Free security software list update

[Belatucadrus]

As the old thread on free internet security software had spread out a bit I'm starting a new thread with the latest version of the list.

Please feel free to let me know about any I've missed out.

Please note that the VB100 test is for detection, it doesn't let you know how well the software deals with infection at that point, further research will be necessary if you want to find "The best" but it is a good indication as to the suppliers desire to have their product evaluated independantly.

AV programs tested by VirusBulletin

avast

Avira

AVG

Microsoft Security Essentials

Rising

PC Tools

Digital Defender

Panda Cloud

Kingsoft cloud

Preventon

Returnil

Roboscan

Clearsight

Forticlient Lite

Un-Threat

AV programs

Clamwin

SecureIT Free

Nano Beta

Zilya

Brain

Clam Sentinal

ZenOK

AV/firewall suites tested by VirusBulletin

Agnitum Outpost 7 free security suite.

AdAware

AV/firewall suites

Comodo

ZoneAlarm Free

Additional security software

Immunet

Clam AV for windows

Threatfire

AnviSmart

BitDefender Free

PS ZoneAlarm free is thought to use the Kaspersky AV engine which is VB100 rated and highly regarded and may explain why ZoneAlarm isn't tested as a seperate entity.

[Belatucadrus]

Seems PCTools are no longer supporting Threatfire, but they're still hosting it at one of their mirror sites if anybodies interested.

http://www.threatfire.com/download/#

SecureIT free Seems to have changed address to http://www.secureitdirect.com/ and is no longer free. I didn't like the free version no way would I pay for it.

[Boris]

Seems as if the PC Tools Firewall Plus Free has also been retired as a standalone product now that Symantec have taken them over.

Still available from Softpedia though - http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Firewall/PC-Tools-Firewall-Plus.shtml

Doesn't affect me as I have various copies of it - all still working well.

[gasonlewis]

Kaspersky Internet Security.

[Boris]

Kaspersky Internet Security.

This topic is about FREE Securiy software - AFAIK Kaspersky Internet Security is NOT free.

[Belatucadrus]

Users of Barclays online banking can get Kaspersky free and as I've found out Zonealarm AV is reported to use kaspersky virus signatures so may well be based on the engine as well. Though this is unconfirmed by either party and even if true may be an old version.

As before if anybody finds any new FREEBIES let me know and Boris is quite correct my interest is specific to free security software, I have no real interest in commercial packages .

[Belatucadrus]

Just a note that Kingsoft free anti virus has had a worthwhile upgrade, it has incorporated a Scan scheduler into the utilities section which makes it a more useful package.

[GabrielPotts]

I think Micro soft security essential is the Good one..

[trantien]

I am setting Avast to protect my computer. it's a great software i think, because I only have to sign up and then receive registeration key for one year.

[Lamb Chop]

Belatucadrus - I have just read a news from my Online Armour Firewall on this subject and they have it as a list with link to VB test etc. http://www.anti-malware-reviews.com/?ref=safe2013

Bit disappointing reading it as is has Microsoft Essentials which I am using last having failed on all tests.

As well as SAS Pro failed which I use. I was using Avast for years but it went funny on my XP Home last update as no longer test XP seemingly to see if patches or whatever they do are compatible.

And then this test site has been testing seemingly and listed Anti virus and malware (Taking it for granted free as doesnt say )all listed and tested if I read it correctly against certain virus's.

So as they say 2013 will be even worse and emisoft went on about grabbers in downloads which passed my understanding - I use Major Geeks or File Hippo and then right click and scan with both MSE and SAS before installing. Hoping nothing passing in that shouldnt.

Obviously Emisoft want be to try and then buy later their free programs. Online Armour is easy to use once it has learnt the pattern and hasnt let me down. I have paid version of SAS. Boot only Malaware Bytes and so far been lucky.SCan with both but bit worried re MSE.

At the time I tried Panda and it didnt install correctly.

Is it do you think widely spread not that these vendors of free and/or paid are no longer testing XP compatible so we need to upgrade?

[Belatucadrus]

Just a note the Brain AV project is still taking up webspace but clearly is dead in the water as there have been no updates or postings from the developers for over a year

[Belatucadrus]

Well having bought it Norton have pulled the plug on all the PC Tools freebies.

Preventon seem to have dropped the free version.

Clearsight now links to a softwar seller.

Forti now use my pet hate phrase " Free download " with no indication that the free one still exists.

Rising have closed down their English website and moved the download link to Here

Brain is Orphanware with no development for years even though the site is still up.

However on the plus side there's a new offering the Qi Hu 360 security centre availabe for most operating systems, seems to be getting pretty good reviews so may be worth a shot if you get bored with the usual contenders .

[Belatucadrus]

Another new one Baidu as with Qi Hu it's been submitted to Virus Bulletin and came away with a VB100 pass.

[Belatucadrus]

Add Celframe & Senvira to the list.

They claim to work on all types of Windows PCs so may be worth a look for archivists still using W95 or 98.

I did test Celframe briefly the scan was glacially slow, the number of false positives enormous and I didn't care for the interface, didn't last long on my system.

[Belatucadrus]

Another new one, at least to me PC Matic from PCPitstop, complete with VB100 rating from Virus Bulletin

http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/archive/vendor?id=568

[Belatucadrus]

Kingsoft have discontinued their English language link for the antivirus, now available at Softronic . It still gets signature updates and works fine, I'm just not sure if the program itself is the latest version as the Google translation of the homepage is a touch idiosyncratic.

Kingsoft in the UK seem to be concentrating on their rather handy free office suite.

[davidmartin]

You have posted great list. I think AVAST is the best free antivirus software, however, some people assume that a free version cannot be effective. I've read an article on how to manage end point security (http://www.softwaregold.net/softreview/2014/03/how-to-manage-endpoint-security/), and having gone through the article, I came to know that we can secure our system even without using antivirus software. Moreover, it is seen that if we want to access all the premium features of these free antivirus software, we have to choose paid versions.

[Belatucadrus]

From the Endpoint security article you linked to :

This does not only involve the use of security software.

Implying quite clearly that the suggestions are in addition to, not instead of security software.

As to Premium features in the pay for versions, in many cases quite true and in my opinion fair, but how many if any of these premium features will a home owner ever use ?

In most cases the free version contains the core of a paid for version and all the features you'll need.

There are people who will never feel safe unless they pay through the nose for protection and no logical argument will ever persuade them otherwise but as I look at it I'd rather they paid for peace of mind than trusted to blind luck and ended up as a zombie on some botnet.

I've been on-line for more years than I care to mention, never paid for antivirus and never had any virus problems.

[BrookPhillips]

I think Micro soft security essential is the Good one..

I agreed Microsoft Security Essentials is good one and it is free too. I have used one more software lately Optimo AV. It is not free but I have used its free trial version that was free and I didn't encounter any problem since its installation. This is the reason I am planning to buy its paid version also.

[Belatucadrus]

I posted a link to Senvira a few months ago.

DO NOT USE IT !

The guy running it ran out of money and has put the whole operation up for sale and the support centre page is now blank. Until there's official notification of new ownership or money keeping them afloat look elsewhere.

[Lamb Chop]

Doing the last reinstall of Windows 7 Home Premium used the guys freeware disc he sent along with the computer - Gigabyte bought of independent builder.

It has AVG Free 2013 so installed it quick smart to be sure etc and it ran well but then thought update to 2014

and it wouldnt run on here - said not compatible with 7 - only with 8.

So have gone back to Avast which had on XP until it stopped supporting it. /changed a lot in a short time and nags a bit fo rme to buy Pro version but seems to do the job.

Saw earlier the new one called Baidu Antivirus and it looked to be very upmarket too. And Free my price

Anyone tried it? Seems to do all the necessary auto updates daily etc and cloud whatever that is

Enlighten me please - got this computer running so well dont want to try anything that may upset it :D

[Belatucadrus]

Baidu have been tested once by VirusBulletin I've not tried it myself but it should be OK.

I'm currently using 360 Internet Security which has a few more submissions to consider . They also do the more complex 360 Total Security with a few more toys chucked in.

Only been using it for a couple of weeks so far but so far so good.

Not sure what's up with your copy of AVG 2014 as it's supposed to be compatible with XP/Vista/7 & 8.

[Belatucadrus]

Same applies to avast!

The following system requirements are recommended in order to install and run avast! Free Antivirus 2014 on your computer:

Microsoft Windows 8.1 (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit), Microsoft Windows 8 (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or higher (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Service Pack 2 or higher (any Edition excl. Starter Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit) or Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit).

Though I've not used it for a while you're not the only one complaining about the latest versions nagging pop-ups.

[Lamb Chop]

Same applies to avast!

The following system requirements are recommended in order to install and run avast! Free Antivirus 2014 on your computer:

Microsoft Windows 8.1 (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit), Microsoft Windows 8 (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or higher (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Service Pack 2 or higher (any Edition excl. Starter Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit) or Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 (any Edition, 32-bit or 64-bit).

Though I've not used it for a while you're not the only one complaining about the latest versions nagging pop-ups.

Yes Avast has changed a lot - all for bought versions - also I was told both of these two 2 are from same European country and in competition to maybe be the best eh!

Not sure why I got that response on AVG free 2014 but I did and dumped it anyway as not that impressed to be honest. Prefer Avast even in its new form as being that bit easier to run with. But its got bits that only work in paid version to tempt you.

Also an updater but i Run File Hippo Updater and happy with it too. Which is BTW, telling me Flash Player Beta 14 available with a bit of bumpf to read and sign up to to use. So stick with current non beta 13 for now and wait for non beta always a bit cautious me. Since last computer with its many hangups and don't want them on here now I have it running Windows 7 correctly at long last. No hang ups at all in documents and no not responding which was driving me nuts. OK nuttier

[Belatucadrus]

Another new one Amiti seems to be generating some good press but not submitted to VirusBulletin so I have no real idea as to how good it may be.