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Don't be a software pirate, stay legal and properly licensed by using the various free open source GPL licensed programs instead that are also available in Windows versions. Many of the best free GPL licensed open source programs which have been developed for Linux users have also been released in Windows versions. Not everyone is ready yet to move from Windows to a free GPL licensed alternative such as Ubuntu Linux. For them, a first step to freedom would be to keep on using a properly licensed copy of Windows, but to start using the various free GPL licensed alternatives to their various favorite programs. Someday, if they decide to move to a totally free operating system such as Linux they will then be able to use the Linux versions of those same programs. There is now an amazingly large complete alternative free software ecosystem of free GPL licenced software legally available for free to everyone.

Here are just a few examples of free (mostly GPL licensed) programs which are also available in Windows versions:

• OpenOffice the free office suite
• Mozilla Firefox web browser
• Thunderbird email program
• Clamwin free antivirus
• Gimp image mainpulation program for photo retouching and image composition
• ImageMagick software suite to create, edit, and compose bitmap images
• Inkscape open source scalable vector graphics editor
• PuTTY: A Free Telnet/SSH Client
• FTP client and server
• 7-Zip file archiver which can handle compression formats such as 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR
• Scribus open source page layout application
• AbiWord the free word processing program
• Gnumeric the free spreadsheet program
• Stellarium free open source planetarium
• Celestia free space simulation and space exploration program

Although I can obtain Symantec's products gratis from Indiana University, I haven't used it in about 4 years. I have yet to see any malware that NAV will successfully remove.

My Windows machines (as well as any that I'm asked to repair) all run ClamWin http://www.clamwin.com/. It's every bit as good, and GPL'd too!

in the 7+ years of using the program it never once protected me from getting a virus.

yet you still see some idiots suggesting you run 2-4 different AV applications just to "be sure you're safe".

MOD PARENT DOWN. Bad Link.

Official Clam Anti-Virus for Windows link: ClamWin. ClamWin is free and excellent, but slower at scanning than commercial products, in my experience.

Once malicious code enters the "perimeter", so to speak, AV software is a rather weak stopgap measure. Software design flaws that result in holes can seldom be fixed by adding more surface area, it only becomes a matter of time before the attacker figures out the next step. The AV software companies know that most of their customers have no idea how computer security works. Antivirus provides some shallow peace of mind for Joe Average. It is not a very serious security measure and it should not be relied on as thus.

I'm sure other posters will provide the real answers to security, like limited user access, a good firewall, not running intrusted code, and using a web browser that isn't garbage.

I went for 3 years using just these precautions, but used no antivirus whatsoever. I never become infected by a single thing. I only recently grabbed ClamWin, a port of ClamAV, for my Windoze box because I wanted to scan a program I got via P2P.

Try Clamwin (port of ClamAV to Windows) coupled with the advice to NOT install every little bonzai buddy or other thing that they see a popup for in IE.

I'm surprised no one seems to have mentioned http://www.clamwin.com/. It's open source.

Real-time scanning is being worked on by the Clamwin guys. Not sure when it will be released though.

Clamwin + WinPooch = Awesome Open Source AV solution for Windows Desktops.

Open source. Not realtime, but does integrate with email applications. Check it out at http://www.clamwin.com/

I'm sure that this will be covered, but I have installed ClamWin on my Mom's and Mother-in-laws computers to cover their anti-virus needs. Every now and then I'll get a call or glance at it when I'm over, but the most complicated thing for them is when they get a 'new engine available, click to download' link; which the click, it's installed, and they're done. All virus updates happen daily and it'll report that to them so they know things are working via the icon in the taskbar. At home on my FreeBSD mailserver I trust GPLd clam AV and BitDefender in parallel, so I know it works, no reason for this 40$ a year McAfee with the all the bloatware you'd never need! ;)

I'd reccommend clamAV for windows or clamwin, both are windows ports of the excellent GPLd clam AV.

But I'm also going to make an obligatory dig at windows. Consider downloading some software that means you wont have to run anti-virus software.

(Staying true to my username, I would also like to reccommend os x, but as it's not available for download, and requires new hardware, I won't).

Perhaps you need to tell the maintainers that the need to update their front page:

Please note that ClamWin Free Antivirus does not include an on-access real-time scanner. You need to manually scan a file in order to detect a virus or spyware.

I just want to know. If you're using recent Firefox/Thunderbird/OpenOffice, then how would a virus even get onto your machine?

ClamWin may be all the AntiVirus you need, if you need any at all. You're already scanning incoming email, after all...

Nevermind. I use Linux, I obviously will never fully get the stupidities of Windows Malware Control.

ClamAV might work. THe only downside is that it doesn't yet have a real-time process scanner. If you can keep people from executing what they download before scanning it for viruses, ClamWin might do the job. You could manage the virus updates via your logon script, or just use the normal internet update. Plus ClamAV works on your Linux boxen too!

Whats wrong with multiple AV software packages installed?

I can understand your point with regards to multiple software based firewalls, thats redundant. ;-) But multiple AV software is a good idea, and one that I subscribe to on my only Windows machine.

Having said that, the 2 I use are AVG and ClamWin. Not exactly bloated in the same way Symantec Norton Internet Security is.

There is no guarantee that a single AV package is going to get all viruses. Just the same that something like Ad-Aware isn't going to get all Malware on its own. So it often gets combined with something like Spybot S&D. In my opinion, it is far better to hedge your bets.

On the flipside, a software firewall is better than nothing, but I personally don't rely on them. Multiple firewalls are pointless and more likely to cause problems that provide a functioning service. So I understand your point in that regard.

Far better to get a machine that is specifically set up for the purpose of providing firewall services and only firewall services. Or, if people must use Windows, get the Windows version of Checkpoint FW-1 instead of Norton Internet Security and do things properly ;-) But I'd still prefer to see it on something like a dedicated Nokia IPSO box thats been properly hardened.

> "Stupid admins - the patch was available - they weren't keeping up". Now it's "They should have tested before rolling them out."

I did say lazy didn't I :(
> That's very funny.
whats even funnier (to me): is that I am a system admin (small part of my job) for a dozen people. I got automatic updates of virus scan, and windows auto updates on for every PC but mine, guess I figure I'll hear of something bad before it hits my part (ok I do fit into the proud to be lazy crowd.)
> vulnerabilities on the scale of Windows
I am no defender of microsoft, but the biggest didn't update crowd taking heat was for months old (since patch) vulnerabilities being exploited (at msn.com also I recall.) I understand not taking the time to test every 2 weeks, but I did admit being lazy also.

I will add, in general I get very upset when I pay a premium for something that has big problems, but figure it was part of the fun when I am given something at little or no cost. probably why I run linux on the systems I know I'll get flack for problems with (probably not more stable than windows in my case, at least I got $2000 in our phone system for example instead of $30,000)
I do run http://www.clamwin.com/ at home despite having access to norton, and mcafee corporate versions easily borrowable from work. ( I have no moral qualms since I do work from home PC's also... )

There's ClamWin (SourceForge page), although I'm unsure of its detection rates and how it compares to other free (but only as in beer) alternatives like AVG, Avast!, and AntiVir.

I agree, a 6 month subscription to Norton lessens the value of the pack. Google would have done better with AVG. They should also consider supporting the open source virus scanner (as they have done with Firefox):

http://www.clamwin.com/
http://www.clamav.net/

Newbie users are apt to simply click [Download pack] without understanding that 6 months later, they'll either have to pay for the very important virus protection or try and find a comparable free solution

Has any one tried Clam for Windows ? - here

My Windows box would require a commercial AVG licence - they want to charge me simply because I run Win2K Server instead of Pro, regardless of what I actually use it for. So I use the Clam instead.

Of course, my other 5 machines run Linux or FreeBSD, and this isn't an issue for them. :)

(Spelling Nazi Alert: It's Norton, for crying out loud. Geeez.)

If it's a personal machine install AVG Free.

I'd also install clamwin and schedule a nightly scan.

AVG is good, but I vote clamwin. It seems every bit as effective as the others and it plays real nice with winpooch. Winpooch is a free antispyware detector that checks for hooking (the registry scanning isn't great, but if you have active spyware, winpooch will get it).

As a bonus both of them are open source.

actually, http://www.clamwin.com/ for my case. Thanks for the pointer. Citing Barney, "one less horror in the world". Bye AVG :)

Security is a process. If you're able to lock down and maintain your own computer then you don't need to pay for services like these. There's also free alternatives if you need anti-virus protection.

I don't see anything indicating that you have to purchase this add-on. If they offered it for free, it probably would put several companies out of business. Then you guys would bitch about MS crushing another company.

Run ClamAV on the Linux servers. Disallow file sharing from any other machine. Have good firewall rules. Don't allow people to run as Administrator.

This will prevent the spread of most worms. Email virii and trojans are still a concern. You might get by with running ClamWin on as much as possible. This lacks a real-time scanner, so you may still want a commercial package. All of the big names have their own pros & cons.

http://www.clamwin.com/
no cygwin required, easy to use.

The free-as-in-beer, light-weight, fully-compatible virus-scanner that I use is called ClamWin. I've used it on my winME, win2000, winXP, and win2003 boxen without any problems. It even integrates into Outlook.

Any advice? Solutions?

• JDS
• Sunray
• RHEL
• ClamAV and ClamWin
• Fedora
• Debian
• etc.. etc.. lots of other virus-free OSS solutions out there.

Pick one or more of the above natural remedies for your MS related affliction...

There is no open-source anti-virus solution right now (other than switching to Linux).

Is there a ClamAV for Microsoft Windows that will scan on demand? This makes scanning happen because its always on and invisible to novice users.

Is there a ClamAV for Microsoft Windows that will upgrade itself (virus definitions and "engine" as some anti-virus programs call it) when needed, invisibly, and on a schedule? This helps novice users not need to think about maintenance issues which, frankly, go unaddressed rather than better understood.

ClamWin won't yet do either of these things, according to its FAQ. I'd love to learn more about a free software anti-virus program for Microsoft Windows that could do these things.

No, it is called ClamWin

By the way, the most effective and affordable AV program of the Linux world, namely ClamAV, already runs on Windows. Prepare to be flattened, proprietary vendors.

Why not make ad-aware downloadable from the page?

Why not also offer up some free anti-virus like clam-win (GPL) or AntiVir (Beer):

http://www.clamwin.com/
http://www.free-av.com/index.htm

With update files (cron wget, anyone?) you should be able to get the bulk of the problems without having to leave your desk.

The free Symantec tools can be useful if you know what it is.

1. Assume they are savvy users and let them be.
2. At the failure of #1, force them to have up2date virus protection. If they don't want to pay for it, direct them to http://clamwin.com/.
3. Force them to run MS Spyware Blocker if 2000 and above, Adaware and Spybot S&D for lower.
4. Disconnect them until they comply.

Has anyone looked at open source alternatives as ClamWin and ClamAV for Windows. How do they compare to the commercial couterparts?

I will definitely miss that loading time (of approx. 2 minutes) of Acrobat Reater and that invaluable information on those 4573 (or something) patents that they have for one document reader software!

Use Ghostscript then. The GSview graphical interface is available for Windows, OS/2 and Linux (though I personally prefer gv there). It supports PDF and Postscript formats (PS, EPS, etc.), and can display, print and easily convert between them, and even convert them to raster formats, so it is actually much more useful than Acrobat Reader, while being much less bloated at the same time. Ghostscript and GSview are always present on my CDs with useful Windows software, along with OpenOffice.org (which can save as PDF, nota bene), AbiWord, Firefox, ClamWin and PuTTY, to name just a few. If you work with serious printing, Ghostscript is a must.

On the other hand, the question is about windows. Here's the best freeware list I've found, taken off of the neowin.net forums. These are not guaranteed Clean, but most of them are. Also, you might want to check tinyapps.org, which specializes in SMALL apps (usually not enough space for ad/spyware).
Category 3D Graphics: ----JunkCharactersToDefeatLameness/CharacterCountF ilterForAValidList----
3Delight Free - http://www.3delight.com/index.htm
Anim8or - http://www.anim8or.com/
Aqsis - http://www.aqsis.com/
Blender - http://www.blender3d.org/
gmax - http://www.discreet.com/products/gmax/
Houdini (Free Edition) - http://www.sidefx.com/apprentice/index.html
Maya Personal Learning Ed. - http://www.alias.com/eng/products-services...ple/i ndex.shtml
Now3D - http://digilander.libero.it/giulios/Eng/homepage.h tm
OpenFX - http://www.openfx.org
SOFTIMAGE|XSI EXP - http://www.softimage.com/products/exp/v3/
Toxic - http://www.toxicengine.org/
Wings 3D - http://www.wings3d.com/
Category Anti-Virus:----JunkCharactersToDefeatLameness/Char acterCountFilterForAValidList----
AntiVir - http://www.free-av.com/
Avast - http://www.avast.com/i_idt_1018.html
AVG - http://www.grisoft.com/
ClamWin - http://www.clamwin.com/
Category Anti Spyware:----JunkCharactersToDefeatLameness/Charact erCountFilterForAValidList----
Ad-aware - http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/
Bazooka - http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/index.html
Diet K - http://www.dietk.com/
SpyBot Search & Destroy - http://spybot.safer-networking.de/
SpywareBlaster - http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.htm l
SpywareGuard - http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareguard.html
Category IRC Clients:----JunkCharactersToDefeatLameness/Charact erCountFilterForAValidList----
BersIRC - http://www.bersirc.com/
BitchX - http://bitchx.org/download.php
HydraIRC - http://www.hydrairc.com/
TinyIRC - http://www.tinyirc.net/
XChat - http://www.silverex.org/news/
Category Audio Players:----JunkCharactersToDefeatLameness/Charact erCountFilterForAValidList----
1by1 - http://www.rz.uni-frankfurt.de/~pesch
Billy - http://www.sheepfriends.com/?page=billy
CoolPlayer - http://coolplayer.sourceforge.net/
DeliPlayer. http://www.deliplayer.com/
Foobar 2

In the long run it stopped being a problem when the hard drive Symantec's adware was installed on dropped dead.

Nowadays there's a much better virus scanner, very simple to use. For *nix boxes, for example to integrate with your email processing, there is Clam AntiVirus. It's GPLed Free Software, has a great mailing list, its virus database is updated regularly. There is an automated tool called "freshclam" that gets database updates.

I use ClamAV when I download my mbox files from my hosting service. At one point I was getting 400 MB of email a day, almost entirely viruses, and clamav was very simple to use to delete the virus-infected messages, so the combination of legitimate mail and spam was just a couple meg each day.

For scanning your hard drive under Windows, there is a GUI program called ClamWin, based on the clamav engine with the same virus database, and automatic updates. It's a very simple program, with a minimalist user interface. It's very easy to use and effective.

What I can't figure out though, is how to satisfy WinXP SP2's insistence I get a virus checker. It doesn't recognize clamwin as being one. I would imagine all the virus scanner publishers had to pay microsoft for the privilege of being a recommended virus tool. Or maybe it's just that Microsoft doesn't want to admit a Free Software solution is superior to any of the proprietary ones.

ClamAV is probably the best, most up-to-date free anti-virus software out there currently. The link is for the Windows version.

For Linux just "apt-get install clamav". You do use Debian, right?

Or try ClamWin AV.

You could try:

ClamAV, A GPL virus scanner featuring:
* command-line scanner
* fast, multi-threaded daemon
* milter interface for sendmail
* database updater with support for digital signatures
* virus scanner C library
* on-access scanning (Linux and FreeBSD)
* detection of over 20000 viruses, worms and trojans
* built-in support for RAR (2.0), Zip, Gzip, Bzip2
* built-in support for Mbox, Maildir and raw mail files

I use ClamAV on my mail server and it works pretty good.

There is also an open source windows version called ClamWin Antivirus.