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Comments on: Keep your PC secure in 2009

Protect your computer and your sanity in 2009 with this list of essential, free security programs.

Add a Comment (Log in or register) (21 Comments)


by uploadedtv December 21, 2008 1:41 PM PST: cool vids.for more log onto www.uploaded.tv; Like this Reply to this comment

by darko.zivkovic December 22, 2008 3:14 AM PST

Avira Free does NOT have antuspyware: http://www.free-av.com/en/products/1/avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html

AVG Free doesn't cover root kit detection.

The only free product which covers antivirus, antispyware and rootkit detection is avast!. So, I am not sure why it is not included in Security Starter Kit

Like this Reply to this comment


by adkiller2k7 December 24, 2008 3:41 PM PST: I agree, people should just switch to avast, so they don't have to waste their money on full internet security that you could probably get from avast home edition + Comodo Firewall Pro; Like this


by ftw_wtf December 23, 2008 7:12 PM PST: you spelled antispyware wrong and even though antivirus packages don't say anything about covering you against spyware, they do. Antivirus scan for bad stuff. Occasionally antiviruses may come across spyware.; Like this Reply to this comment


by bigcycs1 December 24, 2008 3:26 AM PST: Yeah, i really wish the writer would look more through about anti-virus recommended don't get me wrong he knows what time it is hes just lacking or misinformed about anti providing anti-spyware it does not in the free version i wish he would stop slow dragging and correct his mistake but even if he don't that's alright you can look into it yourself and see i/m correct about the free version not providing anti-maleware or anti-spyware you have to pay for that like i said don't take my word for it look into it call them check out the home website and read up on the facts and details but enough of all that i've been use computers and fixing and repairing and building pc for 11 years so i aint no expert but i can do just about anything geek-squad knows or your advanced tech user can but i'm no expert but i know whats up!; Like this Reply to this comment


by bigcycs1 December 24, 2008 3:56 AM PST: i just wrote message right before about wishing writer would correct about AVIRA Providing anti-spyware i just wanted to add avg does provide pretty much all you need except firewall and anti-rootkit which i agree with the firewall choice 100 percent and for anti root-kit u could use F-force fee version or Mc-afee free version or even weroot anti-virus partner i forget how to spell the name of the company but it starts with a s they provide a decent free anti root-kit program and all the writer recommenditions are solid and the best top notch u can get for free but i'd add avast! and spyware doctor with anti-virus but remember to only choose one active anti-virus program u could use two ut it not needed and u probley slow your pc down alot or have system crashes every now and then so just use one if you dont want to buy protection go with avg or avast and add comodo free firewall then for good measure add spyware blaster and spy-Catcher it not the greatest but it decent and provide active real-time anti-spyware and add something like the writer mentioned malwarebytes or ad-adware free; Like this Reply to this comment

by adkiller2k7 December 24, 2008 3:38 PM PST

I don't see why people don't just use avast!, It covers Rootkits, Spyware, Adware, Malware, Trojans, Viruses, Worms, and other stuff but avg has no anti-rootkit and is weak at virus detection, andavira has no anti-spyware but avast has both anti-spyware and anti-rootkit, and has the detection rates almost the as good as avira, avg is the worst so why is it at the top? just get avast and have all your problems gone, and if you need a good firewall, just get comodo firewall pro for free and then you have the best protection for free

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by 0zSpit December 25, 2008 11:02 AM PST: lol @ the avast fanboy. i've followed antivirus comparison sites for 4 years. i haven't once seen avast on any of them. this year avira is rated right under nod32. nod32 being the highest rated. don't go by what download(dot)com says, they're paid to push garbage off as credible, just like pcmagazine rates norton as top quality; Like this


by Johnny_ru December 26, 2008 9:05 PM PST: Avast doesn't come close to Avira in virus detections.
nod32 doesn't top Avira in any third party testing for 2008.
I've crossed checked Avira with Norton, Housecall, nod32, AVG, avast and they can never find any viruses while using Avira.
Use the 2 top rated virus and malware protection software (Avira, Malwarebytes) and you will never need anything else.; Like this


by rkf2007 December 24, 2008 8:55 PM PST: The editor should have included Avast home edition to this list. It gives better protection than the AVG and Avira free editions.; Like this Reply to this comment


by ravi16aug December 25, 2008 6:57 AM PST: This list is nothing more than a rehashed version of last year`s list. The writer has copied the description of Avira Antivir Personal from the last years list. I commented it on then too, that Avira categorically denies Antivir covering spyware. And I still dont know why AVG was mentioned over avast!. avast! beats AVG hands down when it comes to detection rates. As you might be aware, the web has become too nasty a place for just one antivirus/antimalware to cover. A simple yet effective strategy is to use avast! as your primary defense against viruses and spyware. Then install Antivir Free without guard(can be done easily by choosing 'custom' during setup). This will be the Antivirus backup for avast!. Now further augment your defense with Malware Bytes free edition. This will be the antimalware backup for avast!. Just a weekly scan with these two - Antivir and Malwarebytes can get any missed nasties. Personally, I feel comfortable with a combination of Antivir Free, Windows Defender and UAC.; Like this Reply to this comment

by ravi16aug December 25, 2008 12:41 PM PST

"by 0zSpit December 25, 2008 11:02 AM PST
lol @ the avast fanboy. i've followed antivirus comparison sites for 4 years. i haven't once seen avast on any of them. this year avira is rated right under nod32. nod32 being the highest rated. don't go by what download(dot)com says, they're paid to push garbage off as credible, just like pcmagazine rates norton as top quality"
1. "i haven't once seen avast on any of them". well that proves you have been seeing the wrong sites. avast! is featured in virus bulletin, av-comparatives.org, av-test.org, west-coast labs, checkvir.com
2. "this year avira is rated right under nod32. nod32 being the highest rated." Can you name the source of this information? Well if you check out av-comparatives, nod32 WAS product of the year for 2006 and 2007. But for 2008 Antivir Premium is the king.
3."don't go by what download(dot)com says, they're paid to push garbage off as credible". Well well well, you dont like avast!, you dont like what download.com has to suggest, all you like is a product that you dont even have the concrete proof of being the best. And please, the marketing stuff on eset`s website doesnt count as proof enough. Moreover, in case you havent noticed, this list is comprised of freebies. So your waltzing in with stupid comments and blowing your trumpet about a paid product does no one any good.

Like this Reply to this comment


by 0zSpit December 25, 2008 3:02 PM PST: amuse me a little more:

http://kingofgng.com/eng/2008/12/04/av-comparatives-releases-the-latest-proactive-tests-results/; Like this


by 0zSpit December 25, 2008 6:18 PM PST: interesting?

http://www.av-comparatives.org/seiten/ergebnisse_2008_11.php; Like this


by EKInc December 26, 2008 9:05 AM PST: For file security I would recommend deVault (ekwintools.com)
It is freeware, you can set encryption at file or vault level. Compression is built-in.
Easy to take all your files anywhere. Allows you to use categories, descriptions and labels to organize and share your files in addition to compression and encryption. It also has instant search, something WinZip and WinRar don't have, email, ftp, backup/restore and sync options. The app is tiny 0.5MB.; Like this Reply to this comment


by ravi16aug December 26, 2008 9:11 AM PST: "amuse me a little more:

http://kingofgng.com/eng/2008/12/04/av-comparatives-releases-the-latest-proactive-tests-results/"
"interesting?

http://www.av-comparatives.org/seiten/ergebnisse_2008_11.php"

Your view of the world is very narrow dear. In both URLs you have mentioned, the test is a proactive test conducted in november. You cant rely on the results of a particular month to base your opinions. Just look at the summary report for 2008 on av-comparatives.org. That should satisfy you.; Like this Reply to this comment


by December 27, 2008 7:41 AM PST: you get what yu pay for for free its not bad but if you can ome up for 60 dollars for one year protectio panda security is the way to go antivirus antispyware firewall and has a heuristic scan where it will detect quarantine and ifyou dont know you can send it to thier technical support and they will analyze it and let you know what it is; Like this Reply to this comment


by patrick3326 December 30, 2008 4:47 AM PST: all this avast and avira software is terrible for free PROPER protection threat fire (threatfire.com) and pc tools free firewall plus (pctools.com/firewall) cover everything viruses,spyware,rootkits,trojains,heruisticuicts and hackers Plus its easy to use; Like this Reply to this comment


by emari2 January 1, 2009 5:21 AM PST: With all these comments I understand everybody is talking about Windows systems. I have Norton 360 but It was not enough for me as I found some rootkits months ago(the problem is that maybe I installed then with other programs-you never know). So I installed also Spyware doctor and ThreatFire but recently I also installed Snort for Windows and they work together. What I do not know is if Threatfire has the snort engine and rules as the body of the program. Any way, once a week I use to run ThreatExpert Memory Scanner and a-squared free or ad-Aware (just to keep the two up to date). The question is that everybody moves quick in one or other direction and if you think a bit the best is to have a 150$ notebook -aspireone with linux is perfect-to manage the internet(p2p,games,surfing,downloads, chats)-One Pendrive(16 mb)-and Your working computer (BANKs and works).Do not forget these steps when banking:
a) run Ccleaner
b) run threatexpert memory scanner
c) run Threatfire
d) run a-squared or ad-aware
and then
GO BANKING and do have your plastic cards at the minimum for example the credit card 800$ that you can change online when you need more credit for a trip , christmas and the like and the debit card only at the maximum expend you do in a week on an everyday basis as you can also change de maximum only at any time.
Happy 2009 and REMEMBER, every program mentioned above were good Yesterday..; Like this Reply to this comment


by boium January 2, 2009 12:06 AM PST: AviraAntiVir+Windows defender or Spyware Doctor Starter Edition+ZoneAlarm free firewall---- A rock solid protection. No need to spend money for security programme if you have these programe and you can get clean pc. AVG and AVAST can detect good but they remove your infected files with threat. For this reason I like Avira and its light on my pc, good detection and eliminate only threat.; Like this Reply to this comment


by bugfinder2009 January 12, 2009 8:30 PM PST: Spyware Doctor is rubbish!IS it really free? Are you joking? I think Avira Antivir Personal and Spyware terminator must be your fist choice!; Like this Reply to this comment