Here’s the list I used. (Apparently MSE is on there, and I just missed it.) It’s a place that actually certifies antiviruses. I’m having trouble finding my source that AVG free uses a different (and inferior) engine than the pro version, but, seeing as I just cleared three viruses from (someone else’s) system running AVG free that were all detected by Avira, I tend to believe it. Avira even detected the rootkit.
Also, I ran Avira on a P4 2.0 Ghz with only 256MB of ram, and it didn’t slow the computer down at all.
I would not recommend AVG if you use an iPhone. It does stupid wonky things to iTunes. If you have it and you ever have an experience where your iPhone isn’t being recognized for some damned reason, first disable AVG. If that doesn’t work, uninstall it. Bets that is what causing it not to be recognized. Likewise if you’re trying to update your iPhone or iPod and it gets right to the end… and network timeout.
Of course, if you want the Anti-iTunes, get Panda. It cannot be installed on a PC that has iTunes on it, and you can’t install iTunes on a computer that has iTunes on it. At least, that’s my experience and what I’ve seen on-line.
I use Windows Security Essentials on dozens of machines because it’s free. Most of the other free ones are not easily distributable and have licenses that disallow using them on anything other than a home machine.
Consumer Reports rated Avira and Windows Security Essentials numbers 1 and 2 respectively in their list of freeware security software.
Of the payware security suites, the much-hated Norton was number one, followed by BitDefender.
I’ve been using AVG for ever but it sure does hog resources. I’d like to try Security Essentials but the last time I tried Microsoft Freeware it was Windows Defender and they rolled it into some pay security suite like a week later.
I like MalwareBytes anti-malware program. IT folks at my company have also recommended it, its done a nice job of cleaning things up every time I have a problem.
Microsoft Security Essentials - it’s relatively unobtrusive, it doesn’t affect my computer’s performance, and it has been really good at picking up even minor stuff so far. Thumbs up, and I have loathed AV programs for a long time.
I don’t remember the older AVGs slowing the system down, except during the scheduled daily scan, which I disabled. I’ve never heard any speed complaints about Avira.
Maybe I’m the odd case, but I had just recently transitioned from McAfee to Microsoft Security Essentials and in less than a month I’m back on McAfee and have been fighting to clean my PC of some ugly for the past two weeks. I had wanted to leave McAfee at the end of my subscription period and go with a free alternative, plus one that sucks up less resources. Microsoft didn’t work out for me. If there is a good news, I discovered that a McAfee is supplied for free by our AT&T internet service so at least I’m not directly paying for it.
While I was utilizing it, I was keeping MSE updated and running frequent scans, but it just didn’t catch whatever this bug/trojan that infected my system and seems to still be morphing to this day.
Another MSE convert. I used to use AVG, but it got bloated and more obtrusive than it needed to be. Then I went to a paid product, Spyware Doctor with AV, because it was highly rated and did an outstanding job on my family’s home systems. I just didn’t want to spend money I didn’t need to spend any longer. Work offers me Sophos, which is good, but a little trigger happy with alarms. A few months ago I went to MSE, and it’s great. Every once in awhile, I’ll run a scan with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, but I see it as a tool to use after something’s gotten in rather than a tool to keep things out.
None of these products are infallible by any means, and I’m sorry you got hit with a bad one. If you can identify the trojan in question by name, you may be able to find specific tools meant to get rid of it. Otherwise, if it’s still on your system, you should consider reimaging. If it’s on there and it’s successfully avoiding eradication, it’s impossible to know what you’re system is possibly being used for, or what personal information you may be sending to evil folks.