What free AV do you recommend to your non tech savy friends/family?

Off topic:

During the Avira setup, you refused to install the crapware =
"I have unchecked these installation options initially"
Correct?

Why your request bypassed and the 3 files (apnic.dll / apnstub.exe / apntoolbarinstaller.exe) are now in your pc?
Think about it........

Try to delete the above mentioned files. In next update they will come back.......

 

Don't be so harsh!

I thought about it and I will never ever install Avira and all the toolbar, askbar, registry booster crap again. Oh I forgot the nagging pop up.

 

Comodo Internet Security Premium 6 Default Settings

Avast 8 Free with PUP Enabled

 

Exactly my thinking.

 

You can schedule scans with MSE. MSE may not be the best detection, but it is without a doubt the most trouble free, install and forget type AV. Most of the others have an issue here or there on various machines that make them less than perfect for a not tech savvy user....

If you want a bit better detection, then my next vote would be for Avast.. Panda is alright too.

 

Avast, and for very casual PC users, MSE.

 

Yup as much as I can't stand it's UI and the flashy weird looking "city connecting to cloud." Avast is free, has been doing well for a long time and has pretty good shields. My parents and my sister they are all running Avast with everything on automatic and silent mode.

 

Avast of Bitdefender free.

 

Avast Avast and maybe Avast!

Bu sometimes I tend to recommend Avast! or Avast!

 

Bitdefender free,best detection and zero set up

 

Not a lot of Free AVs can show off with new effective technologies like the new Evo-gen, Dyna etc...that Avast added in V8

 

Another vote for avast. Not a big fan of the new interface but I am more concerned with detection than looks. I am just glad that avast is a private company not beholden to shareholders or you would probably see a very crippled free version.

 

Avast free or Bitdefender free. Avast is my first choice because it has the remote connection feature. Makes tech support a little easier.

 

Avast, with PUP detection on, heuristics set to high in all resident shields, and sandbox turned off (for convenience reasons).

 

For family or friends with no proven history of risky surfing and related severe infections I would install MSE and Kingsoft. If I know of or sense a risk I would install Comodo with proactive security settings. For those who proved to be continuous problems it was usually Comodo and Kingsoft.

 

Outch! Without AutoSandbox ? Most of the AutoSandboxed stuffs are malwares (at least 60% I'd say).

 

I don't care any fancy terms any AV company used in their product description, I only care the independent test results form AV-Comparatives, especially detection rate and real world protection test. Avast scored poorly and consistently so it's a loser in my dictionary.

Sorry to break your fantasy over avast.

 

Most folks i help (some clients and family) don't know how to answer the prompts, and will get annoyed. I've seen many times the sandbox reacting to legit files... so i prefer to disable it, but use the PUP detection and set heuristics to high.

 

Avast in combo with OP Suite free. I now have the AV and a FW.

 

I can't get myself to like the new interface of Avast or "feature creep", but if you're willing to at least bother to pay attention to its warnings and let it do its job, Avast is so very simple and effective.

 

No need to be sorry since I know what I am talking about.
While on the other hand you don't, because then you should know that......

1. NO testing org including AV-C have tested Avast V8 with the new techs Evo-Gen, Dyna etc etc...

2. It's a TEST and as much as I trust AV-C I always put my personal knowledge about the software before any test results in the world.

3. Salt, go buy some salt you'll need it when looking at the test results, just a tip

BTW you see my Sig? I use ESET. ESET have never scored 100% like Bitdefender, but I will not change to BD only because they got better results on one or several tests.
ESET have never let me down, I know how it works, and I trust ESET to 100%. I bet there are many many Avast users that can say the same about Avast!

 

Your 1st point is valid. I did not pay attention to the version number Avast sent to AV-Comparatives for test. Anyway, until I see some hard evidence avast has improved I'll not touch it.
As for your 2nd and 3rd point, I don't agree with. I am a science major and I only believe cold hard evidence, rather than one's own feeling or experience. ESET had its golden times but I moved on from it a while ago due to its descending performance in tests.

 

Its funny how some people trust fancy names and marketing gimmicks instead of balanced evidence.

 

very good point.

 

Fyi I made a poll to complement this thread as it seemed to make sense:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=343956