Best anti-virus for Windows 7 Ultimate

[Drd]

Hello I've just installed Windows 7 Ultimate on my PC. Can you tell me what would be the best anti-virus, anti-malware programs to  use? I use the internet occasion and also exchange files a lot through flash drives with other students at my universities and these tend to have all sorts of thing on them.
  I've  used AVG with my XP and have been happy with that.  The person who sold me the Windows 7 Ultimate recommends Kaspersky. Is there such a thing as a best program for a particular program? What do you advise?

Thanks for your help.

Dr. D.

[Salmon Trout]

There are plenty of different antivirus solutions. I don't think there is a "best" one. I use Windows 7 Professional and I use Microsoft Security Essentials which is free (as long as you can pass WGA! I can.). I think the question is "Why use anything else?". There are various considerations: memory/cpu footprint, cost, completeness of threat coverage, rapidity of response to new threats, and so on. Personally I don't think there is an awful lot to choose between the major offerings so after trying Anrivir and AVG free versions I went for MSE. I expect other people will disagree with me however. This topic tends to attract partisan views.

[Drd]

I don't know why but I find it hard to really see Microsoft Security as reliable. Maybe because IE has been the prime source of intruders in the first place! Anyone else have any other suggestions? I've going between Kaspersky and AVG.

Dr. D.

[Salmon Trout]

I don't know why but I find it hard to really see Microsoft Security as reliable. Maybe because IE has been the prime source of intruders in the first place! Anyone else have any other suggestions? I've going between Kaspersky and AVG.

That doesn't make sense.  IE is not the "source" of intruders. Anyhow I don't think Microsoft Security Essentials has anything to do with Internet Explorer. Or careless computer users. In October 2009, AV-Test.org conducted a series of trials on MSE and it detected and caught 98.44 percent of 545,034 computer viruses, computer worms and software Trojan horses as well as 90.95 percent of 14,222 spyware and adware samples. It also detected and eliminated all 25 tested rootkits and generated no false-positives at all. On 7 January 2010, Microsoft Security Essentials won the PC Advisor's Best Free Software award. Later, in December 2010, AV-Comparatives.org awarded Microsoft Security Essentials v1.0 the Bronze award for proactive detection of 55% of new/unknown malware, the Silver award for low false-positives (six) and the Bronze award for overall performance.

So it's an OK antivirus option. To choose between Kapersky and AVG you may as well toss a coin. I've tried both. They work. End of story.

[soybean]

I've been using avast! Free Antivirus with my Windows 7 Ultimate system for 6 months or so. I couldn't be more pleased with it.

[patio]

+ + 1 for MSE...

[mar.and65]

All depends on what you do with your computer;

If you just browse internet (most of times only well know sites like fb, gmail, ect ..) and you don't install unknown software to test them out. You are pretty secure with Microsoft's Security Essentials and Windows Defender.

And if you need to more control of your PC like firewall, application control, parent control or you are a use who browser suspicious web sites, installs everything you get you must go for a Internet Security suite which probably be Kaspersky.

For a Beginner or intermediate user of internet and computer MSE + Defender + All windows updates will do..

What ever you use, need to update regular and don't forget about OS updates too.
For you I would suggest MSE and remember to scan flash drives manually..

[pugboy]

I would opt for Avast! Free. It gives you all the shields you need PLUS it also has Sandboxing, which can seriously save your *censored*. MSE missed over 40% of all Trojans in languages other than English. I don't think there is a law that hackers have to speak English. Kaspersky - the 2012 version, I believe, is very good, but not better than Avast! - which is free and will fully support you Exchange-based email accounts as well from malware.

You can get it here - http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?tag=rb_content;main

Hello I've just installed Windows 7 Ultimate on my PC. Can you tell me what would be the best anti-virus, anti-malware programs to  use? I use the internet occasion and also exchange files a lot through flash drives with other students at my universities and these tend to have all sorts of thing on them.
  I've  used AVG with my XP and have been happy with that.  The person who sold me the Windows 7 Ultimate recommends Kaspersky. Is there such a thing as a best program for a particular program? What do you advise?

Thanks for your help.

Dr. D.

[Allan]

The current version of Kaspersky Anti Virus is 2011.

[quaxo]

*censored*, Allan beat me to it. 2012 hasn't been released yet.

Kaspersky - the 2012 version, I believe, is very good, but not better than Avast!

Matter of opinion.

[pugboy]

@Sage - give the new Avast! Free version 6 a go. It destroys MSE, which just got downgraded because of its lack of non-English support. Here is a link to it on download.com - http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?tag=rb_content;main

+ + 1 for MSE...

[pugboy]

Relax Brother, that is why I said latest version. You know how the names keep changing - plus they have AV, IS, etc. Also, many companies release the next year's version name over 6 months before - like a car.

*censored*, Allan beat me to it. 2012 hasn't been released yet.

Matter of opinion.'

[Allan]

@Sage - give the new Avast! Free version 6 a go. It destroys MSE, which just got downgraded because of its lack of non-English support. Here is a link to it on download.com - http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?tag=rb_content;main

No need to repeat yourself. You stated your opinion above. Stating it twice doesn't make it more or less valid.

Relax Brother, that is why I said latest version. You know how the names keep changing - plus they have AV, IS, etc. Also, many companies release the next year's version name over 6 months before - like a car.

Don't be defensive. Nobody is attacking you.

[quaxo]

@Sage - give the new Avast! Free version 6 a go. It destroys MSE, which just got downgraded because of its lack of non-English support. Here is a link to it on download.com - http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?tag=rb_content;main

Downgraded by who? You? Anyone who matters?

Relax Brother, that is why I said latest version. You know how the names keep changing - plus they have AV, IS, etc. Also, many companies release the next year's version name over 6 months before - like a car.

What do name changes have to do with anything? Kaspersky hasn't changed it's name in years and neither has Avast, so what are you talking about? And what does any of that have to do with the fact that there is no Kaspersky 2012 yet. You didn't say "the latest version", you said "2012". The latest version is Version 2011 (11.0.2.556). I know, I've used Kaspersky for years and I also sell it.

[pugboy]

You sell Kapersky, and you don't know MSE was downgraded? That is said. Check www.av-comparatives.org and www.av-test.org - Avast! is rated no. 1 for malware. Kaspersky has been back near the top the last 2 years.

Downgraded by who? You? Anyone who matters?

What do name changes have to do with anything? Kaspersky hasn't changed it's name in years and neither has Avast, so what are you talking about? And what does any of that have to do with the fact that there is no Kaspersky 2012 yet. You didn't say "the latest version", you said "2012". The latest version is Version 2011 (11.0.2.556). I know, I've used Kaspersky for years and I also sell it.