Best AntiVirus Software for 2015 - Comments Page 1

been having trouble with my aol softwear, cant down load anything says i am not contected and aol sometimes just drops off

I use bitdefender and I like it very much. Does alright by me and does what it says it will do and does it well. I am very happy with it...no nag screens, free, does a good job, does not slow down the computer at all and in fact you hardly know it is there. But when it catches something then you know it is working and it does work well.

Convenience is something that seems to be overlooked. If a program is the absolute best, head-and-shoulders better in all respects, but is not convenient to use, it probably won,t get used. A top tier program - while not necessarily the absolute best - but is convenient to use, provides greater overall protection for the simple reason that it gets used. For this reason, I have used AVG for a long time, and have had great results with their free version. The one feature that sticks out to me, is the automatic "off" selection. I run my update every evening, followed by the "full scan" with the auto-shutdown activated. I hit the scan button, turn out the lights, and come back the next morning with the computer turned off, waiting to just be turned on with a clean operation to boot into. It's easy and complete, and I don't know of a better AV that provides a better "overall" protection.

I use Vipre and have used it for 5 years Its was one of the better Antivirus programs and rated high.
I don't see anything about this software in your letter or post on this subject.
Do you know anything about "Vipre" I have a lifetime signup with them?

Paul

Thank you, Mr. Ranking,
It appears that based on Performance/Protection/Usability columns (at the link you provided) consistently shows Kaspersky Lab outperforming all others for the past 3 years and relegates Microsoft AV as being the bottom dweller. I use a multi-tiered approach to my overall security protection approach (total of 6 WinOS machines). My AV protection will continue being that 'bottom dweller' because my computing-life has stopped obsessing over experimenting with AV software some 5 years ago!

For what it's worth (and I'm completely aware that there's a lot of variability between systems depending on all sorts of things) I spent quite some time a few months back trying to find an antivirus solution I was happy (a) would provide "good enough" security, and (b) wouldn't hammer the performance, stability or usability of my 5-year-old Windows 7SE netbook into the ground.

I tried everything free that suggested it was lightweight, and several commercial AV packages that I thought might not kill my system. And the best of the bunch -- by quite a distance, to my surprise -- was F-Secure. So I'm pleased to see it's top 5 in one of the metrics but I would suggest that a lot of these tests assume a level playing field and you might well not have one of those...

I am using 360 total security from qihoo,this is an amazing piece of software yet i never see any articles on it.
And its totally free,it might be worth you looking into it and giving your opinion,so far i have not been able to fault it.

I noticed that the anti-virus software was only ever tested for Vista in 2010. They tested as recently as 2014 for XP. They started testing for Windows 7 in 2010. Is the Windows 7 platform so similar to Vista that there was no need to test on Vista once 7 was out?

I have disabled MSC since or longer than 2013 when your last expose confirmed my own research. I have used Bitdefender but have stuck with Malwarebytes Premium essentially for reasons it's simple to configure, does not hog resources, effective and relativity economical. Can't understand why Malwarebytes are not in any of the lists though I will try to find out if interest or time dictates.

And thanks again Bob, for a well constructed and informative article.

On your recommendation I've used AVG Free for the past two years, along with MBAM and Zone Alarm Free and have had no problems. Thanks for your good work, keep it up.

Readers of Ask Bob Rankin who have Xfinity/Comcast internet service get free, excellent, Symantec Norton Security Suite software, as part of its service. I have been told by a Symantec service representative it is essentially Norton 360, available at retail for about $80.00 every year, under another name. In addition to daily anti-virus updates and scans, it also provides internet identity protection, hard drive back-up service, disk optimization and file cleanup. A nice benefit from Comcast.

From the looks of things, most of us have a "winning" A/V program, on our computers! That's a very, good thing.

What is amazing to me, is that almost all of the top A/V software companies, are doing a great job, overall. I remember the days, when most of the A/V software companies, where "ifie", at best. Changing times and newer technology.

I am still very happy, with Avast! A/V program. It simply, works for me and does a bang up job, too. I do have the paid version, but, I used the FREE version, for almost a decade and highly recommended it. Bottom line, I am an Avast! fan.

Right now, Malwarebytes' program, is strictly, for malware, not Viruses or Trojan Horses or Worms. However, in reading their blog and just seeing the way the
"wind blows", I would not be a bit surprised, that Malwarebytes "jumps" into the A/V software business.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Two points: (1) Malware is a generic term that includes viruses, spyware, rootkits, trojans, worms, and any other type of "bad" software. (2) MBAM (paid edition with real-time scanning) already does a fine job of finding and removing most forms of malware, including viruses.

Please publish a similar ranking of your opinion of the best free programs since you have in the past advised that several are on a par or better than paid versions
Cheers Rich

Thanks for another informative article, Bob! Is Windows Defender in Windows 8 the same product as MSE in other versions of Windows, and just as bad at virus protection?

Firstly thank you for your columns, this is one of your best.

I've been using the free Bitdefender for a couple of years and no complaints. Very unobtrusive and automatically updates. The odd time it warns me of a bad site, I believe it and go somewhere else.

I'm a bit of nerd when it comes to safety though and also use the free versions of malwarebytes and Superantispyware.

Your periodic AV solutions are welcomed for their conciseness and recommendations.

Since few of us will change suppliers frequently, it would prove helpful to include a brief history of the proffered solutions while pointing at those that have consistently remained outstanding throughout the last relevant time frame.
We consumers will be more willing to change to a new vendor if we were fairly confident that the move would not be a sporadic one.

Been using Avira for a couple of years and never had any problems. Satisfied!

As always great article Bob, thanks !

Several years back I used BitDefender, but developed a problem with the updates. I had to go to the web site and manually download updates, then after a while that wouldn't work. I wasn't able to resolve the issue. An internet security package that can't be updated is useless!

As luck would have it, in 2012 you reviewed Webroot's package, and I was particularly intrigued by its small footprint and unintrusive presence, as well as its performance. I had a month to go on my BitDefender subscription, but took the leap early to Webroot. I have been using it ever since and am very happy with it.

It may not be in your top 5, but I'll stick with it for now.

Why is PC Matic or any of it's components NOT listed above ????????????????

EDITOR'S NOTE: Because they choose not to participate in the testing done by AV-TEST.