The current best internet security software?

Hey,

What are currently the best internet security software options that are available? Is Avast's free antivirus anywhere near as good as the purchasable options that are available? Should I use a combination of two pieces of software?

Thanks.

Truth be told the best protection is using Chrome and an adblocker extension. Don't install any shady software and you should be fine. Usually what happens is that the end user installs the virus/spyware themselves which gives it elevated privileges over any antivirus program. If you had to pick one it'd be kaspersky and no you should never combined two.

windows build in defender and firewall are the best and that is the case the last 3-4 years.

Avast, Avg etc imo all went down the drain this last 5-6 years

Quite honestly the build in windows security tools are all you need

Your best protection against anything is to not click on things that are untrustworthy and don't download stupid shit.

I just use Windows Defender and Malwarebytes.

Never tell your password to anyone.

I've been using Avast Free for 4 years now and it stops most of the things through. The paid version gives you more functionality like firewall, internet banking security etc.

Webroot is also a great product. (we use it at work and it has stopped lots of things coming through)

Like others have said, a good AV and careful where you click and enter details is the best defense.

Been using Norton for a few years and haven't had one problem.

Using linux + common sense.

I've try a lot of anti-virus and nothing get rid of most of the bs like Hitmanpro.

I think anyone who has been using the internet regularly for a number of years should know how to avoid viruses without the need for anti-virus software.

I personally don't use anything other than what comes default with Windows. Every now and then (like, maybe once every year or so) I'll run a virus scan out of curiosity and apart from a few false-positives my computer's been clean for a number of years now.

Run a Malware Scan instead of an Anti-Virus scan and see if you have any nasties.

That's because HitmanPro isn't an Anti-Virus.

I m using VIPRE as antivirus .
good and light love it so far , its the first antivirus i payed for tbh I use to use MSE but i got virus cause of friend flash and my pc went crazy .

BEST FUCKING VIRUS PROTECTION EVER!!! AND ITS FREEEEE!!!! Use your brain folks. lol

Norton and adblock here... Never got a virus, Trojan or malware yet.

Also watch the installation process of free programs that want you to install aditional stuff, mostly not a virus but it can be annoying stuff. (I have to remove them a lot at my workplace and some of them are not so easy to remove...)

What's been said is pretty much it. The biggest weakness these days is yourself, tighten that up and you're about as secure as you can get.

Don't use one. If I had to choose it would probably be F-secure or ESET. I have never had a virus and I don't use any anti-virus software.

@PcGamingRig: wow, thought this would actually be about all the garbage software that claims it's protecting you. if it's free, it's just an advertising bot installed on your PC that may offer some limited protection. more than likely the same level of protection or better was already available by Windows itself.

but, yourself is actually correct.

don't download questionable crap, or things from unknown users. don't click on popups to other sites. don't install programs not from the actual vendors. etc.

Common Sense 2015 aka your brain. You'd have to be pretty dumb or new to using computers to get a virus. I've downloaded thousands of movies and albums and not once have I ever had a single problem. Don't do retarded crap like open an email that says Hot Goat Sex XXX and download the video. Virus protection is unnesscary unless your mom is using your computer or something.

You got that right

I use Microsoft's antivirus/security system. I've had no problems with it, and have heard nothing but good things from others as well

I'm generally pretty safe with my browsing, and if I want to go to "questionable" sites, I will load up Firefox with AbBlock, Web of Trust, and NoScript enabled.

You asked if you can combine security programs: yes, you can, but it is not recommended as they will fight with eachother and not only slow down your PC, but also make it more open to attack.

for once I agree with airshocker.

You are the best protection.... just keep your firewall on, windows defender is enough. things like AVG and Avast are just pointless. use a pop up blocker too. and use common sense.

Oh how wrong you guys are....

I agree that being careful is the best protection, but I've seen Windows Defender let things through that Avast has stopped.

Sometimes you are doing everything right but then come across an infected website, or someone sends you a file that's infected from their side. Avast will block those things 99% of the time.

Why even take the risk? It's not like antivirus software these days are as heavy as they used to be, and the hardware is so much more powerful that it doesn't even affect the performance of the OS.

I am using the Kaspersky trial at the moment. Thinking of getting that one when the trial runs out.

./shrug ...the only things they ever catch on mine is keygens, cracks and other things that possible effect registry ... they seem like more of a burden than a help.

It does block those also (you can always exempt folder from scanning), but I've seen it block things coming through webpages and email as well.

I just don't see the negatives of having an AV installed these days.

I don't have anything personally, but I know to avoid anything that's clearly malicious for my computer. For clients though I either install Webroot if they want to pay for it, otherwise I'll just put on Defender and MB and call it a day. Avast used to be good, but it's just kinda gone down the drain the past couple of years as far as quality control goes, I only really have circumstantial evidence to back that up with admittedly, but it's just what I've observed.

Can you expand on that?

I ask because I use Avast and for me and the other PCs I've installed it on it seems to be solid. (with more features)

Only negative thing I can say about it now is that it has more popups than usual (as in ads to upgrade to pro or install Avast Cleaner etc). It's all Avast advertising, but it should be a bit less. Doesn't bother me cause I just click for it to go away or wait till it goes away. Heck, there might be even an option somewhere to disable them.

First off, I never said don't have one.

I said "Your best protection against anything is to not click on things that are untrustworthy and don't download stupid shit." Which is a true statement. No AV is going to protect you if you download something that hasn't been identified yet. Also, AV isn't going to do anything against bloatware that is attached in the installer of legitimate programs. So your best defense is not being an idiot. Not a piece of anti-virus software.

Secondly, please stop quoting me if you aren't directly talking to me. It's annoying to see notifications from people who aren't actually saying anything to me.

Well sorry.... someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, lol.....

My bad. My day has progressively gotten worse. I shouldn't take it out on you.

Still though. stop fucking quoting me. :P

Sorry sir, won't happen again sir, I'll go wash the floors now with a toothbrush sir.

Hope your day gets better :)

@FelipeInside: In my opinion they introduce software "features" a little too early, where they can be more of a hindrance than a help to the user, an example that comes to mind of the top of my head was the web shield, or web guard, I forget what they called it. For the longest time I simply just disabled it for people, because it slowed browsers down to a crawl. This next part is where the circumstantial evidence comes into play, but I personally found that the software seemed to eat up more system resources than WD, and never necessarily provided security that was more than marginally better. At the end of the day it isn't bad software, it just isn't my cup of tea I guess, I'm not going to say that I can factually damn the software to hell, because I can't haha I don't have the research or numbers to back me up, just what I've seen on the work bench.

I'll also make note that I haven't had much experience with the software for about a year, so I'm sure things have changed either for the good or the bad. I vaguely remember hearing people complaining about some weird DomainRep feature, but Google only came up with a few results.

this. don't need anything else other than stuff like CCleaner

I think BitDefender is the top one.

Correction- it would be using Chrome with the Ad Block Plus extension and the Ghostery extension. I use both with Norton internet security (came with my anti-virus).

If you want to go premium, then the best I have ever used (and always one of the highest ranked ones) is Nod32 from Eset.

Its got light resource use, very few false positives, a gamer mode, very user friendly interface, and its protection is top-notch.

If you check amazon, or other online retailers you can usually find it for a good deal, especially if you want it on multiple PCs. It also has a 1 month free trial you can try.

I use Avast + Regular Malwarebytes checkups, I think I'm doing fine.

disagree man. You'd be shocked at the amount of stuff that windows firewall allows to connect to the internet without asking permission and vice versa.

I'd recommend Zonealarm if you want a free firewall that actually works.

@bonafidetk @FelipeInside: why do you, and others here, have these applications installed or run them at all if they're doing malicious things online that you need to block? why are you getting untrustworthy files attached through email, opening them, and clicking on them? why are you going to untrustworthy sites and letting them infect you? most of the applications that you'd need this type of protection against are malicious to begin with, either DRM bypassing or illegal serial generating of some sort. and any site that's intentionally infecting people is going to be full of garbage anyway.

these are all situations that are very easy to not get into to begin with. but, if you can't take care of yourself; Malwarebytes, Ad-Block plug-in, and Windows Firewall is all you need. very simple to block any files\folders from accessing online with Windows Firewall.

You don't get it, there are sometimes things on the internet that try to get through.

You could be on a legit website, looking for something, and you don't know if that website is infected or not. You could receive an email from a person who's system is infected. A real time AV will block these things BEFORE they enter the system.

Like I said before, I don't see the negatives of having an AV installed as well as doing scans with Malwarebytes, Ad-Block on the browser etc.

@FelipeInside: you may not notice the overhead your AV programs use, but it is there. and there's no problem with wanting one running, it's just not needed unless you are bringing these malwares into your own environment.

a "legit" site will not be infected and therefore can not infect you. and the only way a malicious site can even infect you is if you allow it to. also, the only way you will get an infection from a file sent through email is if you intentionally open it, download the attachment , and click on the downloaded file to run.

still all problems that the user has to bring upon themselves.

Sorry but you're wrong on your second paragraph. I work in IT and I've seen all kinds of malware and how some of them work without you even knowing (it's my job to test and research this). Something like Avast will block a website from even opening if it finds something, why wouldn't you want a security system like that in place?

I agree that the best defense is common sense, but a bit extra help isn't bad either.

And overhead? Maybe 10 years ago but these days hardware is so powerful it doesn't affect anything. People have 8GB+ of RAM these days, and modern AV software is a lot more optimized than it used to be. It doesn't affect the system at all.

@elessarGObonzo:

Maybe I don't want a legitimate program to connect to the internet completely unchecked? Saying it's fine for all legitimate programs to connect and exchange information without my permission is utterly ridiculous. Windows firewall doesn't tell you half the stuff that's connecting to and from your computer.

I guess you're the type of person that thinks people who want privacy have something to hide.

why do you need Windows or any program to tell you what's connecting and if it's access should be blocked? if you installed it then you should know where it is located and if it needs to be blocked or not. then Windows Firewall is all you would need for that level of protection. this isn't an argument this is just a statement that only things that you bring into your own environment, whether by install or by some malicious intent that you allowed yourself to fall victim to, will need this extra level of protection. if it's the OS itself that you're afraid of sharing your information then you have to take extra steps\precautions to avoid that scenario.

privacy and protection are 2 totally different things. if the thread was about how to mask your online footprint then the response(s) would be different.

Agree 100% on avast! I've been using it for a few years now. I originally used Norton, but I found Norton was deleting files that it deemed suspicious and not even notifying me, I lost some good programs :-(