Anti Virus

Redlancer

What is the best anti virus out there? And what tips would you have for browsing the web. Are all sites safe? What should I look out for.

Is a firewall essential as part of my anti virus package?

Any info my obliged

netman

I use NOD32 and I'm very happy with it.

Used to have Norton Antivirus before that and it was a major resource hog, slowed down the entire PC.

Ruu_Old

All sites are definately not safe. I use AntiVir, before that AVG antivirus, both free and use Tiny Personal Firewall (not free, but theres plenty of them out there). There is a free edition of Zone Alarm, Agnitum or Kerio, they are the ones I know off hand. If you have Windows XP SP2 then you should have the built in Windows Firewall installed also.
You might want to also get some anti-spyware programs like Windows Defender, Ad-Aware or Spybot downloaded and installed also.

mac_leinn

Id also recommend using the Firefox web browser with the extensions NoScript and AdBlock.

Firefox can be got here

When its installed go to the "tools" tab and click on "extensions" then "get more extensions" in the popup window.

*edit: typo

Redlancer

thanks for the information, all this software is available on the web?

Ruu_Old

Yep, its all available online.

Zascar

In terms of a complete security package, I have recently started using F-Secure. I think it is far better than Symmantec or McAfee. www.f-secure.com

Laguna

Can't vouch if it's the 'best', but I swear by AVG free, mainly due to its free status.

Rollo Tamasi

NOD32 has won countless awards and in my opinion is the best Anti Virus out there. Doesn't hog any resources, updates have never been a problem and certainly now viri on my PC.

Fanny Cradock

Here is a nice review of some of the "top " AV software out there. No mention of NOD32 though.

http://antivirus.about.com/cs/beforeyoubuy/tp/aatpavwin.htm

and from the same source, here is a comparison between the top 3 free AV programmes out there (Anti-Vir, Avast and AVG)

http://antivirus.about.com/od/antivirussoftwarereviews/a/freeav_2.htm?rd=1

Redlancer

thanks to those who contributed

^whitey^

Is there a free edition of nod32?

Irish Gunner

Using Bit Defender and Zone Alarm Pro

Norton took up to many resources

Above 2 work great together and bit defender updates daily

Rollo Tamasi

^whitey^ wrote:

Is there a free edition of nod32?

nope, but there is a free trial

zilog_jones

I use AVG Free and I use ZoneAlarm when I'm not behind some other firewall. I'd highly recommend getting a router/modem with its own firewall over using a software one - it's so much less hassle.

netman

Here's a very thorough anti-virus test, rightly name the "mega antivirus test"
http://www.overclockers.com/articles1260/

There are some good freebie AV's out there.

dathiultaigh

AVAST is good. Free and available for win 32 and win 64 systems. AVG is also quite good but just free for win32 cpu systems.