# Recommendation for Malware Protection



## justplumducky

Been trying Avast Free Antivirus and it just offered me an upgrade (pic below) for $19.99. Worth it, or anyone have a better recommendation? Was using AVG Free, but it became too annoying with upgrade popups. 

Maybe all free editions have those popups? 

Grateful for a recommendation of a free edition or paid edition with no popups.


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## stick\shift

Been using Avast for years and it did hit me with pop-ups for a while but I don't recall seeing one lately....


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## SPS-1

Have used Norton and McAfee in the past. Sometimes doing a Malwarebytes scan in between the AV scheduled scan. They both let in lots malware, but the scan normally found it. 

I am now using Kasperky. Nobody knows more about malware than the Russians. Almost nothing gets through. I don't bother doing the occasional Malwarebytes scan anymore --- it never finds anything.


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## justplumducky

SPS-1 said:


> Have used Norton and McAfee in the past. Sometimes doing a Malwarebytes scan in between the AV scheduled scan. They both let in lots malware, but the scan normally found it.
> 
> I am now using Kasperky. Nobody knows more about malware than the Russians. Almost nothing gets through. I don't bother doing the occasional Malwarebytes scan anymore --- it never finds anything.


You using a free version of kaspersky and malwarebytes, or paid?


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## Wildbill7145

Free version of MB is great. I've used it for several years. Never had any problems.


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## SPS-1

Kasperky you need to pay for.

Malwarebytes has a free version that you can download and use to do a scan anytime you want. It will call home and check if you have the latest updates before it runs the scan But it does not run full time to keep the malware out in the first place --- you need to pay for that version. 

Not sure what WildBill is using --- maybe they have a full time version for free now, but I have not seen it.


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## justplumducky

SPS-1 said:


> Kasperky you need to pay for.
> 
> Malwarebytes has a free version that you can download and use to do a scan anytime you want. It will call home and check if you have the latest updates before it runs the scan But it does not run full time to keep the malware out in the first place --- you need to pay for that version.
> 
> Not sure what WildBill is using --- maybe they have a full time version for free now, but I have not seen it.


It's been awhile (few years), but I do remember using a free version of Malwarebytes and remember it removing some stuff my others did not. Wasn't full-time however. 

Gonna do Kaspersky also and check it in the beginning with Malwarebytes like you were doing. Thx much to all for your replies.


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## ZZZZZ

I am sort of a fan of John McAfee the man, but not the software that still bears his name. After he sold the company 20 some-odd years ago, it went downhill rapidly.

Same with Norton, mostly living off its previous reputation and the name of its founder.

Kaspersky is pretty good, but I have always had problems installing it.

Of all the real-time freeware out there, I think Avast is the best.

I do run the freeware version of MalWareBytes every few months just to see if it finds anything, which is very rarely. But it's easy to run and doesn't hurt anything.

JMHO
.
.


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## justplumducky

Whatever happen with McAfee? Been a while, but I saw some kind of TV or Netflix special on him, but don't remember how it ended. Seemed like he was in some sort of trouble with the law or whatever, while living in South America maybe.

Gee, I just googled and learned the McAfee sought the Libertarian Party nomination for POTUS. Beat by Johnson however.

https://www.google.com/webhp?source...S710US710&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=john+mcAfee


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## yuri

McAfee got sold to Intel.

I use McAfee Total protection Plus and it works flawlessly. Of course you pay for it but it has never acted up on me like Norton and others. Same with my Toshiba laptop and the neighbors laptop also. 

I use Firefox with Ad Block Plus and NO Script ad ons and no adds get thru.

I use Google Chrome with Ad Block Plus as some sites you need Javascript but it blocks all ads.

IMO nothing in this world for free is really worth having as most want to upsell you to their "real" quality product. Why would anyone do anything for free. You get a watered down version with freeware IMO.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McAfee


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## ddawg16

If you are running Win10, Defender from MS is free and works very well. A few of my IT buddies tell me they prefer it over McAfee. 

NO ONE is using Norton.

The real key to security....use MS outlook....have Ad Block in your browser and don't fall for Phishing emails.

It's interesting to hear about how some of the leaked emails got leaked. Not hackers...but phishing emails. And the users were dumb enough to click


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## SPS-1

I used to have McAfee. Got hit by malware that locked my computer -- was supposed to pay them to unlock it. Java is not safe, so I had it disabled. One day I saw the Java icon in the middle of my screen. Just as I was thinking "Gee, I could have sworn I had it disabled...", ZAP " Your computer has been locked......." The virus must have first enabled Java, then used java to run the script. 

First I took my computer to Staples. They told me only solution was to reformat my hard-drive. I backup frequently, so it was not really the end of the world. But they could not get to it for a day or two. So I took it to the one man shop down the street. He said he would simply unlock it, no problem.

He suggested Kaspersky.

And now I un-installed Java from my computer, not just disabled it.


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## ZZZZZ

Some software must have Java running to work. Mostly real-time things like stock market trading platforms and some games.
.
.


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## SPS-1

I do online banking and online trading with 2 different outfits. No problem.

In the past, had the occasional government site that needed Java. So I would install it, do my business and then uninstall it. But its been a long time since I have had to do that.

Flash is another high risk software. That's not on my computer either. Steve Jobs seemed to have a real hatred of Flash.


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## jlhaslip

I have used NOD 32 on my last couple of machines and it works very well.

https://www.eset.com/us/search-bran...9500847&gpl=&gclid=CInK4ezL7c8CFQcDaQodJ8IKyA


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## supers05

If you want something cheap, Microsoft security essentials (bit defender in windows 8 and later) is actually decent. No pop-ups. Just works. As a PC tech, I've installed it on thousands of computers. 

My preference is AVG free for myself, but yes, those pop-ups do get annoying every now and then. AVG paid, along with McAfee and Norton are all decent. Get the "internet security" version not just the AV. Install it the "included copy" on your new ultra smart phone too. (don't worry about the older smart phones, they can't handle them) 

Cheers!


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## diyorpay

As ZZZZZ says, javascript still needed in some apps. Steve Jobs hated it and never allowed it on Apple product. And Oracle won't roll it out for portable devices so it's desktops only as far as I know.

Oracle was forced by government officials to include an automatic removal feature whenever a new version is installed now. It was the early versions that stayed on your computer that were the easy target. And with some setting adjustments, now javascript will ask the user every time if they want to allow it. I get it manually from Oracle site under downloads--> Java for your computer tab, then all Java downloads. I select both 64 bit and 32 bit offline downloads and install myself. A new version was released this week.

Still like free version of Revo uninstaller by habit. However, MS Uninstaller version today is much improved. Free Malwarebytes is very good also.

Never believe unsolicited pop-ups that your computer is infected. Don't believe phone calls that your computer has issues or the IRS says you owe taxes. If you do, there's also a prince in Uganda trying to notify you that you won a large sum of money.


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## SPS-1

diyorpay said:


> Don't believe phone calls that your computer has issues


 One time the guy phones me up and tells me he is from Windows and they noticed my computer is infected, but he is going to help me. I said " Oh, thank you........ oh wait, somebody is at the door, I will be back in a second", and laid the phone down on the counter. About 15 minutes later, I was walking by, so I hung up the phone. A couple of seconds later the phone rings, I pick up, he says "We must have been cut off". I say "Oh, sorry...... Oh wait, there is somebody at the door, I will be back in a second"....

He wastes my time, I waste his. He was pretty stupid --- deserves to have his time wasted.


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## craig11152

I use Norton Security Suite because its free with my Xfinity (Comcast) subscription.
I also have the free version of Malwarebytes and i run that whenever I think about it....like right now I'm headed to Costco so I'm going to let it do its thing while I'm gone.


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## craig11152

back from Costco, one threat quarantined. :vs_karate:


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## Wildbill7145

ddawg16 said:


> NO ONE is using Norton.


Norton used to be a great product. Decades ago during the DOS days. I think it was when Peter Norton sold out to Symantec that things went downhill really fast. It got to the point where once you installed any of their products, you practically had to format your hard drive to get rid of it completely if things went wrong. Simply uninstalling wouldn't do the trick.

I remember almost enjoying watching Norton Utilities defragment my hard drive.

I think the competitor at the time was PC Tools or something like that.

God I'm old.

Xcopy C:\*.* C:\temp /e /s


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## supers05

Wildbill7145 said:


> Norton used to be a great product. Decades ago during the DOS days. I think it was when Peter Norton sold out to Symantec that things went downhill really fast. It got to the point where once you installed any of their products, you practically had to format your hard drive to get rid of it completely if things went wrong. Simply uninstalling wouldn't do the trick.
> 
> I remember almost enjoying watching Norton Utilities defragment my hard drive.
> 
> I think the competitor at the time was PC Tools or something like that.
> 
> God I'm old.
> 
> Xcopy C:\*.* C:\temp /e /s


In remember those days. I'm not very old, but my first computer didn't have a HDD..... We splurged on the new 3.5" floppy drive... 2 of em.... 

Anyways, Symantec is king of security these days. Like it or not, they have uber biggest budgets for their anti-viral labs. They have their hands in just about everything else in security too. I haven't used them for years. Too bloated and expensive for my taste, but is still not bad at all. There is a tool to remove everything Symantec... You just have to download it from their site. Same goes with McAfee. 

Cheers!


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## 78Vette

Norton on all our PC's, free malwarebytes and free spybot. No problems.


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## Brainbucket

I have Norton Internet Security, Malwarebytes, Spybot on all my shop puters and the house one. The only time I had a problem was in the early days, 2000 on, you could get close to 2 years from one subscription. But now you can't. And if the sub went out, major problems until you uninstalled it. But other than that, no problems. Now my computer guru uses free avg and malware. I tried that but ran into problems.:vs_cool:


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## 78Vette

Forgot to mention the free Crap-Cleaner I run every couple weeks


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## diyorpay

In addition to all these good suggestions, I propose a few others that I have had great success with in an attempt to keep a lean, mean machine:

ccleaner as originally designed was to easily get rid of deleted files or folders and lots of temp files and cache files, permanently. It still does but even better today. For a novice, it allows a 'trial run' to find what it proposes to delete, for your review. Google 'cc enhancer' and get an add on that gets placed in the same Program Files folder and finds even more product to review and get rid of other junk. It has tools to remove programs, adjust startup programs, and propose changes to Registry, all in a gentle way. Can be run by individual users within their sign in and by administrators. Deletions by over write method include simple to high level government standards. Get the free version on piriform site.

The makers of Spybot S&D seem like good folks. These also provide Spybot Anti-Beacon for free. It limits data going back to MS. Did you know that Office 2013 and up send tons of data, even your actual files to MS? 

It's not that I hate Google, Yahoo, MS, iOfThings manufacturers or any well intended data gatherer; it's when they get hacked and my data is compromised that bothers me. Un acceptable but a fact of life. When the super big lawsuits for identity theft start to be routine, security will improve. As Steve Gibson says, "Trust no one". On the internet that is.


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## Brainbucket

Forgot CCleaner.:vs_cool:


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## JIMMIEM

Having been using a combination of AVG (free) and Speedy PC Pro for years with no problems. Speedy PC does Malware scans, Registry scans, Defrags, etc. Speedy PC isn't free but gets less expensive as you renew it.....got a really good price this year for our 2 PCs. I've asked for renewal discounts and received them.


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## getrex

I haven't run AV software for years and have been fine. Viruses aren't much of a threat these days unless you are downloading things illegally. Malware, on the other hand, is more of an issue. For that you need to protect your browser with something like spybot (there are a lot of options). They protect by installing extensions that block known methods of covertly installing garbage and by adding block lists of known bad sites and subpages. You also want to have something that you will periodically scan with. I use malwarebytes, spybot, and advanced systemcare/malware fighter (all free versions).

The main thing to know is that most things are not going to have a major impact on your computer. But for the things that do, when weird things happen you should open task manager and kill off any weird processes, then scan and remove as much as possible before rebooting.


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## reanman

Hi, If a budget is tight and you want great protection for free, Give Microsoft's Security Essentials (aka MSE ) a try. It works great, and so easy you wont even need to ask your teenage son or daughter to install and configure it for you. I believe Windows 10 Calls it defender, which is the newer version of MSE. Let me know how that works for you.


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## pewokp

up

Sent from my ZTE N909 using Tapatalk


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## Arky217

Switch to Linux Mint and say goodbye to viruses, malware, etc., etc., etc.,
and also say goodbye to virus protection programs, malware protection 
programs, etc., etc., etc.


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## getrex

Also say goodbye to fun and sanity.


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## adams1980

Dude, in your place I would not trust all anti-viruses, even the well-branded one, because such programs show doubtful performance results regardless you are staying on a free or paid version. A couple of years ago I turned on the free PC diagnostics and the program showed me a lot of viruses and dubious programs, and in order to remove them, I had to buy a paid version of the program. Now, I use only reliable programs for scanning and cleaning the malicious files of the PC and they show only the correct results. I found an interesting analysis on this here: https://thinkmobiles.com/blog/best-registry-cleaner-tools/. I think you will review your position regarding the anti-viruses and will find a lot of advantages of such cleaner apps.


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