What Anti Virus Software do you use?

[BigBear]

I recently bought a computer that came with a limited version of Norton which I was told to wait for it to expire before tring to remove it.

Well it is now expired and I was wondering what anti virus to use.

My Dad bought his computer last Febuary so it is over a year old and he doesn't use an admin account or any AV software or Firewall and has add no problems, He doesn't download anything or use email.

We both are behind a physical firewall in our router.

So basically is anti virus essential and which to use.

[md]

Antivirus software will not ever work - virus writers have access to it just as easily as anyone else and do check to make sure that their viruses will not be detected.

[apomb]

Mac OSX
Ubuntu
Arch Linux

[Dusk Eagle]

apomb @ Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:51 am wrote:

Mac OSX
Ubuntu
Arch Linux

FIFY.

Seriously though, the best way to avoid malware is to not use windows. I recommend going with Linux, specifically Ubuntu/Kubuntu. However, if you insist on using Windows, I'd go with the free version of AVG or Avast. Whatever you do, do NOT go with Norton antivirus. Norton is the virus.

[md]

apomb @ 2009-04-18, 10:51 am wrote:

Mac OSX
Ubuntu
Arch Linux
BSD

T,FTFY

[Dusk Eagle]

Okay, any FOSS OS will do. But I'm not sure how many people jump straight from Windows to BSD...

[rdrake]

md @ Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:04 pm wrote:

apomb @ 2009-04-18, 10:51 am wrote:

Mac OSX
Ubuntu
Arch Linux
BSD

T,FTFY

T,FTFY.

[rdrake]

Dusk Eagle @ Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:07 pm wrote:

Okay, any FOSS OS will do. But I'm not sure how many people jump straight from Windows to BSD...

Oooh! Oooh! Me! Me!

I loved PC-BSD.

[saltpro15]

linux is the best antivirus although if you must use windows, I recommend avast, it's free

[revangrey]

AVG is free too, and I use it.

never had any trouble with it but you have to be a bit more aware than with some more protective anti-viruses.

[Saad]

I use is Avast and I'm running Windows. I haven't had any reported viruses, so I'm not sure whether it is effective or not.

I think the best anti-virus you can use is education rather then any OS. If you teach someone how to use a computer safely, there is no reason you will be susceptible to a virus. An idiot on Linux is probably more likely to get a virus then someone who uses the computer safely on Windows.

[Dan]

Gentoo!

Tho i have played around with clamav for linux when setting up the compsci.ca servers (to remove viruses from e-mails for windows users :p).

[Insectoid]

On a similar note, is there a malware-scan tool for Linux? I find scans are more effective when you're scanning from a different drive (i.e plug the drive into another computer and run from there). This way, and start-up viruses won't get to start up, and are far easier to eliminate. Virtumonde and similar malware won't be able to reproduce during scans, and then are even easier to eliminate. Unfortunately, I have only one copy of Windows and so I can't do that. I can do it with Linux, though, if there's a tool...

[Dan]

I think clamav can be used for that: http://www.clamav.net/


A quick google search also finds:

avast: http://www.avast.com
Panda Antivirus: http://www.pandasoftware.com/download/linux/linux.asp
f-prot: http://www.f-prot.com/products/home_use/linux/

and others.

[saltpro15]

I thought it was impossible to get viruses for linux distro's ?