Best Antivirus?

[fateamenabletochange]

The amount of virii ......

The root word is from Greek not Latin.

[xNiMiNx]

I like to take the preemptive strike method.

I use PeerGuardian, with iblock lists, along with custom lists. Then on top of that i have SpywareBlaster and Spybot SnD adding more ip's to block. Of course i have a firewall running as well.

Havent had an AV installed for a few months now, but when i do have one installed, i usually go with ClamWin/ClamSentinal.

Id rather not have my pc talk to them at all, than to talk to them and hope my AV is on top of whatever it is theyve created this week.

[Frantz]

For those who are interested in virtualization and don't mind spending some money, I recommend VMware Workstation. The killer feature is called Unity. It makes apps in your virtual machine behave just like regular apps on your desktop. Below is a screenshot of my Windows 7 desktop. Windows Calculator and Windows Task Manager are running side by side with virtualized Lubuntu Calculator and Lubuntu Task Manager. The whole Windows/Linux experience becomes pretty much seamless. Naturally I do all web surfing in Linux.

Edited: My screenshot disappeared from the site I posted it on.

[codec_spurt]

@codec_spurt: you clearly have a decent grasp of the currently available technologies. Some questions for you:

- EMET seems like a great alternative to running an AV on a PC, but I noticed that on the MS forum dedicated to it, there can be serious issues running it (a BSOD due to graphic driver, DEP dependencies...). Can it really be problem free to use? I like the idea of having some measure of unobtrusive protection on a DAW system, especially since it's on a network where other machines could be compromised. I currently use nothing on my DAW, except common sense.

- According to one link posted in this thread reviewing AVs, BitDefender leads the April 2013 chart. Yet IIRC it hasn't been mentioned once in this thread. I once tried it but found it bloaty and invasive; but maybe that's what makes it good. What do you think of it?

- What about OS X? We know it isn't foolproof, but that's been my alternative for a long time now. I basically run all my comms and 90% of internet from OS X. I only access known developer sites with my PC DAW machines for updates, upgrades and work related data. AFAIK, my MBP has never been compromised and I've never run an AV on it since I got it (except Avast briefly but it was a real dog). How safe is OS X really?

Thanks for your opinions.

In the end, most invasive execs get in via the carrot... for which you then get the stick. I believe that's the way 90% of serious infections occur. Sometimes that carrot seems awful sweet...

One by one:

============
- EMET seems like a great alternative to running an AV on a PC, but I noticed that on the MS forum dedicated to it, there can be serious issues running it (a BSOD due to graphic driver, DEP dependencies...). Can it really be problem free to use? I like the idea of having some measure of unobtrusive protection on a DAW system, especially since it's on a network where other machines could be compromised. I currently use nothing on my DAW, except common sense.

=========================


It's not problem free, it can really f**k your system up, and you won't know why. It will take you 2 years to figure out. BSOD's are a way of life with this little fella. It' best to leave it alone. You will probably be alright, but if your not..

==================
- According to one link posted in this thread reviewing AVs, BitDefender leads the April 2013 chart. Yet IIRC it hasn't been mentioned once in this thread. I once tried it but found it bloaty and invasive; but maybe that's what makes it good. What do you think of it
====================

BitDefender is as good as the next man. No man can test all AV's and know where they stand at any moment in time. Even if he did, time would move on. See the Heisenberg Uncertainty principle.

BitDefender does a very good recovery CD, that is actually a Linux install that has their OS built in. It will find things that others don't.

==============
- What about OS X? We know it isn't foolproof, but that's been my alternative for a long time now. I basically run all my comms and 90% of internet from OS X. I only access known developer sites with my PC DAW machines for updates, upgrades and work related data. AFAIK, my MBP has never been compromised and I've never run an AV on it since I got it (except Avast briefly but it was a real dog). How safe is OS X really?
=================

I don't know about OS X.



Sorry I ain't been much help.

[JackD]

ESET Node32. Well worth the money!!!!!!!

[chico.co.uk]

The amount of virii ......

The root word is from Greek not Latin.

The root word? Virus is a Latin word.

What Greek word did you mean?

[chico.co.uk]

I'll probably regret this, and I don't really want an argument, but in case it isn't some obvious, there's some real misinformation in this thread. Only reason I'm posting is to say please don't ditch your a/v for EMET, thinking it protects you from zero day exploits, works on a lower level than a/v, replaces a/v, does the same job as a/v or is appropriate for your average home pc, because none of those are true. If you read the EMET docco on technet, and you're not sure what it means, you're not the target audience. It's not an alternative to running a/v, it really, genuinely isn't. Run both, if you're curious, of course.

[fateamenabletochange]

The amount of virii ......

The root word is from Greek not Latin.

The root word? Virus is a Latin word.

What Greek word did you mean?

thought it was Greek

[DuX]

I think the best antivirus is still Norton Ghost... or DriveImageXML, lately.

The thing with viruses and antiviruses, too, is that your OS is never the same again once it experienced either, or both. However, if you have a backup of your OS, it is the same OS with all your programs and plugins intact, and everything working exactly, and perfectly [predictably?] the same as before.

That's also the reason why I had to install Windows XP only 3 times so far since 2002. I install the OS and all the programs and plugins when I buy a new computer, and that's it. It lasts until the computer breaks, or I decide it's time to upgrade the computer. Since all my self-assembled computers still work, it's the latter reason that makes me have to install the OS again. I really hate installing OSes, probably because I do it for [the part of] living.

[mandolarian]

For the more lazy, there's Firefox with NoScript. Nothing runs without your say so and you can surf like it's 1999. And beware of the phishing sites, especially KVR. They don't infect your computer, but your mind. And there's no anti-virus cleaner for that.

[xNiMiNx]

For the more lazy, there's Firefox with NoScript. Nothing runs without your say so and you can surf like it's 1999. And beware of the phishing sites, especially KVR. They don't infect your computer, but your mind. And there's no anti-virus cleaner for that.

Thats how i browse, just text and script, if the site creators cant be bothered to have it work with such basics, i dont frequent them. If i need to, i will load up a secondary browser temporarily.

An interesting, and eye opening, addon is [edit] Collusion [/edit]. Lets you see how sites are talking behind your back

[ObsoleteAcc99]

[DELETED]

[rasscass]

For the more lazy, there's Firefox with NoScript. Nothing runs without your say so and you can surf like it's 1999. And beware of the phishing sites, especially KVR. They don't infect your computer, but your mind. And there's no anti-virus cleaner for that.

This plus MSE has kept my PC healthy for 4 years.

[metamorphosis]

The thing with viruses and antiviruses, too, is that your OS is never the same again once it experienced either, or both.

Not really true. True for some viruses (yes, this is the proper plural for computer virus, look it up), but not most.

For me it's the free zonealarm virus plus firewall without a doubt.

Zomealarm is the most alarmist piece of consumer software on the planet. OH NOES YOU HAVE 150000 intrusions go to hell.
Most of the things it picks up is search engine bots and the like.
It does a good job of making you feel like you need it, and that's IT.

[EvilDragon]

I'm being stroppy now, but EvilDragon, surely someone as computer savvy as you would not leave the total responsibility onto one program?

I bet even you, use more than one level of security.

Yep. NOD32 and Spybot S&D. Never had any problems, they took care of everything. Oh, and the third AV I use - my brain