Recommended Posts

Would you settle for two free programmes that would cover anti-virus and firewall? (All Internet Security is really is a combined application that has both an anti-virus and firewall)

Anti-Virus: Avira AntiVir, Avast or Microsoft Security Essentials (choose one)

Firewall: Comodo Free

Both of those should cover you.

I'd also suggest adding Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, for extra protection against malware.

Personally I find that MSE does a good job as far as a free Anti-Virus product goes and then I run Comodo Internet Security (free) alongside it as a Firewall solution. I also have Malwarebytes installed which I update and run a full scan with on a monthly basis as an added safety precaution.

I have never been infected by a Virus, Malware, Adware, Spyware etc. etc. whilst running the products listed above. Unfortunately I can't say the same for my clients though...

You're welcome and good luck!

If anyone else has any other suggestions, I'm sure they will also post a reply. It's always good to sample a few different alternatives until you find the one that you like or works best for your needs.

Run Avast free. Windows firewall.

Then monthly - Malwarebytes (& if anything found - Kaspersky Antivirus removal tool).

IMO don't touch microsoft antivirus due to not a good detection rate.

If you could pay then Antivir premium (less than ?17 per year) & windows firewall.

I've only known 3rd party firewalls to stop outbound traffic. Useless if already infected or stopping pirated software.

See this poll if it makes any difference:

post-440840-0-29590700-1334668822.jpg

FYI, Comodo handles inbound and outbound network traffic and also includes Defense+ for real-time scanning of executables etc. (which also has a Sandbox function too). It is also highly customisable and has many advanced features too.

My first choice would be Linux and common sense! Ha ha OK, OK...... all the fans of Windows relax, just joking! :)

I recommend Avast, Comodo or Zone Alarm and agree with the poster who recommends that you also use Malwarebytes.

The other thing that I always install for clients (without telling them most of the time) is a really cool piece of software called Spyware Blaster made by Javacool Software that basically runs in the background attached to whatever browsers you have installed on the PC and is an excellent little piece of free software. This software is preventative and not a repair tool! It has to be updated manually every now and again.

Good luck with your choices.

I think at the end of the day, it will come down to personal preference, BUT I would recommend running both an Anti-Virus product and a dedicated Firewall product.

Who uses optical media nowadays anyway :p

Just curious guys (so please don't attack me for it :p); I've always used AVG, and always recommended it to people needing AV... but judging from the replies here (and in particular the screenshot of the poll), how come less and less people are using AVG nowadays?

Thanks

I think AVG is still too much of a system resource hog (compared to other products), it slows down boot times (can add up to 20 seconds in some cases) and has a tendency to report many safe programs as false-positives.

Haha I was teasing :D Some companies still use floppy disks...!!

Well good luck with that combo anyway and stay *safe* :shifty:

See this article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Defender

Or moreover, this line from the article:

"On Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, Windows Defender is superseded by Microsoft Security Essentials, an antimalware product from Microsoft. Upon installation, Microsoft Security Essentials disables Windows Defender and takes over its duty."

Run Avast free. Windows firewall.

Then monthly - Malwarebytes (& if anything found - Kaspersky Antivirus removal tool).

IMO don't touch microsoft antivirus due to not a good detection rate.

If you could pay then Antivir premium (less than ?17 per year) & windows firewall.

I've only known 3rd party firewalls to stop outbound traffic. Useless if already infected or stopping pirated software.

Unfortunately Avast paired with either Windows Firewall or Comodo and possibly others renders the firewall useless on Windows 7 systems.

To test this block Firefox using Comodo, meaning you shouldn't be able to run Firefox, but you will find that Firefox will load perfectly.

Now turn off Avasts webshield and you will find that Firefox is now correctly blocked.

I will stress that this isn't an Avast or Comodo issue it is a Windows 7 issue.

Unfortunately Avast paired with either Windows Firewall or Comodo and possibly others renders the firewall useless on Windows 7 systems.

To test this block Firefox using Comodo, meaning you shouldn't be able to run Firefox, but you will find that Firefox will load perfectly.

Now turn off Avasts webshield and you will find that Firefox is now correctly blocked.

I will stress that this isn't an Avast or Comodo issue it is a Windows 7 issue.

Interesting, I'll check it out. Thanks.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen expansion to bring snowy region, new updates also coming by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Capcom had a surprise waiting for Dragon's Dogma fans today in the Nintendo Direct presentation. The company revealed an expansion for the second installment with a name that should be familiar to series veterans. Coming later this year, Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is promising a massive new region to explore, new monsters, fresh skills to learn, and more. The studio says players will be heading to the Northern region of the world, named Norgan, to find new secrets about an undying "Fallen Dragon." There will be forgotten relics that the protagonist can find to unlock fresh weapons and skills the expansion is introducing. Players will also be able to find mysterious equipment from a previous Arisen as a part of the expansion, all part of 12 Lost Rites Dungeon Challenges they must complete to gain access. In Neowin's own review, I found Dragon's Dogma 2 to be an impressive RPG when it launched back in 2024, giving the title an 8.5/10 for its class variants, companion system, and immersive exploration. "Once a prosperous region of the kingdom of Vermund, it was abandoned many years ago for reasons unknown," says Capcom about the new region. "Long has it been since any soul traveled its paths. Blanketed in heavy snow, these frigid lands are home to savage hordes and creatures of unbelievable power. Those who are capable of vanquishing such fearsome foes, or those who possess a keen eye for exploration, will find themselves rewarded with powerful relics." Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen expansion launches on October 9, 2026, with a $29.99 price tag. Ahead of the expansion release, Capcom is also planning to release two free updates to the base game. The first will land tomorrow, June 10, bringing more accessible fast travel with an Eternal Ferrystone and other quality-of-life adjustments. The second update will land sometime in August, aiming to improve frame rates, add more save slots, and bring even more community-requested adjustments. This expanded Dark Arisen edition is also launching on the Nintendo Switch 2 on the same day the content comes to PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
    • Classic themes are just the colors on the bar like the olden days, if you use the image themes, it does fancy transparent backgrounds and it makes the elements of the app look like they are transparent bubbles. This sample image shows what it looks like.  
    • Good point, unfortunately. NextDNS has far more filters and workarounds than uBlock, and it's easy to implement.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      rubentuben8 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      ARaclen earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Year In
      jojodbn earned a badge
      One Year In
    • One Month Later
      jojodbn earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      jojodbn earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      525
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      231
    3. 3
      +Edouard
      124
    4. 4
      ATLien_0
      87
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      83
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!