What is a good free security software suite?

What do people in this forum think of the following setup for Windows realtime-protection?

The goals:
-- very light on the system (CPU/RAM/HDD)
-- easy to setup and maintain
-- user friendly, should run in the background
-- as quiet as possible, alarming only if a real threat is detected
-- no nagging software update warnings
-- highest protection
-- easy removal of malware


- MSE: Microsoft Security Essentials (free)
(price: free)
(job: signatur-based real-time anti-virus protection)
(technology: updates via downloads)
http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/mse.aspx
pros: very light on the system, calm, better in removing viruses than Avira Antivir according to studies (removal)
cons: not as good as Avira in finding viruses (detection)

- Prevx
(price: free)
(job: behavior-based real-time anti-malware protection)
(technology: cloud database, works only with internet connection)
http://www.prevx.com/freescan.asp
http://www.facebook.com/safeonline - free Facebook edition with SOL - "SafeOnline"
pros: very fast scanning and fast discovery of 0-day (zero day) malware
cons: does only work if a connection to the Internet is available

I used to use Threatfire with MSE, but Threatfire slows down all computers I installed it on (1 PC and 2 laptops) and Threatfire had a bug, that made watching Blu-ray on my PC (Quad-Core with SSD) a pain.

And I don't want to rely only on MSE. Another choice would be Avira Antivir Personal (http://www.avira.com/free). But Avira had announced to offer a behavior-based protection (named "ProActiv") in version 10, but I have running Windows 7 - 64bit and that behavior-based protection is not available in Avira with 64bit Windows (see posts 1 and post 2)


For on-demand scanning I use and recommend:

- Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (free)
http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free

- Hitman Pro (free)
(a multiscanning solution that runs multiple anti-malware and antivirus engines concurrently. Those 6! engines in detail: G Data AntiVirus (AVAST + BitDefender's engines) + Emsisoft Anti-Malware + Prevx + Dr. Web)
(technology: cloud database, works only with internet connection)
http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro/


And I do not want to use Comodo Internet Security (free), because the HIPS technology named "Defense+" is very annoying over time. It gets better, but I do not want to waste my life time. I use my brain, I never had a virus. But my girlfriend had like 6-8 trojans together and other **** on her notebook that she got via USB (she has no clue about Windows at all...)

P.S. For backups I use online-cloud backup: www.mozy.com

 

I always suggest people running 64bit Windows to use Microsoft Security Essentials 64Bit
and Disable Autoplay for all drives via gpedit.msc (refer to image below)

 

Avira Antivir Personal does not include ProActiv, only the paid versions.

AVG is not very light.
Panda Cloud Free includes behavioral blocking, and is light. Same with avast!.

ZenOK has minor behavioral detection using leaffrog heuristics, which utilizes the BitDefender 2010 engine. MSE has behavioral heuristics that work in a similar fashion.

 

Thx for your advice! I will turn off Autoplay. How can I see if I'm running the 64bit MSE version, Konata Izumi?


P.S. The Avira Antivir performance vs. MSE, AVG and more, source:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/en/comparativesreviews/performance-tests

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/8339/aviraperformance.png

 

MSE 2.0 is heavier than 1.0, btw. So that test is basically outdated.

And I have tried all the products I mentioned. I own a netbook, so my version of light is different from somebody with a 4GB laptop.

 

Watch out, since A versus B discussions are not allowed for antivirus/antimalware products.

Some notes:

• Avira's free edition does not include the ProActive module anyway, so you don't have to worry about 32-bit/64-bit differences.
• Prevx's free edition does not include realtime protection, it only gives notifications of found threats (both on-access and on-demand) but it doesn't remove them. So you will need to use another product to remove the threats it has found.
• Although Hitman Pro is a spectacularly good second-opinion scanner it doesn't provide free removal, only for thirty days the trial period lasts. However you can activate that trial period on any moment you want, so it is the best practice to activate the trial period only on the moment it has actually found a threat.
• two other great free antivirus products which are light, easy to use and unobtrusive are Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition and avast! Free Antivirus.

 

Or you can use Hitman in conjunction with a imaging program. Set Hitman for daily scans, and keep a clean system image. If something is detected you can simply restore. Hitman offers great detection, and restore a clean image will offer you the best "cure". No need to activate the trial period.

Avast fits everything, except for the "easy to setup" part IMO. If you like to configure a lot your AV you will like it, because it has many options. If you prefer something more "simple", maybe you´ll prefer MSE or Panda Cloud AV.

 

yes, I'll bet on MSE or Panda Cloud

the setting is very minimal

but MSE does have a very few (or zero) false positive

so I believe only in that perspective MSE won agaisnt Panda Cloud

yet I refer MSE to all my friend, since our city didn't have sufficient internet connection to go cloud on anything

 

Hmm. For a security "suite" that fits all of your criteria, umm...

A. LUA with a default deny policy

B. rollback appliance ie. ShadowDefender,Deepfreeze,Returnil, etc.

C. Linux distro

Sul.

 

MMmmm Linux mint....or ubuntu. Either or are good.

 

Download MSE 64bit on the official website.

I'm not sure about this but you could try searching where MSE is installed"

If MSE is installed in "C:\Program Files\" that is 64bit
if it is installed in "C:\Program Files(x86)\ it is 32bit

btw Prevx is still very strong even without internet connection, because its strength is on its heuristics.
you can download PrevxSafeOnline64bit here: http://info.prevx.com/download.asp?GRAB=PREVXFACEBOOK64

 

You have to check whether your operating system is 64-bit. You can do this by right-clicking on the 'Computer' shortcut on your desktop, then click on 'Properties'. Under the subheader 'System' is shown whether you have a 32-bit or 64-bit system.

If you are using a 32-bit system, you are using the 32-bit edition of Microsoft Security Essentials.
If you are using a 64-bit system, you are using the 64-bit edition of Microsoft Security Essentials. If you try to install the 32-bit edition on a 64-bit system, you will see an error on the installation, in other words, it is impossible to use the 32-bit edition on a 64-bit system.

 

It installs the main program under Program Files, and a small portion under (x86). The processes are definitely 64-bit.

 

I can't believe you didn't include Avast!
One of the most complete packages for free

 

Two votes on this choice. Avast would be a sensational choice...

 

Avast! Free AV gets my vote, it's like all in one except for a firewall.

 

+1 for avast

 

+1.Avast! free is my favorite of free antivirus.Just ignore to those people that complain or bash avast!.You should install it and experience yourself.

 

for free i will say comodo internet security and now they are giving the pro version for free for 1 year take advantage man

 

+1 for Avast Free. It's name is Avast Antivirus. But with all these shields it's pretty much as complete as a suite IMO.
A lot for Free indeed.

 

Comodo always been also a great choice, the only problem is that it is for more advanced users, more "Geeky" people

Also, Comodo blows in auto mode IMO. So if anyone uses it, i recommend getting rid of the whitelist and all the cloud and "auto" trust. Classical HIPS at it's best

 

yeap avast is a very good choice too i admited

 

I would like to recommend Avast and the Panda Cloud for the free as it has the smallest system impact, though firewall is not included,
For the paid version i would like to recommend G data internet security 2012, as it blew me away, its so light considering its a dual engine (Bitdefender,Avast)

 

Sounds like you love popups a lot

BTW what's wrong with the whitelist ?

 

If using Vista/Win7:

Windows Firewall Control for outbound control, Sandboxie and Avira.

MBAM and Hitman Pro on-demand and EMET at maximum settings.

Astalavista malware.