Gentle's Security Config - Suggest an easy to use and effective Anti Virus

[gentle]

I use NOD32....still I admit malware and spayware sneaks in the notebook from time to time.

If someone can, please suggest an easy to use but genuinely effective AV / Internet security software. Too many false alarms are a strict no-no

 

[Sven]

ESET Nod32 is one of the lightest antivirus software today. It has great detection rates and a really easy to use interface.. It should detect-block and erase when encounters with a virus.. Other than ESET, I would recommend 360 Total Security, Avira or Webroot SecureAnywhere as they are all easy, light and have good detection rates. You can try them yourself and decide which one is more lighter on your specific system.

If you feel that there are some infections on your system at the moment, why don't you check it with another "second-opinion" product like Hitman.Pro, Zemana AntiMalware or Emsisoft Emergency Kit and give us some feedback here?

I hope I could help, have a nice day

p.s : You've said that you have pop-up blocker, do you have and use a specific Adblock extension? as the most of infections today are coming via Ads and Ad-related websites. I can recommend Adguard, uBlock Origin for the extensions. They are both available at Google Web Store and Mozilla Add-ons page.

 

[darko999]

ESET is enough if you use your brain, if you get infected while using ESET then you'll need more and more and your laptop won't run smooth. If I were you I'll go and read go to properly surf the internet and stick to ESET, which is great.

 

[Terry Ganzi]

I use NOD32....still I admit malware and spayware sneaks in the notebook from time to time.

If someone can, please suggest an easy to use but genuinely effective AV / Internet security software. Too many false alarms are a strict no-no

First to help you out,you must first tell us if you have NOD32 on default settings also if UAC has proper settings,default configuration for any Av to me is a waste of time,to get proper protection from most AV people need to go deep get nasty & it pays because default settings for Av's don't even begin to scratch the surface of what & AV can truly do,that being said i will wait on your reply before i go any deeper.

 

[OneDay]

ESET is a very good solution, but since you have problems with it, let me suggest some other options.
My answer would depend on what you mean by ''simple''; if you want a install-and-forget antivirus with no particular adjustments needed, take a look at Bitdefender Free (though last update was time ago), Panda, Qihoo 360 or Avira.
I have nothing more too add, except an adblocker, already suggested by Sven.

 

[Ink]

Hello @gentle

I have moved your thread to Security Configuration Wizard so you can receive feedback and suggestions about your current security set-up.

To edit your first post, see here [MUST READ] How to update your security config without creating a new thread!

Thank you, and welcome.

 

[Cats-4_Owners-2]

@gentle, an effective realtime protection we've used ever since first learning about it here (on MalwareTips) has been ESET.
Keep it.
Rather than suggesting a replacement AV, I shall instead list tips that may prevent changes made to your system.
Among methods to secure vulnerabilities in browsers are

1. Making use of core extensions:

• Before opening files which might contain infections or PUPs, scan them first. A free extension which does this thoroughly is VirusTotal Uploader. Read more about it here VirusTotal Windows Uploader - VirusTotal
• Your addblocker has subscriptions which prevent both trackers & malicious sites. They must be updated, similarly to daily virus file updates, at least weekly. An excellent alternate blocker used in Mozilla is uBlock Origin uBlock Origin which is also available for Chromium sourced browsers as well!
• LastPass is a password manager which keeps your important passwords safely secret by using 256 bit AES (advanced encryption security). It can also make life much less stressful. Read more about this free extension/or program here www.Lastpass.com

2.) Sandboxie is a virtualization program (fancy words to describe protection against <clicking> open Trojan emails or malware links) which keeps your system free of lasting effects. It's like wearing a rain jacket over your clothes to keep them dry! Think of it as a reset button for vulnerable browsers. Sandboxie (for your browser) is a free download with tutorials on the right margin here Sandboxie - Download Sandboxie

These additions, without jumping ship from ESET, have prevented infections in all (3) of our systems which range from being nearly new to (definitely) older!

 

[Exterminator]

ESET Nod 32 is fine
Consider using Sandboxie especially for browsing
Consider adding one or two more o demand scanners
CCleaner or Privazer if not already installed
I would consider some type of backup solution aside from using an external HDD
I would suggest HTTPS Everywhere and uBlock in Chrome & FF

 

[frogboy]

still I admit malware and spayware sneaks in the notebook from time to time.

If you have a proper backup solution such as Macrium Reflect or Aomei Backupper if you do get an infection you can restore your machine from a clean image made prior.

Both have a very good free version.