Best free anti-malware software?

[Steven P. Administrators]

I have a premium version of Malwarebytes on my main PC and I am happy with it, but it is single license (lifetime) that I bought in a deal 9 years ago (lol) and now I want anti-malware for my laptop (HP Pavilion x360 m3 from 2017) but I don't want to pay for it, I don't want to commit to a monthly or yearly subscription for a machine I don't use regularly but I do want it to be protected with the best free one.

 

Right now I am trying bitdefender (recommended in 2020 on Reddit as being good after doing a Google search) but I wonder what experience our Neowin readers have?

 

Here's what they said:  

 

Here's the best free ones:

• Kaspersky.com
• BitDefender.com
• McAfee
• Panda

Some of the most annoying ones that constantly bug you and are full of baggage installs AVOID IMO:

• Avast.com
• AVG
• Avira

[Steven P. Administrators]

Can we please quit with the arguing, it's clear that Windows Security in Windows 10 encompasses just like Control Panel does for Windows.

 

Also, I was not asking about the baked in solution. Windows native zip is also okay, but it is useless when it comes to .RAR extensions  

[Good Bot, Bad Bot]

I have no idea why one would install a third-party anti-virus solution. in my experience, they are more trouble than they are worth and are very intrusive these days. I have used Windows's built-in solution for almost a decade now and it's fine. TBH I have had like one warning from a real-time AV scanner in about 15 years.

 

More importantly, please apply Windows security updates and browser updates in a timely matter and use an ad/content blocker (Firefox + uBlock Origin is the best combo).

[Fleet Command]

If they put a gun to my head and say "choose an AV other than Microsoft Defender," I'd choose BitDefender. For now. I am accustomed to changing them. I've been on different AVs before, like:

• Norton Internet Security (that was before the era of Norton 360)
• Symantec Antivirus (before the era of Symantec Endpoint Security)
• Kaspersky Internet Security
• BitDefender Internet Security
• ESET NOD32
• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Comodo Internet Security
• PC-cilin
• ZoneAlarm

 

If they put a gun to my head and say "choose between AVG, Avast, Avira, and McAfee," I'd say "shoot!"

 

I wish the PC security industry moved on to 2nd-generation security software.

[Good Bot, Bad Bot]

3 minutes ago, Fleet Command said:

If they put a gun to my head and say "choose an AV other than Microsoft Defender," I'd choose BitDefender. For now. I am accustomed to changing them. I've been on different AVs before, like:

• Norton Internet Security (that was before the era of Norton 360)
• Symantec Antivirus (before the era of Symantec Endpoint Security)
• Kaspersky Internet Security
• BitDefender Internet Security
• ESET NOD32
• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Comodo Internet Security
• PC-cilin
• ZoneAlarm

 

If they put a gun to my head and say "choose between AVG, Avast, Avira, and McAfee," I'd say "shoot!"

 

I wish the PC security industry moved on to 2nd-generation security software.

What is "2nd-generation security software"?

[Fleet Command]

1 minute ago, Superuser said:

What is "2nd-generation security software"?

Containerization-based security. Imagine if all apps run inside their own Docker container had no way of knowing what's inside the other container. A malware would run inside its own container and could infect all the nothing within.

 

Android and iOS use this model; that's why they don't have viruses like Adrozek. Their threat landscape is different.

[Good Bot, Bad Bot]

3 minutes ago, Fleet Command said:

Containerization-based security. Imagine if all apps run inside their own Docker container had no way of knowing what's inside the other container. A malware would run inside its own container and could infect all the nothing within.

 

Android and iOS use this model; that's why they don't have viruses like Adrozek. Their threat landscape is different.

 

Adrozek did require user involvement which can get you infected on any platform. LOL I believe Windows 10X is supposed to be somewhat container based. Does that also mean no built-in admin/root access like Android and iOS? That is the number one reason for malware infection but I don't want that taken away on Windows. TBH malware hasn't been much of a concern for me on any platform for many years now.

[Fleet Command]

36 minutes ago, Superuser said:

Adrozek did require user involvement which can get you infected on any platform.

I seriously thought Adrozek is Windows-specific. And Wikipedia agrees with me. If I am wrong though, please feel free to insert the name of another computer virus there. And can I see a source that says Adrozek is multi-platform, please? (Thanks in advance.) Anyway, the thing is, computer viruses alter the binaries of other apps. 2nd-generation security model stops that. As far as I am concerned, Bromium and Turbo.net were the only attempts (and feeble ones too) to bring a 2nd-gen security model to Windows.

Quote

I believe Windows 10X is supposed to be somewhat container based.

I hope so, although it is the "somewhat" part that frightens me. To be honest, I know zilch about Windows 10X.

[Good Bot, Bad Bot]

33 minutes ago, Fleet Command said:

I seriously thought Adrozek is Windows-specific. And Wikipedia agrees with me. If I am wrong though, please feel free to insert the name of another computer virus there. And can I see a source that says Adrozek is multi-platform, please?

I wasn't saying any platform was vulnerable to Adrozek but that it seemed to require some kind of USER INTERACTION. It doesn't matter what OS you are using if the user "clicks" on "OK". LOL

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

Anti-virus and anti-malware software are actually the same thing.  They are marketing terms used to brand a product in order to promote it to a particular market segment.

 

Several years ago, I wrote a guide to evaluating anti-virus software on Reddit's r/sysadmin subreddit.  I have revised it a couple of times since then, mostly recently last month, and it can now be found on the Spiceworks IT community as one of their HOWTO's:  https://community.spiceworks.com/how_to/155722-evaluate-antivirus-software

 

Perhaps you will find it of use.

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

 

[+mram Subscriber²]

On 15/04/2021 at 06:56, Steven P. said:

Also, I was not asking about the baked in solution. Windows native zip is also okay, but it is useless when it comes to .RAR extensions  

Respectfully, why not?  What you present isn't a fair analogy and shouldn't immediately discount built in solutions.  You were asking about free anti-malware, and MDA is free and absolutely protects against anti-malware.  Whether it has the full or additional features you desire is something that has not been disclosed. 

 

For all the arguing in this thread, the point is that many people (like me) use the Windows' built in solution - Microsoft Defender Antivirus - and it's good, and it's anti-malware.  If you want more, then what's that?

[zikalify Editor]

Don't have one on my computer that is running Ubuntu. I do like Windows Defender though (I started on Windows Live OneCare then Microsoft Security Essentials).