Is there a decent freeware antivirus for PC?

[W2DR 1,859]

1 hour ago, Biggles2010 said:

Those using Avast might like to read this article in Pc Mag about Avast harvesting your entire browsing history and selling it through it's marketing subsidiary.

Many applications available on the web "for free" are doing things like this. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. As my daddy told me....."there ain't no such thing as a free lunch". 

Edited November 27, 2020 by W2DR

[Biggles2010 342]

27 minutes ago, W2DR said:

Many applications available on the web "for free" are doing things like this. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. As my daddy told me....."there ain't no such thing as a free lunch". 

But those applications, like most forms of spyware, will usually be flagged up or blocked by your anti virus or even by your browser. When it's done by your own anti virus, deep under the hood, you have no knowledge of it happening.

[patrice_bambou 85]

Windows Defender is free and very efficient.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2020 by patrice_bambou

[Pro Avia 4]

Honestly, you couldn't pay me to use Norton - very intrusive.

I've used Avast for over 10 years without issue. I don't use their browser, just the basic AV. Couple that with Malwarebytes Antimalware, Spybot S&D, CCleaner and now Windows Defender in Win10 - and paying attention to sites I visit - haven't had any issues at all. Avast and WD run full time, the others I run as needed.

Edited November 27, 2020 by Pro Avia

[Wobbie 938]

I've been a long time Avast user, ever since I dumped AVG. 

Then I found it a bit 'naggy' & switched over to Defender. It just works, a low overhead,& I do a Malwarebytes scan ever so often. 

 

[Wobbie 938]

1 hour ago, Pro Avia said:

Honestly, you couldn't pay me to use Norton - very intrusive.

I've used Avast for over 10 years without issue. I don't use their browser, just the basic AV. Couple that with Malwarebytes Antimalware, Spybot S&D, CCleaner and now Windows Defender in Win10 - and paying attention to sites I visit - haven't had any issues at all. Avast and WD run full time, the others I run as needed.

You use both Avast & Windows Defender togther? Why?? Windows 10 only allows for a single anti virus, & CCleaner is just a cleaner, no antivirus features at all.

[martin-w 3,234]

2 hours ago, Pro Avia said:

Honestly, you couldn't pay me to use Norton - very intrusive.

I've used Avast for over 10 years without issue. I don't use their browser, just the basic AV. Couple that with Malwarebytes Antimalware, Spybot S&D, CCleaner and now Windows Defender in Win10 - and paying attention to sites I visit - haven't had any issues at all. Avast and WD run full time, the others I run as needed.

 

Conflicts can occur with multiple AV's.

Requires more resorces and can result in program conflicts.

[Luke 782]

20 hours ago, dave2013 said:

If you want true protection then you need a payware internet security application which has real-time detection, virus/malware/spyware scanner, and firewall.

Windows 10 has all three. What do you feel it misses that justifies paying extra?

Cheers!

[Ted Striker 338]

I believe all the security software companies harvest and profit from your data, especially the "free" ones. Do you think those offering "free" security software are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts after hours as a second volunteer job? Do you believe the payware ones are resisting the temptation to gain some extra income from data that they have unfettered access to? Microsoft already has access to all my data through Windows 10 so at least using Defender is not giving it to any additional parties. Now for the real shocker. My current sim computer is still running the same Windows 7-64 Pro install from the initial build in 2013 with only an admin account and protected only with Microsoft Security Essentials. I am actually very surprised that I have never had an infection, as far as I know. I haven't noticed any degradation in my computer or sim performance in all these years anyway. I do run it on an isolated network at my house though to protect my other computers. I built it and locked it down with the guidance of Nick Needham's Bible at Simforums and a friend who used to secure corporate computer systems which I attribute greatly to my good fortune. I am building a new system next month and will follow the same procedure except that this time will operate the new Windows 10 OS spyware driven(God help me) sim on a user account. To summarize a long evening cocktail hour ramble, I don't think your are gaining anything from a free antivirus addon over MS Defender and most likely just handing a lot of data to another group of people in exchange for a lot of false positive headaches that are supposed to make you feel that the software is actually doing something to protect you ( based on my experience many many years ago with Avast, AVG, Bit Defender, etc.)

Just my 2 cents...well maybe a few more,

Ted

[Pro Avia 4]

9 hours ago, Wobbie said:

You use both Avast & Windows Defender togther? Why?? Windows 10 only allows for a single anti virus, & CCleaner is just a cleaner, no antivirus features at all.

 

7 hours ago, martin-w said:

 

Conflicts can occur with multiple AV's.

Requires more resorces and can result in program conflicts.

Sorry, I didn't fully clarify.

Win10 shows Avast as the AV so Avast is running and providing active protection. Windows Defender is used for supplemental scans on-demand. I think Avast may disable Windows Defender from being active when Avast installs.

I use CCleaner to clean cookies, etc as part of my maintenance and run MBAM and Spybot then as well - or anytime I suspect something may be amiss.

 

[regis9 4,001]

Windows defender here.  Bought a Bitdefender subscription for a year and ended up uninstalling it before the year was up...it drove me crazy with false positives and broken a few P3D addons.

[dave2013 1,123]

On 11/27/2020 at 3:32 PM, Luke said:

Windows 10 has all three. What do you feel it misses that justifies paying extra?

Cheers!

I don't feel that it is missing anything.

There's an old saying that in my experience has proven to be true most of the time: "you get what you pay for".

If you're comfortable trusting your cybersecurity to Windows Defender and the default Windows firewall then that's your decision.

Dave

[Luke 782]

9 hours ago, dave2013 said:

There's an old saying that in my experience has proven to be true most of the time: "you get what you pay for".

I have a $1250 speaker cable I'd like to sell you. 🤪

Cheers!

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

17 minutes ago, Luke said:

I have a $1250 speaker cable I'd like to sell you. 🤪

Cheers!

I'm interested. Are you still trying to sell it in a package with your swampland in Florida?

[188AHC 2,138]

I use Microsofts own Defend and never had an intrusion.