The Best AV You've Ever Used?

[LadyofCrowns]

Paid:
1. Kaspersky Total Security
2. F-Secure Total
3. ESET Smart Security Premium
4. Bitdefender Total Security

Free:
1. Kaspersky Security Cloud Free
2. Bitdefender Antivirus Free
3. Avast Free

Currently using F-Secure Total with F-Secure Sense router & ESET Mobile Security in my Android devices. It's sad that F-Secure's mobile solution is so poor with website/banking protection since it only works with their VERY outdated "Safe Browser".

 

[sepik]

The Best AV i've ever used?
Ultimate Virus Killer 2000 for ATARI ST
F-PROT for DOS era
NOD32+Outpost Firewall Pro was powerfull combo several years ago
Now i'm using Trend Micro Maximum Security and i do like it. Only very strange thing is that you CAN'T empty your Trend Micro quarantine. Currently, there is no option to manually delete the Threat Logs, the logs will be automatically deleted after 1 year. <--- WTF?

Ditched Webroot, because it constantly flags one of the Symantec .dll file as a "Trojan.Gen.2". I've submitted it as a false positive three times already, but the problem is still there. Sigh.

Forticlient Free is good too, but it needs decent BB/HIPS next to it. Spyshelter Free worked nicely with Forticlient Free.

Kind regards,
-sepik

 

[DDE_Server]

Definitely for me it is KIS.
I have tried some very good ones, like Eset.

But, there is nothing 100%, everything can fail at any time, I think it depends a lot on the user and the knowledge of AV settings, and extensions and browser settings, there are many factors that should be configured, it is not only the antivirus.

yes security policy doesn't only depend on AV solution it depend on the assets you want to protect and how you protect
security policies should be enforced besides AV solution to reduce attack surface such hardening devices/disable non used services /data encryption/data lose prevention through continuous / good backup strategy
what the benefits of AV installed on windows with default settings with a lot of non patched software with a lot of non used and may be exploited services
there a concepts in cyber security risk assessment is called "CIA" which refer to "confidentiality , integrity and Availability " if any of those is sacrificed then your system is not reliable

 

[Cortex]

The Best AV i've ever used?
Ultimate Virus Killer 2000 for ATARI ST
F-PROT for DOS era
NOD32+Outpost Firewall Pro was powerfull combo several years ago
Now i'm using Trend Micro Maximum Security and i do like it. Only very strange thing is that you CAN'T empty your Trend Micro quarantine. Currently, there is no option to manually delete the Threat Logs, the logs will be automatically deleted after 1 year. <--- WTF?

Ditched Webroot, because it constantly flags one of the Symantec .dll file as a "Trojan.Gen.2". I've submitted it as a false positive three times already, but the problem is still there. Sigh.

Forticlient Free is good too, but it needs decent BB/HIPS next to it. Spyshelter Free worked nicely with Forticlient Free.

Kind regards,
-sepik

I'd forgotten about F-Prot, I also used F-Prot for windows as well as DOS nice & simple, Icelandic company as I remember?

 

[sepik]

@Cortex
Yes it was Icelandic company (FRISK Software) and later on acquired by Cyren. It was also the world's first AV with a heuristic behavior scanner.
Here's the Wiki Entry

Kind regards,
-sepik

 

[ichito]

At present I'm not using AV but basing on my memories:
- PC Tools AV and VirusBlokAda (as live CD)
- Panda Cloud AV at the beginning of development and Webroot/Prevx (cloud based apps)
- something "more traditional" - F-secure and Norman
- of cource something from China - Twister, Kingsoft, Micropoint...and new promising AV - Huorong and WiseVector
- AV that i know only from reviews and description but allways wanted to use - Online Solution Security Suite.

 

[Moonhorse]

Current list

1. sophos home free ( good against pup/puas, easy to set up, decent caching, good web filter)
2. Comodo internet security, just because of the sandbox + low resource usage ( light on pc)
3. Bitdefender free, web filter is top notch, does caching best , easy to set up, disables tls 1.3 is the annoyance thought
4. kaspersky cloud free,

Windows defender is ok, but i get bored with it
Forticlient free is getting discontinued otherwise it would be top 3
Comodo cloud free is discontinued and would be top 3 otherwise

I really dont download anything, since i dont work with the office tools and i stream everything ( music, movies) throuught spotify, netflix, etc.

Im fine with the any antivirus i decide to go with and i use freemium only. Sophos is somehow the one ive liked most...since i dont mess with exe. the web filter is only i care about and sophos has basic antivirus, pup/pua protection is agressive and the webfilter let me configure family stuff, its very limited product as freemium but for me it offers most as i can control family devices throught dashboard ( pc, tablets, mobile)

 

[Momus]

@Cortex
Yes it was Icelandic company (FRISK Software) and later on acquired by Cyren. It was also the world's first AV with a heuristic behavior scanner.
Here's the Wiki Entry

Kind regards,
-sepik

Would you still recommend F-Prot? With regards to its home page it looks just the way I like it, a plain and pure antivirus without bloatware..

 

[sepik]

@Momus
I've not tested it. But i think it's par with ClamAV and Webroot. Found one youtube review
There's 30 day trial version available if you want to test it here

Kind regards,
-sepik

 

[Momus]

Hi Sepik, many thanks for your quick reply! Webroot and ClamAV are definately not my cup of tea, will better stay away )

 

[EndangeredPootis]

@Momus
I've not tested it. But i think it's par with ClamAV and Webroot. Found one youtube review
There's 30 day trial version available if you want to test it here

Kind regards,
-sepik

Just so you know that video review is done by a site thats promoting the antivirus TotalAV, which we all know is sort of known for being misleading and using shady tactics, I wouldnt take it as fact.

 

[Chuck57]

I've used many. AVG, something called Computer Associates long ago, AVAST, Comodo, McAfee, and others I forget. Some no longer exist.

One I liked that is gone now was Vet. It never let me down.

AVAST never failed.

Comodo has been solid. I think it's the firewall though. Doesn't matter how, as long as the computer stays clean.

 

[MegenM]

I have never tried the free versions. Always had Bitdefender with me. Using it for the last 4 years without any issues