What are some good Free Spyware, Anti-Virus programs that CAGs use?

[cag1000]

Hey guys I use Ad-aware, Spybot Search and Destroy and AVG Free anti-virus. Seems as though Spybot has been compromised by some virus/malware and AVG and Ad-aware don't seem to be able to clean my computer up. I was wondering if there were some other free programs CAGs use and recommend. Thanx for any help.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

I use ZoneAlarm for my firewall, Avast for my antivirus, and a combo of Spyware Blaster and Spybot.

 

[burritoman]

Spyware Blaster and Spybot are good.

I use AVG free for my anti-virus. It's fully functional and fully free!

 

[captainfrizo]

COMODO Firewall (I used to run Zone Alarm)
AVG anti-virus
Ad-Aware
Common sense

With those four things (especially the last one) your computer should be pretty damn clean and safe the vast majority of the time.

 

[epobirs]

I've come to the realization that AVG is worthless. Several of my clients have had severe malware infections on machines running free AVG recently. The stuff just walked right past AVG and so severely borked the system it had to be nuked from orbit and rebuilt.

A co-worker tried to suggest that the paid version had some important feature that would have made a difference.

"What is it? Malware blocking, perhaps? Our clients would pay for that!"

These episodes have convinced them that they need to get a lot more circumspect in how they let employees use the systems, as we've long tried to tell them. Whatever solution we put in place, AVG will not be the anti-virus component.

 

[shrike4242]

I've moved from ZoneAlarm to Comodo on my Vista Business laptop, as ZoneAlarm didn't play well with it at times. Comodo's been much better and more stable with a smaller system footprint.

For anti-spyware, I'd recommend using Ad-Aware AE, Spybot 1.6.2 and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.

On the anti-virus front, I've also heard issues with AVG with some virus detection. I'd recomment Avast over AVG.

 

[JolietJake]

I use Avast!

 

[hiccupleftovers]

I find most of the free AV to be crap, as epobirs has so alluded to. If you have to deal with an open system, or anything of that sort, then I'd recommend paying for AV and getting Kaspersky. Nothing gets past it, and it isn't too resource intensive.

 

[BigT]

AVIRA is very good. I use it on some machines when I run out of NOD32 licenses.

http://www.av-comparatives.org/

 

[epobirs]

Also, in past discussion I was down on the Symantec Norton product but I'm happy to report they've down some serious overhauling of their code base and the latest generation of their stuff is greatly improved.

If you're running a Windows 7 test system, the Symantec and Kaspersky trial version are good things to test alongside from the built-in links.

 

[Rocko]

I use AVG, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, and SUPERAntiSpyware.

 

[PR Mega X]

Avast for anti-virus and SuperAntiSpyware

 

[blandstalker]

I use Comodo, Avast, SpywareBlaster and Spybot.

I was using AVG, but it was dog slow and would intermittently cause the system to reboot.

Comodo can be a pain, but it is very good at its job.

 

[linkmon]

[quote name='shrike4242']I've moved from ZoneAlarm to Comodo on my Vista Business laptop, as ZoneAlarm didn't play well with it at times. Comodo's been much better and more stable with a smaller system footprint.

For anti-spyware, I'd recommend using Ad-Aware AE, Spybot 1.6.2 and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.

On the anti-virus front, I've also heard issues with AVG with some virus detection. I'd recomment Avast over AVG.[/quote]



Malwares Anti-Malware is awesome!!

 

[willardhaven]

Are Avast and Spybot enough protection?

Some of you guys are listing a ton of stuff.

 

[cag1000]

Thanx all of your suggestions have made a difference.