s for pay security software roundup from 9 months ago: > **[Security software showdown! 9 antivirus suites empirically tested](https://www.pcworld.com/article/456556/security-software-showdown-9-antivirus-suites-empirically-tested.html)** > > We tested security suites on PCs, tablets, and phones to evaluate how well they protect against viruses and other threats. FSecure gets the thumbs up. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/14 "2013-11-23T20:24:30Z")
I recall MSE got good marks when it first was released two or three years ago. I’m glad that I asked about current reviews. I bought a Dell Laptop in Sept and included their McAffee 2 year protection. It’s the first time I’ve used McAfee in about 10 years. I started using Norton in 2003. i get frustrated because Norton wants to own the machine. McAfee has been ok so far. I’m going to try some other options based on the reviews. Thanks for the help. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/15 "2013-11-23T20:33:15Z")
Avast Malwarebytes Adblock Sandboxie I read that Sandboxie even defeats the current worst malware out there (Cryptolocker) with no trouble. If you only ever open webpages/emails/pdfs in a sandboxed program, your level of safety skyrockets. Of course, I do expect that malware creators will start to focus more on beating this defense, so you should still use all the other defenses as well. ---
**Author:** ![Clark\_Cello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Clark\_Cello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clark_Cello)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/16 "2013-11-24T01:44:57Z")
The best protections are being somewhat knowledgeable, careful, and not having kids use the computer. I use MSE and nothing else. I know I probably have somewhat elevated risk, but with what I use my computer for, I don’t think it is too high. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/17 "2013-11-24T02:38:38Z")
Caution – some virus programs masquerade as anti-virus programs. I downloaded a Malwarebytes copy not long ago that turned out to be exactly the opposite – it was an infector, not a disinfector. Let’s be careful out there! ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/18 "2013-11-24T02:48:25Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I kicked Avast to the curb because it had a recurring pop-up ad for the premium version that was only disable-able in safe mode which irritated me too much. I can’t tell if **aceplace57** uses a few PCs at work or administers a few PCs others use, but if it’s the latter this Avast problem is even worse. The popup is annoying and confusing to less wise computer users who will try to install the pro version trial, if they have administrative rights for some reason, or just pester you with questions because the damn popup scares them. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/19 "2013-11-24T03:19:08Z")
I’ve been using [Panda Cloud](http://www.cloudantivirus.com/en/). I can’t recall how I stumbled upon it, but it was after Avast started getting annoying. Whichever one you use, you will find that after a couple of years they start to lose their lustre with bloat and popups and unruly demands. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555/20 "2013-11-24T03:25:58Z")
I use Avira for my anti virus. I run Malwarebytes scans periodically. For my Firewall I use COMODO. I used Zone Alarm for years but on my Windows 7 PC I started getting random Blue Screen crashes that I eventually traced back to ZA so I switched to COMODO. I preferred Zone Alarm’s interface but COMODO doesn’t make my PC crash. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-software-whats-considered-effective-now/674555.md?page=2)