VISTA: replacement for OneCare?

[LOUISSSSS]

my subscription is up and dont feel like paying $50 for activation, what is a good replacement program for it?

i'm currently using AVG antivirus program for free

 

[Roguestar]

AVG 7.5 Free is one of the best programs out there, and it's free to boot. Kapersky is great, NOD-32 (if I remember the name correctly) people tell me is great, as usual twin Ad-aware and Spybot or go for Ewido for anti-spyware. I think AVG Anti-spyware now has Ewido built in.

 

[mechBgon]

Based on my SiteAdvisor work and seeing lots of real-world malware go through the VirusTotal.com analyzer and seeing who detects what, I would get full-ride Kaspersky AntiVirus 6. It's worth what it costs, IMHO. AVG Free is nowhere close, based on low detection rates and slow reaction times.

Bigger picture: if you leave Vista's UAC enabled, and set your user account to Standard User instead of Administrator, that is a very powerful defense unto itself, as long as you don't let the bad guys in the door yourself by running Trojan Horses (warez and other free stuff you find and can't resist). With UAC enabled, IE7 operates in Protected Mode, which makes Windows view stuff that came from the Internet with extreme suspicion and watches it like a suspected shoplifter :evil:

If your version of Vista is Ultimate or Business, then in addition to UAC + Standard User, you can also add a Software Restriction Policy for advanced protection. This will require occasional adapt-&-overcome on your part, but it's a smart move.

Naturally I still recommend using antivirus, but in today's world you don't want to stop there. Even the best antivirus is a shaky defense if that's all you've got (see :camera:s below). mech's suggestions for defense-in-depth at home.

Here's pics of VirusTotal detections of some in-the-wild attack files I collected. The point here isn't that company A is better than company B, it's simply that antivirus is not a complete defense by itself.

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/mechBgon/sample_1.GIF
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/mechBgon/sample_2.GIF
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/mechBgon/sample_3.GIF
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/mechBgon/sample_4.GIF
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/mechBgon/sample_5.GIF
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/mechBgon/sample_6.GIF
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/mechBgon/sample_7.GIF

 

[Zepper]

This is not a hardware topic.

.bh.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

ad-aware is out for vista 32 bit now?
i'm using busieness btw

 

[Schadenfroh]

The full-ride Kaspersky AntiVirus 6 is currently FREE after MiR, you can evaluate it's minimal impact on system resources by downloading their free trial, I strongly suggest trying all security software before you buy it, as unknown problems could arise. (when you get the shipment in from amazon, all you have to do is enter the key in and you will be good to go, no reinstall)


To see detection rate tests, check out the antivirus detection rate thread. (see my note about AVG Free Edition)

Kaspersky offers one if the highest (if not the highest) detection rate in the antimalware industry. Combine that with a minimal impact on system performance / resources and hourly updates (the fastest threat response time in the industry) and you have a very competitive combination:thumbsup:

(it works on xp & Vista both 32bit and 64bit versions)

Alternatively, you could use Kaspersky Lite (AKA AVS) for free, it lacks some of the features of KAV, but it has the same scanning engine.


follow mechBgon's advice

 

[John]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
ad-aware is out for vista 32 bit now?
i'm using busieness btw

According to Lavasoft AAW 2007 isn't Vista-ready so YMMV.

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/pro...aware_2007_sys_req.php

There are other superior adware/spyware apps that are Vista-Ready such as SUPERAntiSpyware, AVG AS, a-squared, etc.

 

[anandk]

Heres my take on the freeware av's avlbl !

Avast in my opinion, is MUCH better at detecting virus files inside compressed (zip'd) archives. Even AVG's complete scan will NOT detect ALL infections inside the Zip files. And if the compressed files are .rar or other formats, AVG's odds of detection are even less.

Next : Detection of email borne viruses in avg is at best average. If you have Outlook Wxpress 6 client as part of Windows XP, you could easily endup updownloading and saving some common email borne viruses. Its only at the time of extraction or saving the extracted infection that AVG gives a warning ! AVG even with using the Outlook Express plugin, u could download the virus to your machine as an eml file, and it wont even warn when you open the eml file.

The free Avira lacks an email scanner; that's only available in the paid version. The self protection is also poor - it can be terminated with Windows Task manager. The free version also constantly nags you to upgrade.

The Kaspersky-based AOL AVs lacks the html scanner found in the full Kaspersky product and consequently doesn't offer the same level of protection against hostile sites. It's also quite heavy on resources and is not suitable for slower PCs. AOL AVS can be terminated by a hostile agent as well

BitDefender lacks a real time monitor as well as email scanning.

all said and done, i suggest avast freeware av ;-)

 

[fire400]

Originally posted by: Zepper
This is not a hardware topic.

.bh.

FORUMS Software Security VISTA: replacement for OneCare?

-anyway, I don't like OneCare because they're trying to run your updates for you? pathetic. Vista, I wouldn't trust it on stock programs. put 3rd party stuff on it, even if it's free of charge, either way.

-gg

 

[John]

Originally posted by: anandk
The Kaspersky-based AOL AVs lacks the html scanner found in the full Kaspersky product and consequently doesn't offer the same level of protection against hostile sites. It's also quite heavy on resources and is not suitable for slower PCs. AOL AVS can be terminated by a hostile agent as well

AOL AVS only has 2 running processs (avp.exe) that uses less than 20MB of memory when it's not running a scan. Since it is simply a rebadged KAV 6 (lite) how exactly is it heavy on resources?

 

[Chadder007]

Originally posted by: John

Originally posted by: anandk
The Kaspersky-based AOL AVs lacks the html scanner found in the full Kaspersky product and consequently doesn't offer the same level of protection against hostile sites. It's also quite heavy on resources and is not suitable for slower PCs. AOL AVS can be terminated by a hostile agent as well

AOL AVS only has 2 running processs (avp.exe) that uses less than 20MB of memory when it's not running a scan. Since it is simply a rebadged KAV 6 (lite) how exactly is it heavy on resources?

I run it myself. Its very LOW on resources. I love it and its much better than AVG at detection.