Best all round AV/A spyware /firewall protection

esperanza

I run a small business and need excellent security protection after recent attacks by Trojans on my system.

my current security progs include
Sunbelt Kerio Firewall (free version)

Avast anti virus (free version)

AVG anti-spyware (evaluation vn.)

Trojan Hunter (evaluation vn.)

My wish is to upgrade to professional versions for all of the above. Would this be a wise decision?

For protection against Trojans, I'm hesitating between Trojan Hunter and Trojan Remover. The latter (evalutation version only) detected a Trojan on my system, while Trojan Hunter did not. Any ideas which is best?

I would also like to get security forscanning attachements i send and receive (does avast have this option?)

If anyone can offer their advice, it would be warmly welcome. Thank you.

Ruu_Old

I use Anti-Vir free, AVG Anti-spyware and Comodo Firewall.

Fanny Cradock

Avast and Anti-Vir are both excellent options. Better still, NOD32 if you want to splash out.

If you are running Windows (genuine) then you should download Defender. For that matter, try spybot also.

This link may be of some use for helping you decide
http://antivirus.about.com/od/antivirussoftwarereviews/Antivirus_Firewall_and_Security_Software_Reviews.htm

Fanny Cradock

Humm, Comodo Personal Firewall seems to fair very favourably in the reviews. I may switch from ZA to it.

ntlbell

They're all much the same.

Create a standard user account and use this for day to day tasks make sure you're not logged in as a user with Admin priv's e.g. the built in Admistrator account or any account in the Administrators Group.

AVG with a combination of Ad-aware/spybot/spyware blaster should be fine.

If you're using Windows XP SP 2 the built in firewall should be good enough.

The most important part is a dash of common sense.

Steffano2002

I've invested in AVG Internet Security. 2 year license. Cheap (especially compared to my old Norton Internet Security!). And everything I need in 1 neat package! I recommend it!

mcloughl

I would recommend the folloiwng www.ipcop.org excellent and free!

Will do NAT, Stateful inspection, Red, Green, DMZ and Blue (WLAN) interfaces, VPN, Manage DYDNS etc..etc. and will all run happily on a PII.

There are some third party addons (also free) that will add content and mail filtering as well.

IMHO host based Firewalling sucks as the bad packets are at the door rather than being blocked at the perimeter by something like IpCop

dodgey69

what spyware is available for free? i have tried spybot and spydoctor but both only allow you run a scan, when it finds anything u cant remove it without paying for a package.

Fanny Cradock

I take it you mean anti-spyware

Just to clarify: Spybot is free and it DOES remove anything it finds. There is no requirement to pay anything for the program to function in this capacity. However, there is an option to donate something if you wish. Make sure you download the latest updates (and also imunize) before running the program.

Read through the thread, there are plenty of excellent free anti-spyware programs listed. Here are the ones I recommend:

Spybot - free and has 100% functionality
AVG Antispyware- Free. After trial period expires you have to update manually and the real-time protection no longer functions, but it is still excellent.
Spyware Blaster - It doesn't actively scan for spyware, just blocks it from a list you update.
Windows Defender - Free and 100% functional, but you can only get this if you have a genuine copy of windows.
Adaware - free but I don't find it of much use.

dodgey69

Cheers Fanny, ill give that a go at weekend.

r3nu4l

I use:

Avast Anti-virus (free)
Comodo firewall (free)
Spybot S&D and SpyBot Tea-Timer (Free)
HiJack This (free diagnostic, when I suspect something might be awry!)
I also use Adaware (free) occasionally.


For a small business you may still need a business license for these products. Check the EULA (end-user license agreement), you don't want to find yourself on the wrong side of a piracy/inappropriate license suit.

Basq

Typically use:

AVG AntiVirus (free and decent.. nice to see it upating daily but real-time protection seems to be seldom)
Spybot S & D (for me, typically it finds cookies - and not much else)
Adaware (for me, typically finds MRU tracking list / cookies - and not much else)
HijackThis (best application out there for seeing exactly what's launching on startup)
CWShredder (not much use anymore.. was used for finding threats in IE)
Stinger - used occassionally

beolight

www.bullguard.com

all in one package

anti virus/spam filter/firewall/anti spyware/online backup

excellent back up service via email or live chat

a pleasure to use and not a resource hog

2 month free trial full version