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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?
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?
Windows? Use Security Essentials and practice safe surfing. No need for anything else.
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.
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.
Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
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.
To the average Windows user, their computer is a means to an end. To the average Linux user, the computer IS the end.
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