Free antivirus software article

tonybeau

Sorry espresso, perhaps I did not make myself clear. I am not talking about downloading from the AVG site but from many other websites that you can download programs from and I am not talking about pirate sites. Please have a look with google or similar search engines at "Google hijacked my browser". It is not only individuals that have been affected but firms who use the paid for version of AVG.

Many people including myself have tried the various methods of removing AVG but the program is persistent and keeps coming back into your registry. I think I have finally got rid of - for the time being!

tonybeau

I have just had another google, try "why has my homepage changed to avg" and put "browser hijack" in the search box in the AVG forum. There are a lot of very angry people.

Dave_C_2

espresso wrote: »

Incorrect. The installation of AVG Secure Search and the AVG Security Toolbar has always been optional:



The installation process informs you that they will be installed but the choice is yours if you can stop yourself from just clicking Next>, Next>, Next>!

The snag is that AVG must know about the grief that the "optional" extras are causing but they apply them as default, especially on the recommended Express install. Also it's not very clear if the toolbar is part of this install.

Not very computer savvy* joe public who openly admit that they are non-techie will just click the express install, especially as it is recommended.

Similar comments can be directed against installers (Java?) that have the dreaded Ask Toolbar ticked as default.

Any firefox/chrome writers want to write an add-on to stop these damn toolbars from loading?

Dave

*Not very computer paranoid is probably a better term

Doc_N

PM1 wrote: »

My banks keep on wanting me to install Trusteer. I read the terms and conditions a year or so ago and noticed that it wanted to place a keyboard logger on my computer, so I have never installed it. Does anybody have any experience with it?

I know this was posted a while back, but I've been using Trusteer Rapport to protect my online banking for several months now - it seems the sensible option (on top of normal antivirus protection) because it adds an additional layer of security and I'm guessing that if there is ever a problem banks are going to look more favourably on customers using something they're recommending.

No problems at all with it (not aware of a keylogger) and no downside that I can see.

Microsoft's MSE works pretty well, too, gets very positive reviews from most reliable review sources, and I now prefer it to Avira and AVG.

Certainly, it's pointless paying for Norton, McAffee etc - their paid products fail in test after test to do any better then the good free ones.

One thing that MSE doesn't protect against, though, is the Metropolitan Police Ukash ransomware 'virus'. It ought to, by now, but it doesn't.

waddler_8

Doc_N wrote: »

One thing that MSE doesn't protect against, though, is the Metropolitan Police Ukash ransomware 'virus'. It ought to, by now, but it doesn't.

Why would you say that?

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Threat/Encyclopedia/Entry.aspx?Name=Trojan:Win32/Reveton

Doc_N

waddler_8 wrote: »

Why would you say that?

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Threat/Encyclopedia/Entry.aspx?Name=Trojan:Win32/Reveton

A fair question. The problem was, though, that it took far too long for Microsoft to pick this up:

Encyclopedia entry
Updated: Sep 10, 2012 | Published: Aug 30, 2012

It was hitting people in large numbers well before that, but MSE was missing it altogether. Malwarebytes removed it, but I wonder how many people had to resort to calling in 'experts' to sort their PCs out.

waddler_8

It was getting the first variants of this early last year - different detection name though.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Threat/Encyclopedia/Entry.aspx?Name=Trojan%3aWin32%2fRansom.DU

To be fair, that's where mbam's made it's niche - being quicker to hit on new malware than the AV companies.

Careful_with_Money

I like (at the moment) Microsoft Security Essentials. Both AVG and Avast slowed the computer to a crawl, probably because the computer is ancient, and MSE at least lets me get online without too much delay.

kindgirl

Kaspersky Internet Security Version 2012, is a paid antivirus software.You can enjoy secure online banking and shopping,communicate in safety on your favorite social networks,as well as it can roll back changes made by malware.What's more,it can protect your identity from phishing attacks and supervise your children's computer use.
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jared21

i use this one at home, had it on my laptop for almost 2 years, never had a problem. http://antivirus.comodo.com/