Any good (free) antivirus programs

cojab · December 17, 2015, 04:56:01 PM

Ok, so I am a computer illiterate for the most part. Typing on forums and surfing the web are about the extent of my computer skill set.
I am looking for some decent anti virus, malware, spyware type programs. Whatever I need to keep my computer secure. So I guess my questions are what do I need, and is there anything out there free to download or is the free stuff worth what I paid for it.

Polaris425 · December 18, 2015, 07:59:46 AM

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is pretty good.

cojab · December 18, 2015, 04:00:07 PM

Thanks Jon, I'll look at that.

bassadict69 · December 18, 2015, 04:41:34 PM

The ones you pay for can slow your computer way down...I quit using them years ago!

Make you have Microsoft Windows Defender loaded and periodically run Malwarebytes.

ohio archer · December 18, 2015, 09:06:23 PM

I use AVG Free Edition as well as Spybot. AVG runs all the time but Spybot Free Edition needs to be run manually. Both work very well and I haven't had any issues with them.

caddyjoe77 · December 18, 2015, 09:50:14 PM

While I definitely think Anti-Virus is a necessity; you also need to help yourself by doing a couple things:

- If it sounds too good to be true, it likely is
- Do not run your OS with administrator/root accounts
- Dont click the Google Ads Links
- Dont click on links via emails

There are a lot more things, but these things will help immensely. Remember that the Anti-Virus software can only do so much. It is only software, meaning that it depends on you as well.

cojab · January 12, 2016, 01:34:15 PM

Thanks for the replies guys,

Caddyjoe77, what do you mean by do not run my OS with administrator or root accounts? I'm not sure what an administrator/root account is.

Smallie_Stalker · January 12, 2016, 03:40:01 PM

Quote from: ohio archer on December 18, 2015, 09:06:23 PM
I use AVG Free Edition as well as Spybot. AVG runs all the time but Spybot Free Edition needs to be run manually. Both work very well and I haven't had any issues with them.

Just my $.02 here but I would avoid AVG. They have been caught selling personal information of people who register for both their free and paid products.

Try Avast instead. I haven't heard anything negative about them ..........at least not yet.

boydn1 · January 13, 2016, 09:49:19 AM

microsoft security essentials

Anti virus and malware in one free little download..

caddyjoe77 · March 03, 2016, 10:15:59 AM

Quote from: cojab on January 12, 2016, 01:34:15 PM
Thanks for the replies guys,

Caddyjoe77, what do you mean by do not run my OS with administrator or root accounts? I'm not sure what an administrator/root account is.

Sorry to delay this answer to you. Basically administrator/root has full permission to do anything at anytime to any file on the system.

Meaning, your account should not be in the Administrators local group on the PC. Microsoft came up with UAC (User Account Control) which is the prompt you should be getting when you want to install something.