Best anti-malware/spyware program?

[choprzrul]

For the home user, here is what I recommend to my customers:

1. Avast--free version for home use.
2. Spyware Terminator--free, don't install the Crawler toolbar or the Clam antivirus
3. Ccleaner run on weekly basis
4. Glary Utilities run on a weekly basis.
5. JkDefrag run on a weekly basis.
6. Malwarebytes ran on a monthly basis.

Keep in mind that the Malwarebytes free version does not have a real time scanner, so use it to find anything that might have slipped through. Also, a monthly BootTime Scan with Avast is a good idea.

Probably the best thing that you can do is install Untangle on an old computer. http://www.untangle.com/ stopping the crap at the edge of your network is much better than fighting it on each computer.

[skip]

{alt + F11} restore to factory settings, or just stay of the porn sites... j/k

[mousegun]

Best antivirus is Linux.
Solves constant pushing of "critical updates" problem, too
Also eliminates creeping application obsolescence.
The EULA doesn't exist.
And it works on 15 year old computers.

[mather911]

AVGFREE, Ccleaner. Both can be found at filehippo.com along with many other free programs.

[Josh3239]

I just got a bad trojan... twice. A combo of Super Anti Spyware and Malware Bytes really beat it up. I was also using adaware and playing with hijack this.

[glock_this]

Kaspersky.. period

made by smart russians.. what more could you want?

[nick]

Best antivirus is Linux.
Solves constant pushing of "critical updates" problem, too
Also eliminates creeping application obsolescence.
The EULA doesn't exist.
And it works on 15 year old computers.

That's because you don't APPLY the updates and patches released for the various Linux distros, since most of them don't include automated updates package. Just because you're unaware of the released patches doesn't mean they don't exist Oh, and rootkits actually come from the UNIX/Linux world. I have about 40 various Linux/UNIX systems (aside from the firewalls and other security appliances, phone systems running on Linux, etc.), and keeping them patched is quite a bit of a headache. Some make it relatively easy (Reghat, SuSE, Solaris), some are pain in the butt (specialized distros). Some release patches soon after a vulnerability is found, some take their sweet time or don't even bother releasing the patches (luckily, many patches apply across the board, or can be made to apply to other distros). There's one thing that they all have in common - the stream of patches is steady.

As for Windows, I'd recommend F-secure Client Security or their home equivalent (Internet Security, I believe) as the antivirus. Avast! is ok, too, unless you're running an enterprise environment (in which case it's a good idea to have something at the network edge, as well). For antispyware, the more the merrier (as long they aren't all resident in memory). Personally I use Malwarebytes, Superantispyware, Ad-aware Enterprise, and SpyBot. Malwarebytes is resident (you have to buy it for that module to be active though), the rest are there for the regular checkups. It's a good idea to include a non-US package in your mix, for the antimalware vendors with offices in the US are actually forbidden through case law to remove some spyware, which is legally considered "aggressive marketing methods" rather than what it is - malware. Malwarebytes has no US office, it's a British company run by a Polish guy out of his home

Ccleaner is also a good tool to use for general checkups, but be careful using it, so that it doesn't remove what you don't want removed. basically, know what you're removing.

Check what runs on startup (msconfig is a good start, check out the services that start automatically, as well).

And a defrag package is a good idea, as well (the built-in one sucks, but better than nothing). Diskeeper is the better one out there.

[nick]

Kaspersky.. period

made by smart russians.. what more could you want?

Good choice. I use F-secure, is uses Kaspersky engine in conjunction with two other engines. Works pretty well, especially when compared to crap like Symantec or McAfee.

[glock_this]

Symantec, Nortons, McAfee.. are not even players in my book. not if your serious about protection.

[mousegun]

That's because you don't APPLY the updates and patches released for the various Linux distros, since most of them don't include automated updates package. Just because you're unaware of the released patches doesn't mean they don't exist Oh, and rootkits actually come from the UNIX/Linux world. I have about 40 various Linux/UNIX systems (aside from the firewalls and other security appliances, phone systems running on Linux, etc.), and keeping them patched is quite a bit of a headache. Some make it relatively easy (Reghat, SuSE, Solaris), some are pain in the butt (specialized distros). Some release patches soon after a vulnerability is found, some take their sweet time or don't even bother releasing the patches (luckily, many patches apply across the board, or can be made to apply to other distros). There's one thing that they all have in common - the stream of patches is steady.

Uh, didn't say I didn't apply them. Just said it wasn't much of a problem. Been running various Linuces since '94 and went mainstream when Win98 showed up with all its great promise. I've run distros both with and without auto update managers without suffering infections. I've run them literally for years online 24/7 without infections. I've used customized distros as proxy servers, router/switches and network file servers without infections. I don't own a Linux/BSD antivirus. You assume I don't apply available patches. Thanks. I now have distros that are as up to date as yesterday. I also have distros that have never been patched. What do you make of that?

I'm sorry you're having problems maintaining Linux systems virus free. Assuming your systems are enterprise, I would suspect the problems are more as much operator training and behavior as actual intrusion problems. But maybe not. Could be I just missed the point for 16 years.

But so far, for my little seven client Samba/NFS Windows/Linux hybrid network Linux is the best antivirus protection I've found.

I guess your mileage varied.

[FreedomIsNotFree]

Firefox in conjunction with Avast will prevent the vast majority of issues.