KVR Audio

Funkybot's Evil Twin · Fri Apr 17, 2015 8:51 pm

What antivirus software are people happily using on their DAW's and is there a general consensus about what's good, lightweight Windows antivirus software? I'd like something that uses few resources, offers decent protection, and is unobtrusive(!!!).

Obviously, my DAW is connected to the net and it will remain that way, so I'm not interested in any "don't connect it to the net" type comments.

I've been using BitDefender, but I really don't like all the extra bells and whistles (safe pay, search results scanner, etc.) or the pop ups/advertisements. So what else should I be looking at now that my license is about to expire?

tripomatic · Post by **tripomatic** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 9:55 pm

this is pretty leightweight:

http://filehippo.com/download_malwareby ... ware/60452

nix808 · Post by **nix808** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 10:13 pm

I've used Norton since around 2009,
it has a solid kinda relation.
It only doesn't like Buzz machines stuff.
I recommend this one(360)-
it does what it says on the box

Ranjarresh · Post by **Ranjarresh** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 10:23 pm

I use and recommend Eset Smart Security. It is lightweight and inobtrusive.

planetearth · Post by **planetearth** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 10:41 pm

tripomatic wrote:this is pretty leightweight:

http://filehippo.com/download_malwareby ... ware/60452

Malwarebytes is great at removing malware, but it is not an anti-virus product.

I use Malwarebytes in addition to AVG (and other tools) to remove the viruses Norton and McAfee don't catch (or can't remove) on my clients' machines.

That said, I don't use anti-virus on my DAW. I also don't use the DAW on-line for anything that's not absolutely necessary. I use my "regular" computer for that. I've done this since 2006, and never had a problem.

If you're going to use AV software on your DAW, you'll want one that uses the least amount of system resources. Sadly, Microsoft Security Essentials uses the least amount of resources--but it also finds or removes the lowest number of viruses. It's also pretty easy to disable when your DAW needs more processing power. (In fact, it's too easy to disable, and some viruses are able to do it themselves.) Then again, it's free.

Steve

Kaboom75 · Post by **Kaboom75** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 2:43 am

Updated

Windows Defender comes with 8 is the best anti virus and anti malware. For older OS you need Microsoft Security Essentials too.

Windows 8 Defender http://www.microsoft.com/en-GB/security ... #antivirus

planetearth · Post by **planetearth** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 2:49 am

Kaboom75 wrote:Windows Defender comes with Windows 7 and 8 is the best.

No offense, but Windows Defender isn't an anti-virus product, and Microsoft doesn't even recommend it if you can get anything else--even for free. Defender only looks for specific malware that attacks known Windows exploits, and it isn't updated on a daily (or even weekly) basis.

Defender is installed an enabled by default with Windows, and if you install nothing else, you'll already have it. (If you do install an AV product Windows recognizes, Defender is disabled.) But Defender won't protect you against "drive-by downloads" (on infected Websites), e-mail attachments or anything that real anti-virus software tackles.

Steve

Greenstorm33 · Post by **Greenstorm33** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 3:12 am

Have you considered downgrading to the free version of BitDefender? I've been using it for a few years now and it's by far the simplest, most unobtrusive AV I've used. It's light on your system resources too. The only time I even notice it's there is when it blocks the occasional suspicious webpage. I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.

Googly Smythe · Post by **Googly Smythe** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 3:23 am

Microsoft's Security Essentials is good enough unless you habituate dodgy sites. It's updated every 2 or 3 days, and is free. Get it from here.
In twenty years the only virus on a machine of mine came from a friend's floppy of dubious provenance, and that was in the 90's.

(edit)
Just realised this may not work with Win 8, which, I believe, comes with it built in. (Still on Win 7 here.)

fedexnman · Post by **fedexnman** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 3:25 am

Dualboot a Linux distro . Free and easy , I use Linux for everything non DAW related . Done .

VitaminD · Post by **VitaminD** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 4:38 am

What do you consider 'decent' protection?

I'm using Avast free edition and then scan periodically with Malwarebytes. I'm not sure if it is best in anything but it seems to work.. Staying out of shady websites is probably your best line of defense followed by any of the well know freebie AV products out there. Each one has its weakness though..

planetearth · Post by **planetearth** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 4:57 am

VitaminD wrote:What do you consider 'decent' protection?

I'm using Avast free edition and then scan periodically with Malwarebytes. I'm not sure if it is best in anything but it seems to work.. Staying out of shady websites is probably your best line of defense followed by any of the well know freebie AV products out there. Each one has its weakness though..

Those are good products, and a good strategy.

But it's not just the "shady" websites anymore that are trouble. For example, two of my clients (a total of three computers) were hit this week from ads on Yahoo!'s website. (One of those attacks was about to encrypt all of his data, unless he paid the ransom!) Much of Yahoo!'s crap is "sponsored" anymore, and you don't really know where you're going if you click what appears to be an article's headline.

You never know where this stuff will come from, but if you just go to your DAW's site (and a few, trusted plug-in manufacturers' sites), you'll have less exposure to viruses and Trojans--and that doesn't even take into consideration the Java and Flash exploits. So again, I recommend just staying off the Internet on your DAW. You have WAY too much invested in your DAW and music work to risk it all being made inaccessible by malware.

Steve

Chris-S · Post by **Chris-S** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 10:41 am

Ayorinde wrote:Microsoft's Security Essentials is good enough

+1
Also using MSE on win7.

standalone · Post by **standalone** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 10:57 am

The lightest by far is Webroot. It's a 1MB download and uses just 3 MB of RAM on my system. It's very different from the rest of antiviruses and you need to be aware of how it works.

loungepanda · Post by **loungepanda** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 11:06 am

Antivirus is just bloatware for the most part. Browser addons are more important, as far as I'm concerned.

Best Antivirus Software for a Windows DAW