what's the best free internet security?

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Easymoney
Easymoney Posts: 171 Forumite
in Techie Stuff
my trial offer on Norton is about to run out, are there any decent free internet security packages?

I'm using Windows 7

Any pointers

Thanks
«134

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  • dylanuk
    dylanuk Posts: 516 Forumite
    edited 12 February 2010 at 8:29PM
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    AVG Free

    http://free.avg.com

    Good luck getting Norton off your computer though - it might be worth searching on Google for Norton removal programs.

    EDIT... Not sure if this guy is any good, but here's a couple of articles...

    http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_can_i_fully_remove_norton_antivirus_from_my_system.html
    http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_to_fully_remove_norton_from_pc.html
    http://pc1stop.com/PCHealth.html#norton
  • sanfly
    sanfly Posts: 431 Forumite
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    Easymoney wrote: »
    my trial offer on Norton is about to run out, are there any decent free internet security packages?

    I'm using Windows 7

    Any pointers

    Thanks

    you could also use............

    www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials
    sanfly
  • djohn2002uk
    djohn2002uk Posts: 2,323 Forumite
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    Sanfly is absolutely right. MS Security gets good writeups in all the computer mags.
  • Jemma-T
    Jemma-T Posts: 1,546 Forumite
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    Free antivirus security https://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials

    Not necessarily superior or worse than Norton but it's free and works well with you and your PC.

    Norton is a monster program with as much power as a gold fish having a fart.

    The best security is checking everything on your PC and right-clicking and scanning any files you've been sent or downloaded.
  • Bob_Bridges
    Bob_Bridges Posts: 139 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
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    Agree, Microsoft Security Essentials.

    Plus the following two :
    Spybot - Search and Destroy http://www.safer-networking.org/en/
    Malwarebytes http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

    Update them regularly and use them regularly.

    I used to have Kaspersky but had so many problems updating to 2010 version.

    Bob
  • web_ferret
    web_ferret Posts: 252 Forumite
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    With windows 7 I'd go down the microsoft essentials route.
    Also download windows defender if its not on 7 already.

    Use Mozilla firefox rather than Internet Explorer.

    http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/
  • Easymoney
    Easymoney Posts: 171 Forumite
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    Thanks all, much appreciated.

    Some very good advice.

    I think I'm going with MS, seeing as it's already windows and Microsoft explorer 8

    I started to install, but the prog recommends uninstalling any other security applications. So I didn't try to fully install the prog.

    Seems I need permission from an administrator to remove Norton? Will be contacting MS and HP to see what's required.

    Norton is due to expire within the next few days, I'm not sure if I can install MS when Norton goes static?
  • djohn2002uk
    djohn2002uk Posts: 2,323 Forumite
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    web_ferret wrote: »
    With windows 7 I'd go down the microsoft essentials route.
    Also download windows defender if its not on 7 already.

    No need for Windows Defender. MS Security Essentials makes it redundant.
  • Infidel
    Infidel Posts: 1,226 Forumite
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    May as well tag onto this thread. Currently have no anti-virus software and McAfee trial version (not been updated for 12 months).
    What's the best free option? Anti-virus and firewall wise..........Cheers!
    Instigated terrorism the road to dictatorship.
  • Jordan_C_2
    Jordan_C_2 Posts: 7 Forumite
    edited 17 February 2010 at 12:59PM
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    With the variety of threats out there today I would not recommend ANY free software. All of the free softwares are just dumbed down versions of paid products they want you to upgrade to anyway.

    If you only occasionally go on the net to check mail or the odd net search then a free product may well do you the level of protection you need. But if you are spending any significant period of time on the net searching, networking and using the net to it's potential then you should never use a free AV/FW product.

    The paid products to avoid are Norton and Mcaffee. I can hack these programs easily and in some cases easier than Avast and AVG. I have lost count of the number of infected PC's I have had to cleanse forensically who used any of those 4 programs.

    Windows does help to keep your computer invisible from the net so you are not detected during any sniffing attacks but you need something much more solid on your PC if you are using the net daily.

    I would recommend either Kaspersky (although that is now bypassable too) or the rock solid NOD32 product by Eset. Shop around and you'll find either of them for about £25 or if you go directly to the companies themselves expect to pay £40.

    To check for nasties on your PC there is some fantastic FREE software that we use in the industry called MALWARE BYTES. Perform a full scan the first time you use it and I bet all you free users out there pick up a number of infections using this software!! It's ok though because on the whole MB will remove almost everything.

    But ask yourself, is FREE AV/FW really worth it when you get an infection and lose all your data??? Or even worse someone else piggy backs off your IP and does some dirty deeds that are traceable to YOU!!!

    What's my background? ICT Security Specialist, Certified Ethical Hacker.
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