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Comments on: Ad-Aware gets an antivirus cousin

Lavasoft, the publisher behind Ad-Aware security apps, unveils its first full-fledged antivirus application. Why is it nearly identical to Avira AntiVir?

Add a Comment (Log in or register) (19 Comments)


by James_Park December 15, 2008 3:10 AM PST: It's Aria AntiVir, Lavasoft bundle it.; Like this Reply to this comment


by eli_ancheta December 15, 2008 3:40 AM PST: what the hell?? looks like avira interface with a bland color. haha; Like this Reply to this comment


by James_Park December 15, 2008 4:13 AM PST: Yes, it's Aira. Ad Aware bundle it, they called it rebrand, just like OEM.; Like this Reply to this comment


by eli_ancheta December 15, 2008 4:16 AM PST: oh, thanks my man; Like this Reply to this comment


by Rama Yudhistira December 15, 2008 7:04 AM PST: The Gui is Avira's...
Is it better than AntiVir?; Like this Reply to this comment


by Ilgaz December 15, 2008 7:05 AM PST: A very good idea, not re-inventing the wheel. Avira is an awesome antivirus which just lacks some kind of GUI touch and additional language support.
With using that engine, Ad-Aware made the clever choice. You can't turn your back on expertise and development of 2 decades.; Like this Reply to this comment

by Michichael December 15, 2008 9:25 AM PST

So the worst Spyware scanner in the market just ninja'd a somewhat reputable antivirus? Still doesn't make their software suck any less.

Like this Reply to this comment


by BigGuns149 December 15, 2008 12:30 PM PST: I don't know if I would call it the worst spyware scanner, but I think their scanner is far overrated. Historically I have found that Ad-aware almost never finds anything except cookies, which relative to real spyware really aren't very scary.

That being said unlike anti-virus software I find that with spyware having a second opinion or two is a lot more important because AFAIK no application seems to be able to catch >90% of the stuff in the wild. I have seen some machines where you need multiple rounds of different anti-spyware applications to be somewhat confident that you have even gotten rid of most of it nevermind all of it.; Like this


by Ilgaz December 16, 2008 4:29 AM PST: What makes it the "worst" spyware scanner? It invented the anti spyware category itself right after Steve Gibson's tiny tool.; Like this


by talker29 December 16, 2008 11:49 AM PST: I agree, I run Ad-aware, spybot , and malwarebytes regularly. I always run ad-aware first, and it has never caught a single thing, then I run the other two and they both usually pick up a couple legitimate pieces of spyware.

If they are so bad at spyware, I wouldn't have any confidence in them updating their virus definition often enough to catch anything either.; Like this

by markdauvid December 15, 2008 5:40 PM PST

i tried avira and yes unlike most all antivirus software avira required a response for every alleged virus and if you didn't respond it locked up the scan. my last scan before i removed avira was around 10 hours and just under 60% COMPLETE. my life does not revolve around baby sitting a virus scan. i am sorry avira you did look good at first but this make a decision everytime thing or your scan will finish in the next century really did not make my day. most of those alleged viruses were in microsoft software. who would have thought microsoft software could have viruses or did avira just decide they were. needless to say i have heard too many times people have removed files that are critical to the software and if they are removed boom goes the software.

Like this Reply to this comment


by Ilgaz December 16, 2008 4:31 AM PST: Well that was what I talk about. If they mixed Avira _engine_ with a good and non nagging GUI of theirs, it was a right decision.
Avira is indeed too much nagging. Even asking to apply updates or not. Yes, they coded new malwares, update without asking for God's sake!; Like this


by HeyUGuys December 16, 2008 12:39 PM PST: agreed that Avira requires more User-input than other anti-virus out there, but when scanning the computer, I guess someone didn't get the memo that you can go to Config -> Check Expert Mode -> Scan -> Action -> Automatic -> (set primary and secondary actions) so you don't have to babysit Avira all day.
In addition, you must be running other programs that take up resources while scanning with Avira or have a slow computer

For me, 2,000,000+ files, 4,500+ archives, 3,500+ directories a bit above 4 hours, 30 minutes on a Core 2 Duo at 2.2 Ghz with 3 HDD; Like this


by HeyUGuys December 16, 2008 12:43 PM PST: Also, if scanning is too slow and Avira naggs a lot about updates, you can always buy Norton 360.
Norton 360 has a much easier GUI to navigate and does everything by itself. Therefore, you don't have to do anything but sit back and relax.; Like this


by elidiota3512 December 16, 2008 5:29 PM PST: I still don't get why Ad-Aware is so popular. SUPERAntiSpyware has done a lot more for me when it comes to detecting and dealing with spyware. And Avira Antivir is good, but I'd still choose Avast over it any day of the week.; Like this Reply to this comment


by drummer51689 December 17, 2008 5:00 PM PST: Just stick with AVG 8.0 Free and you will be 100% protected!!! :); Like this Reply to this comment


by taison91 December 18, 2008 2:42 PM PST: i have used ad-aware ever since it came out , and i have used others, such as spy bot search & destroy e.t.c. and ad aware is as good as they come, my computer has been under attack by a hacker since 1999 , i have had trojan horses slipped into my computer and all , so anyone that says ad aware doesnt work obviousy doesnt know what they are talking about! and i think that it is wonderful that someone thinks enough about their fellow computer users to create a program that will in the long run keep us all safe. i wish i could shake the persons hand that created the programs FOR FREE THAT CAN KEEP THE PEOPLE SAFE from malicious users , and also the makers of zone alarm also a free firewall need a good handshake also it is so nice that people care enough to help people for freee with the internet being such a jungle out there .; Like this Reply to this comment


by kai7070 December 18, 2008 6:04 PM PST: After seeing this hilariously deadpan video I much prefer ESET... http://www.viddler.com/explore/SantaFraud1/videos/2/

their site is pretty damn funny as well... www.santafraud.com; Like this Reply to this comment


by bilbot December 19, 2008 5:48 PM PST: avg bites the big one i recently downloaded a free root kit i had this on my computer for about a month one day out of nowhere i start getting messages my computer is infected with a virus and the pop ups tried to get me to go to there web site then they scanned my computer and told me i had to buy the anti virus software to take care of the problems I deleted the root kit and had my macafee antivirus software scan my computer and it found a generic false warning trojan wich it took care of problem solved if this is the kind of bull@#$% this company uses to try and force you to buy there product they can shove them up there butt.; Like this Reply to this comment