Ask Slashdot: Best Anti-Virus Software In 2015? Free Or Paid?

CryoKeen writes: I got a new laptop recently after trading in my old laptop for store credit. While I was waiting to check out, the sales guy just handed me some random antivirus software (Trend Micro) that was included with the purchase. I don't think he or I realized at the time that the CD/DVD he gave me would not work because my new laptop does not have a CD/DVD player.

Anyway, it got me wondering whether I should use it or not. Would I be better off downloading something like Avast or Malwarebytes? Is there one piece of antivirus software that's significantly better than the others? Are any of the paid options worthwhile, or should I just stick to the free versions? What security software would you recommend in addition to anti-virus?

Comments

If nothing else

[TheRealMindChild]

AVG is a Freemium minefield. May as well be WeatherBug. Serves a purpose, but ultimately adware

No need

[Anonymous Coward]

Windows? Use Security Essentials and practice safe surfing. No need for anything else.

Windows Defender + Malwarebytes

[LuniticusTheSane]

If you are on Windows 8.1, Windows Defender. If on Windows 7, MS Security Essentials. And supplement both with Malwarebytes. All free, and very non-intrusive.

New Laptop? Windows?

[idontgno]

I thought the included (pre-installed) Microsoft Windows Defender (or Windows Security Essentials) was already good enough.

That, plus not installing every stupid piece of malware-studded "freeware" I come across and being a bit conservative in my browsing, has always been enough since Windows 7.

Windows after 7 also has a built-in software firewall, so wouldn't seem like you'd need one of those either.

I just can't picture needing anything beyond that.

Microsoft Security Essentials

[enter to exit]

Nowadays i use Microsoft's free AV, a decent browser and discretion. Unless you're particularly haphazard (like downloading random files with full Admin privileges and visiting dodgy sites with unpatched IE) that should be enough. You don't really need a full arsenal of anti-malware software anymore. Ms has tightened things up a fair bit over the last years.

A while back i tried NOD32 and was very impressed. I don't know if it's still good.

My 2 cents: avast, MWB, ABP, noscript, sandboxie

[monkeyzoo]

I'm on Windows 7. Here are my tips:

1) I have run avast real-time for years. I'm a pretty wary, sophisticated user. But it has occasionally blocked malicious elements on webpages. And it once blocked a zip attachment that I got sucked in on with a phishing email before any harm was done. I have also had it give me a few false positives over the years, which are a bit disconcerting to see and annoying until you can get things sorted out.

2) Second, I run malwarebytes scans from time to time.

3) Other prevention: adblock plus and noscript plugins.

4) For seemingly dangerous websites that I still want to be able to access, I use a Sandboxie sandbox for the browser.

Install an ad blocker

[complete loony]

These days the most effective measure you can take is to install an ad blocker. That will prevent the vast majority of drive by installs. Second, I'd say you need to be very sceptical of freeware software installers. Using a service like Chocolatey to find and install popular utilities will help here. Third, I'd recommend installing Process Explorer as a replacement for the windows Task Manager. Get a feel for what programs are running in the background, and investigate anything you don't yet recognise particularly after installing something new.

Re:In after somebody says don't run Windows.

[Matheus]

Repeat: Best software = None.

There are people out there (many of my friends included) who need protection from such a thing because they can't put the tiniest amount of thought into what they are doing when on their computer. I do not practice safe browsing by any means, torrents and pr0n are just too much fun to leave alone ;-), but somehow manage to never get infected without any A/V software protecting me BUT I keep getting calls from friends who's machines have turned into rotting cesspools and want them cleaned. Honestly my answer lately is "Call Geek squad" because it's not worth my time or energy to scrub their waste pond just to have it rot again shortly there after and Geek Squad is cheaper than my time if I were to bill them. So for these people A/V software may be useful but honestly again most of them already have it and it didn't keep them safe anyway.

A/V DOES otoh slow down your machine, interfere with properly running processes and generally behave like the worst of viruses on its own so why willingly go down that path.

Re:In after somebody says don't run Windows.

[Dynedain]

In the time I've not run a/v, I've never had an infection. (I never had an infection before that, either, but that's beside the point.)

That you know of. There have been many documented cases of drive-by installs, worms that infect from external media, infected installers from legitimate installers. Hell, even legitimate open source projects having their servers unknowingly hijacked and malware injected into source or binaries during download.

While some malware is geared at spamming your desktop with ads, the good stuff tries to be as unnoticeable as possible, especially for botnets or if the goal is keylogging. Today's sophisticated viruses aren't trying to wipe your machine - they're all about creating networks of vulnerability to sell later to the highest bidder.

Re:In after somebody says don't run Windows.

[LetterJ]

To the average Windows user, their computer is a means to an end. To the average Linux user, the computer IS the end.

Re: In after somebody says don't run Windows.

[Squiddie]

You should run Linux on that too.

Re: In after somebody says don't run Windows.

[plover]

That's why NoScript, Ghostery, and FlashBlock are critical pieces of security software.