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Definitive Best *Paid* Antivirus 2012

Asked by goretsky,

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Favorite Paid AV 2012  

231 members have voted

  1. 1. Your Choice? (also see Continued, below)

    • Agnitum Anti Virus/Outpost
      3
    • Alwil Avast! Pro/Internet Security
      10
    • AVG Antivirus PRO/Internet Security
      0
    • Avira Antivirus Premium/Pro/Endpoint
      15
    • Beijing Rising Anti Virus/Internet Security
      1
    • Bullguard Anti Virus/Internet Security
      0
    • CheckPoint Anti Virus/Internet Security
      0
    • Commtouch Command Anti Virus`
      0
    • Comodo Endpoint Security/Internet Security Pro
      2
    • Dr. Web (Dialogue Science) Anti Virus/Security Space
      0
    • Emsisoft Anti-Malware/Internet Security
      2
    • ESET NOD32/Smart Security
      89
    • F-Secure Anti Virus/Internet Security
      1
    • Frisk F-PROT
      0
    • G Data Anti Virus/Interet Security/Total Security
      2
    • GFI (formerly Sunbelt Software) VIPRE Anti Virus
      0
    • ** Not on this list, see below **
      106

  2. 2. Your Choice? [Continued]

    • Hauri ViRobot/Internet Security
      0
    • IKARUS virus.utilities
      0
    • Kaspersky Anti Virus/Internet Security/Pure
      52
    • MalwareBytes Anti Malware PRO
      13
    • McAfee Anti Virus/Internet Security/Total Protection
      4
    • Microsoft Forefront
      8
    • MWTI eScan Anti Virus/Internet Security
      1
    • Norman Anti Virus/Security Suite
      2
    • Panda Anti Virus/Internet Security
      1
    • Softwin BitDefender Anti Virus/Internet Security/Total Security
      7
    • Sophos Endpoint
      3
    • SUPERAntiSpyware
      6
    • Symantec/PC Tools/Norton
      36
    • Total Defense (formerly CA) Anti Virus/Internet Security
      0
    • Trend Micro Anti Virus/Internet Security
      2
    • VirusBlokAda VBA32
      0
    • Other (please specify)
      5
    • ** Not on this list, see above **
      91

Question

Grand Master

goretsky Supervisor

Posted
  • Supervisor
Posted

Hello,

In the preceding Definitive Best Antivirus 2011 message thread, there were requests to seperate the commercial and free antivirus products. For 2012, I have created two separate polls. This is the poll for the commercial (paid-for) antivirus programs. For free antivirus, please see the Definitive Best Free Antivirus 2012 message thread.

Questions or comments? Post them here in the message thread.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

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99 answers to this question

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  • 0
Grand Master

Seizure1990

Posted
Posted

I keep a locked down VM if I ever need to access anything from an unsavory source, I verify its clean, take out of the VM and reset the VM back to default image. I run MSE on my system just to be sure. Saying you don't run an antivirus and don't have any viruses, is like saying you don't have cancer because you don't feel like you have cancer (at least on Windows anyways).

But if you get occasional cancer tests (virus scans) and they all turn up negative, then you know. :)

  • 0
Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

Posted
  • MVC
Posted
avast and it's annoying setting of screaming in the middle of the night"YOUR VIRUS DEFINITIONS HAVE BEEN UPDATED!!!!" or "THERE IS AN UPDATE FOR YOUR SOFTWARE" seriously... they should have not made it do that by default!!!

Which is why I disable sounds 10 seconds after installation on all the avast installs I do

  • 0
Grand Master

remixedcat

Posted
Posted

Which is why I disable sounds 10 seconds after installation on all the avast installs I do

yeah but sometimes when I update it the sounds come back on!!! :pinch:

  • 0
Explorer

fanel89

Posted
Posted

In truth, this is my FAVORITE AV but I can't really recommend it to the average user, since it's a bit more advanced as far as configuration and maintenance goes.

Having said that, it's a rare occasion for something to get past it.

That is true and while it's usually meant for more advanced users and corporations, when I uninstall I just leave on the default settings and won't fiddle around with it. Once it's running, scanning is very straightforward but most of the time, you don't even have to do a manual scan... it does its own thing in the background.

  • 0
Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

Posted
  • MVC
Posted

In truth, this is my FAVORITE AV but I can't really recommend it to the average user, since it's a bit more advanced as far as configuration and maintenance goes.

Having said that, it's a rare occasion for something to get past it.

Does Rtscan or what ever that process name is still chug 90% cpu on boot and 5 mins after boot or just a **** ton of CPU in general.

  • 0
Collaborator

Wyrdstorm

Posted
Posted

I have used Microsoft Security Essencials since i heard about it, and i have never had an issue, i use it with the comps/laptops i sell too as its very user friendly....i hated Symantec AV as it was such a performance knock it was unreal!

  • 0
Grand Master

+Mirumir Subscriber¹

Posted
  • Subscriber¹
Posted
Anyway the best antivirus will always be the user and his/her judgement.

Exactly!

I don't run any AV program on a constant basis. However, once in a blue moon, I let KAV and Ad-aware scan my PC for that 100% certainty that I'm clean. I usually do this when I perform backups or if I start to suspect something.

I catch no more than 2-3 malwares a year.

  • 0
Grand Master

TEX4S

Posted
Posted

Guys, I really think you all need to check out the new webroot Secure Anywhere.

I could fill up an entire page of all the greatness I have witnessed, but I think a little googling would convince you.

Highest rated AV ever - PCWord

MaximumPC - 9/10 Kick Ass Award

It has removed infection upon installation that even malwarebytes didnt catch

It installs in about 10 seconds, and the scans take about 20 seconds on an SSD

Its cloud-based and has the lightest footprint of any AV pkg.

I didnt even use an AV for 6 months - I know what to click on and what not to - and if I get an infection, I can clean it.

But once I did some research for options up @ work - I checked out webroot, and have since told about 15 people to drop what they're using and switch - all 15 are happy.

  • 0
Veteran

nabz0r Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

I have been using both Symantec Endpoint Protection and ESET NOD32 and I absolutely in love with both. There might have been some down times for both AV but I still wouldn't use something else while these two are in the market.

  • 0
Grand Master

devnulllore

Posted
Posted

Norton 360 v.6 and the upcoming 2013 version covers ALL the bases and is better than all those I see listed in the voting sections, although, another malware scanner is suggested to monitor web sites a bit better such as Malwarebytes. Also use Norton's DNS servers.

Thanks!

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