Free AV's

AVG and Avast provide in my time zone good updates. Antivir is problematic.

Antivir Premium uses to get the best results in tests. So with an up to date database I think it is safe to say that even Antivir FREE provides the best free protection. Problem is Antivir only updates every three days at the best, because their servers are to busy.

I removed Avira 8 and changed it for Avast 4.8: with the following underlying idea: Avast up to date provides better protection than Avira with an data base of two or three days old.

Reason to choose Avast over AVG is plain lazyness. On the gaming PC my son preferes Avast over AVG (faster?). Same is simpler

Opinions ?

 

And I wonder since when paid version had better servers.
You underestimate avira's heuristics...

 

That sounds like an open door for a heuristics debate to me.. lol!!
However I like having the latest signatures as well.

 

True heuristics of Avira comes most of the time top2. Still even Avira does not score a 100% in the wild virusses (forgot the website which shows these statistics), they often score a 100% ONE HOUR LATER.

This was the reason for switching because Avast (and AVG) also often score a 100% after the re-test one hour later (although less often).

But I am open to arguments, so please

I used Avira FREE not the paid with the speed access to servers.

 

Dang you beat me to the heuristics argument..

 

Is this consistent or only when major versions/upgrades are released?

But I would still select Avast over Avira Free for dial-up connections.

 

Disagree. Avira with a signature database from Feb 07 can still achieve ~85% detection among the samples I see by using heuristics and generic detection alone, while avast! averages between ~60-65% even with latest updates. As far as I'm concerned, there's no way avast! stands a chance against Avira, if you're going to talk solely about detection. Do keep in mind that I have no idea about the FP rates.

To be honest, Avira is currently so far ahead of the competition that I find that it borders on ridiculousness, in the sense that it's hard to believe. Hats off to Stefan. Their detection rates for HTML/Javascript exploits is also phenomenal. Only Ikarus and Sophos stands a chance to hold their own against Avira IMHO, and on the downside they have a higher FP rate than Avira.

 

No we are on broadband.

The problem with Avira is on and off. Somet times (in the NL) the updates work okay. I even received the Avira 8 update. And since two days again I am not able to connect to the server. In past experiences (even with no major updates), this lasts a week.

My wife uses the family PC more often than I do, only trick for not getting called to repair the security is by upping the days from 3 to 5 or even higher (check since last update of Avira DB).

 

Avira and Avast are very similar to healing point so i would agree that avast could be a better option but this depends on personal experience and i have used them both and avast was very nice a product to me i am not an expert tho'.As there is no comperison between them as far as updates because Avast is very fast cimpared to Avira

 

Well, in experience (which is better then tests) antivir blocked a great many threats, plz remember avast/avg have worse heuristics then Antivir, so needs to update more frequently

 

Avira did lessen the size of their definition updates last year and also added some new update servers.

I have used the classic version on one pc in the last week and haven't noticed any problems with updates, even during the big V8 release.

 

Suggestion: use windows scheduler to schedule preupd.exe (use /DM ="0", "1" or "2" to set display mode to maximize, minimize or invisible e.g. "C:\Archivos de programa\AntiVir\preupd.exe" /DM="2")
Select daily
Set properties -> schedule -> advanced -> repeat task to 2 hours or something like that.
For more information read http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;308569&x=10&y=20

 

But you cannot also ignore the fact that avast is also a quality AV, with also AS and anti-rootkit, selfdefense unlike Avira
So you have to understand why avast has more updates.

 

Avira has anti-rootkit in the free version too.
It also has self defence although I don't know whether Avira's or Avast's is better.
Avira free might detect some spyware through heuristics as well.

Of course, Avast certainly isn't a bad program either so it's up to whatever works best for a particular user.

 

I was talking about the 'Free' classic version

 

Avast also has a sort of HIPS,-
Standard shield

 

So am I - the free (classic) one does have the anti-rootkit.

 

Yes, it deletes rootkits, not spyware/adware

 

All I said was "Avira free might detect some spyware through heuristics as wel"

 

Standard shield is avast!'s name for the real-time guard. Nothing to do with HIPS.

 

Not good for buisness is it? I'm sure they meddled with it not to. Avira's heuristics too good to let loose!

 

I couldn't choose between Avast and Avira, so I ran both in alphabetical order.
Avast = 0 threats and Avira = 0 threats. I couldn't choose between 0 and 0, so I gave up.

 

Hi,

in my opinion the free AV has to match with the other security programs.

If someone only wants to use the Windows Firewall and an AV, nothing else, I would never ever recommend Avira Free.
I have seen too many of this PCs heavily loaded with Ad- and Spyware of all kinds.
Therefore Windows Firewall and an free AV, the AV will be avast home with its additional modules (Web, Network, Filesharing, Instant Messaging, Emails and Internet Mails) and its Spyware detection.

But if someone prefers a layered protection with for example OA free, SAS free or PC Tools FW, a-squared Free and Threatfire, I would say that Avira free is the better choice, because of its better detection rate.

Cheers

 

I'm going to have to disagree with you subset. I have two computers that have been running the Windows firewall and Avira free for a couple of years. No problems on either, with any type of malware. Now, these computers also run Firefox with noscript but the most important part is the person running the computers.

In general, if the person is a beginner or low-intermediate level user, I recommend they run Avast free. If the user is intermediate or above, I recommend Avira.

 

I checked latest virus stats and Avast was not good, at 0-day and retry summery, see http://www.shadowserver.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=Stats.VirusWeeklyStats

So it seems I have to adjust opinion