BitDefender Free - General Impression

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hjlbx

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He does rightclick scan only or also executes the malware?
If rightclick only then dont know if rightclick scan uses cloud or not?
If rightclick scan doesn't uses cloud then this explains the difference in detection.

I have changed my opinion...

BD free and BD paid have same detection, but BD free detection of inactive malware on system is slower due to the way it works; user has to be signed-in to BD account all the time for signatures.

For those that BD free works well on their system, it is good antivirus... if all they want is AV and use Windows firewall...

For malware already installed on system, BD free is good but will leave registry and file remnants; in such a case user should also use Malwarebytes free and Hitman Pro. That combo does good for basic, general system malware clean-up.

Difficult clean-up need to use MT's Malware Removal forum... Twin Headed Eagle or Argus. :D
 
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Deleted member 2913

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I have changed my opinion...

BD free and BD paid have same detection, but BD free detection of inactive malware on system is slower due to the way it works; user has to be signed-in to BD account all the time for signatures.

For those that BD free works well on their system, it is good antivirus... if all they want is AV and use Windows firewall...

For malware already installed on system, BD free is good but will leave registry and file remnants; in such a case user should also use Malwarebytes free and Hitman Pro. That combo does good for basic, general system malware clean-up.

Difficult clean-up need to use MT's Malware Removal forum... Twin Headed Eagle or Argus. :D
If inactive malware tries to run then Bd free will protect, right?

Sign-in is automatic & never faced any prob with it.
And if I remember correctly, on Wilders forum, Bd free staff had mentioned something about sign-in. Its a huge thread. I will try to find the post.

What do you suggest for average users, Bd free or Avast free?

What about my test request?

UPDATE - I could find one post by Bd staff about registration & he mentioned for marketing, your account with info, etc...

Did you test it?
I mean logged-out & tested it updates or not & connects to cloud or not?
 
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hjlbx

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If inactive malware tries to run then Bd free will protect, right?

Sign-in is automatic & never faced any prob with it.
And if I remember correctly, on Wilders forum, Bd free staff had mentioned something about sign-in. Its a huge thread. I will try to find the post.

What do you suggest for average users, Bd free or Avast free?

What about my test request?

UPDATE - I could find one post by Bd staff about registration & he mentioned for marketing, your account with info, etc...

Did you test it?
I mean logged-out & tested it updates or not & connects to cloud or not?

I did test it. It did good. I tested it only while signed-in to my BD account.

I would use antiexecutable with it: VooDooShield free or NoVirusThanks Exe Radar Pro (beta is free, next stable to be free).

Remember, there is no firewall with BD free... so you will use only Windows firewall. Some malwares can disable Windows firewall and UAC.

VooDooShield does automatic Virus Total query for any unknown files... that's a nice touch, but Exe Radar Pro has better logging and configuration.

VDS or ERP are both very good... it comes down to personal preference.

You can download either VDS or ERP from the respective vendor threads on Wilders Security.
 

JakeXPMan

Level 17
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Oct 20, 2014
804
Bitdefender free has a great virus shield, with solid all around protection which is comparable to AVG's but with a better detection rate, although AVG's improving lately.

I faced a few BUG problems with using Bitdefender free, which stopped me from using it. Its Auto-scan function, suddenly stopped its cycles after 3 months. It also needed me to re-sign in to be able to do a full system scan. It wouldn't do one, unless I sign OUT then sign IN.

Quick scanning was fast (and done on their own) ... The full scans you can perform off the cycle, but were too slow IMO, but at least it doesn't scan the same file twice, so it got faster as it went on.

I like Bitdefender free, they are improving it... but its functions still need a tune up.
 

ysl706

Level 1
Verified
Sep 24, 2013
48
Who has Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2015 key?Please send me, I would be grateful.
 
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Deleted member 2913

Thread author
I have changed my opinion...

BD free and BD paid have same detection, but BD free detection of inactive malware on system is slower due to the way it works; user has to be signed-in to BD account all the time for signatures.

:D

I am running Bd free now.
I tested the sign-in part i.e disconnected net, router, everything.

I think sign-in is just a one time thing in Bd free
i.e I tested 3 times with everything disconnected as mentioned above.
And Bd free was always logged-in i.e net, router disconnected & Bd free remains logged-in.

When you are offline you will see "server cannot be connected" in GUI in the place where you normally see "you are logged-in" when you are online.
Now this "server cannot be connected" means you are not online/cloud is not connected & not related to sign-in.
Coz if you click "server cannot be connected" i.e the tab itself, it will flip & you can see "log-out" there which means you are indeed logged-in/signed-in.

So it seems sign-in is one time thing & after that its always remains signed-in online/offline, etc... & not a prob at all for Bd signatures.

So the sign-in is the same as well better compared to other products.
i.e for ex- Avast - you register - updates are available - registration expires - updates not available - register again for 1 year free - updates available again.

Similarly Bd free - you register - updates available - thats it, no need register/sign-in again as you will remain registered/signed-in online/offline, etc...

Now as I mentioned sign-in will not be required again & its one time thing & you remain signed-in always & its not related to online, offline, internet, anything, etc...

But yes, if you manually log-out from the GUI or guess from the website then I think updates/cloud/services will not be available coz its like you are cancelling your free subscription & I think thats the way it should & other works.
i.e for ex- Avast - you register for Avast - if you could unregister Avast then updates/cloud/services will not be available coz you cancelled your 1 year free registration/subscription.

So I think sign-in is one-time process & your lifetime free subscription (unless you cancel the lifetime subscription i.e manually log-out).
 

Janl92l

Level 7
Verified
Nov 7, 2014
339
I really would not bother, nor trust the free version, compared to Bitdefender Plus it lacks key feature(s) which would protect your computer, especially against the malware of today, better still upgrade to a full security suite. As Nico@FMA has pointed out on many occasions free is no good.
It has the same protection level as the paid version. It have all the protection modules like the pro version. The only thing it does not have is a firewall. but the detection rate is the same as paid versions. It is just more cloud based than the other versions but that isnt a real problem if u are always connected.
 
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Deleted member 2913

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I use to test products for my personal review.
I have tested & compared Bd free & Bd paid.
In my tests the protection was always same.
Offline protection was good too.

The comparison table
http://www.bitdefender.com/media/html/freeav-upgrade/?et_cid=EMM_NA_FreeAV_Upsell
And the fact that Bd free is a paid product in some countries.
http://www.bitdefender.fr/solutions/antivirus-essential.html
The Bd support reply to my email.
The Bd free staff details of Bd free in Wilders forum
My personal tests & comparison.

I do think it provides the same protection as the paid.

Yes, options, controls, etc... are missing. Its fine with me.
It works on my system without any probs.
It provides excellent protection.
I like it for now.
 
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Tony Cole

Level 27
Verified
May 11, 2014
1,639
I disagree, please read this MalwareTips article written by a true expert in the IT/Security industry
http://malwaretips.com/threads/anti-virus-malware-myths-and-facts.23944/

To add a small quote:

"So to get back at what I was saying within the industry it is a cold HARD fact that free antivirus regardless their claims and testing results just do not have the level of sophistication and protection that a premium package does.
And there is not a soul on the planet that can convince me otherwise because facts are facts.
So many magazines and blogs write great articles and most of them are theoretical correct, but in the real world things are VERY different."
 
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ifacedown

Level 18
Verified
Jan 31, 2014
888
I disagree, please read this MalwareTips article written by a true expert in the IT/Security industry
http://malwaretips.com/threads/anti-virus-malware-myths-and-facts.23944/

To add a small quote:

"So to get back at what I was saying within the industry it is a cold HARD fact that free antivirus regardless their claims and testing results just do not have the level of sophistication and protection that a premium package does.
And there is not a soul on the planet that can convince me otherwise because facts are facts.
So many magazines and blogs write great articles and most of them are theoretical correct, but in the real world things are VERY different."
Well maybe a "little" exception to this is Comodo Internet Security Free vs. Comodo Premium... their protection levels are almost the same.
 
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Deleted member 2913

Thread author
I disagree, please read this MalwareTips article written by a true expert in the IT/Security industry
http://malwaretips.com/threads/anti-virus-malware-myths-and-facts.23944/

To add a small quote:

"So to get back at what I was saying within the industry it is a cold HARD fact that free antivirus regardless their claims and testing results just do not have the level of sophistication and protection that a premium package does.
And there is not a soul on the planet that can convince me otherwise because facts are facts.
So many magazines and blogs write great articles and most of them are theoretical correct, but in the real world things are VERY different."
I dont think paid products are better than free products coz for me the comparison itself is wrong. They are 2 different options.
Compare & find your better paid product.
Compare & find your better free product.
 

Janl92l

Level 7
Verified
Nov 7, 2014
339
So to get back at what I was saying within the industry it is a cold HARD fact that free antivirus regardless their claims and testing results just do not have the level of sophistication and protection that a premium package does
comodo,Avast free and enough other give u the same protection than paid products,its a fact. use avast free with hardernmode aggressive and it will give u better protection than most other paid products. paid means better is not treu. but believe what u want.
 
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Tony Cole

Level 27
Verified
May 11, 2014
1,639
I really disagree. If AV Companies that offer, both free and paid solutions, which one do you think offers the most protection and latest technologies – the paid one. I have listened to a few members on this forum, experts in the industry who are totally aware of the difference between the two. Bitdefender free offers the bare basic’s in-terms-of protection, really, who keeps there computer on 24/7, plus it can take a considerable amount of time to detect malware, crypto ransomware would have a field day.
 
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Deleted member 2913

Thread author
In that case everyone should use Internet Security Suite as mostly ISS is the full featured product of vendors & therefore better than all the other products.

For me paid is not better than free. They are different products providing different level of protection.
 
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Deleted member 2913

Thread author
A user posted in Bd free forum that he contacted support if Bd free is going to be discontinued or new version.
They replied there will be a new version when Win 10 is released.
Hope there are some surprise for the users.
 
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Ray Redbad

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I really would not bother, nor trust the free version, compared to Bitdefender Plus it lacks key feature(s)

You are seriously under-informed about this product. Gotta love that bolding for them there cold hard facts. :D With respect to your long-term presence here, you are doing a disservice to those who cannot afford a paid product.

Bitdefender Free implements these proprietary Bitdefender protections:
bdcore signature scanner (aka Bitdefender engine)
B-Have heuristic scanner
Active Virus Control (AVC Hypervisor)
Anti-rootkit
Network Intrusion Detection System (HIPS User-Mode module)
Gonzales/Nimbus cloud scanning services
Malware/phishing URL filtering

Jul 5 edit: Forgot to mention, the URL filtering works for all the Internet facing applications I tried - several browsers, media players, POP clients, RSS & PDF readers.

AVC is Bitdefender's FLAGSHIP product and fully implemented in Free. It is not, and has nothing to do with the "Bitdefender engine."

Except for the Gonzales components (which determines the BD Free version number itself) all drivers and libraries are updated in the background in realtime, generally no reboot needed. Gonzales is pretty rock-solid so one shouldn't expect any version bumps until the Win10 product appears.

Incremental local signature updates are pushed from the BD servers within minutes of their release.

Yes, the user interface and control is anti-geek. That's by design and exactly claimed as such on their Web site.
 
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hjlbx

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BD free is good product, if it works on your specific system. Lots of users can't get it to work...
 
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