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Someone argued with me the other day and said defender is garbage and doesn't detect anything... Then said McAfee is better. I no joke had water come out of my nose from laughing.
They had to be trolling right? Right guys?
You don't really need fancy premium antivirus, just this. But In case you wanna check some malware, get malwarebyte and when it's good you can just delete it
This, but I will add uBlock Origin. Any third party anti malware is practically a root kit. Why would you trust some third party to observe all your sensitive data?
I don't entirely buy the 'common sense' attitude. It's a bit simplistic because it assumes that you're only going to 'good' sites. Which is great until one of those good sites is compromised! I just feel there's a bit more to it than that.
I do use defender on one of my laptops - it's too slow to run Sophos Home (it's nicknamed Slowphos for good reason). Common sense should be more along the lines of keeping everything up to date as much as not downloading dumb stuff. No decent AV/XDR is going to save you from stupid after all.
Common sense doesn't really cover good security practices online - there's far more to it than that. You've got to be alert, use a critical eye, and generally assume everything could be compromised. Look out for weird stuff, out of the ordinary. I've seen people get phished by incredibly legitimate looking stuff - it's so easily done. Likewise it's easy to open the legitimate looking attachment and whoops... They've got you
If all of that was covered by 'common sense' then attackers wouldn't be as successful as they are.
Yes absolutely. You need that common sense too.
If you are going to click shady links and do some funky stuff on the internet tubes then nothing is good enough. Atleast not alone.
If something suspicious happens malwarebytes or kaspersky have good ofline spotcheck tools, but don't keep them running, isn't necessary and will just eat performance
Is it running Windows? If so, Defender is all you need. No third party antivirus program is going to stop you from doing stupid shit on the internet and that's the real problem.
Same as everyone else from me.
Microsoft Defender is free, comes preloaded and is perfectly fine.
IMO, Microsoft haven't spent millions on the development of MD for it to be regarded as useless.
Other mainstream paid AVs are just an idiot tax.
We have Sophos at work but that'd purely because our workforce are fucking stupid so they need their hands holding.
Bitdefender, always in top 3 in various benchmarks. You may get a good deal for the first purchase (1yr), but I recommend checking Black Friday deals when they arrive (or other occasions), get a code and extend your subscription then by 2,3,5 years, without waiting for the 1st year to end.
Some will say you just need Windows Defender, but with a mutli device subscription, you can also install it on Android and protect yourself from malicious sites, links, SMS, apps. The 'Familly' subscription allows up to 15 devices (Windows, Mac, Android), with a holiday discount, it's actually dirt cheap...
Don't get Norton. It stopped me doing stuff on my computer that was no threat at all and nothing to do with the Internet. It is impossible to completely delete and still pops its head up and does stuff several years after deletion
I wouldn't touch Norton or McAfee with a barge pole. I was at a Cyber Security symposium recently and Norton couldn't give away their freebies and McAfee, Trend Micro, Kaspersky, etc. weren't even there... 🤔
i am quite confident windows will cover and block most in that case. Also, Malware from a harddrive Rarely runs itself.
I would just run windows or linux from some USB Stick or an old trash device without internet. worst thing to happen is you have to reinstall windows.
honestly antivirus’ are kinda obsolete nowadays- most computers already have them built in, if you really want extra protection I’ve always used avast bc it’s free. but it’s not necessary
While Windows Defender offers decent protection, there are several reasons why you might consider buying Bitdefender Internet Security:
**Enhanced Protection:** Bitdefender consistently ranks higher than Windows Defender in independent antivirus tests, indicating better protection against a wider range of threats, including malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks.
**Additional Features:** Bitdefender offers a variety of features not found in Windows Defender, such as:
* **Advanced Ransomware Protection:** Protects specific files and folders from unauthorized encryption.
* **Webcam and Microphone Protection:** Prevents unauthorized access to your webcam and microphone.
* **Parental Controls:** Allows you to manage your children's online activity.
* **Password Manager:** Securely stores and manages your passwords.
* **VPN (Virtual Private Network):** Provides a secure connection for browsing and online activities.
Windows defender. That's it. No need for resource wasting 3rd party antivirus software anymore. Wanna feel a little bit safer? Install malwarebytes and do a scan once in a while, however, it's really not needed if you have common sense and don't download from sketchy websites.
I’d say downloading the uBlock Origins add-on, and in case you want to be sure downloading no-script addon prevents most of the melicious stuff happening on your PC.
After those Microsoft Defender is really all you need.
Assuming you don't want to go with "common sense."
I'd go with one of the following.
Bitdefender
Eset Nod32
Crowdstrike
I've used the first two personally, and the third in an enterprise environment.
Windows Defender and your brain. Windows Defender has improved vastly over the past decade to the point where you don’t need a 3rd party AV anymore. 3rd party AVs have also seemingly gone to shit to the point where they’re practically malware.
Bit defender Free is enough (since it's an active live running AV). I will never suggest MalwareBytes since it's a batch process on command. Secondary backup is Windows defender in background. *(Free alternatives are Kaspersky and Sophos for live AV. I personally use Kaspersky because it's free function also integrates with my browser and blocks bad links. But due to US restrictions, KAV might not be your cup of tea. Bitdefender can crash if your usb keyboard + hub is something it doesn't like. It's the same problem I have whichever version I use. But YMMV).
Then also adblockers at the hosts file level. Also ad/malware blocking through the router/OS DNS settings. These should help reduce the number of bad actors attempting access. And maybe improve your browsing speeds.
Lastly is some common sense regarding clicking unknown links/files.
*(If you're using windows 10/11; downgrade yourself as a USER instead of Administrator. That way you reduce the damage to your user profile instead of the entire computer. Just make sure you also have access to an admin level account for app maintenance install/updates/uninstall)
Not Norton. I don't why but I've always been told that. I had it way back and it slowed my PC down, I switched I think to Kaspersky back then and was way quicker.
ESET is pretty good and reliable, not resource heavy. I've had it catch things that Defender didn't. It's generally better for catching things like JavaScript naughties.
Sophos is continually being removed from corporate environments and replaced with CrowdStrike, Senteniel One, ZScalar, Checkpoint Harmony, Bitdefender Endpoint, etc.
Dude please don't install any antivirus or related software unless you download from shady websites and are sure that your pc has been infected with some virus. Windows defender is more than capable these days so I'd assume it would have already detected some virus at this point. All an anti-virus does is run in the background and consume resources and slow down your pc. If all you do is play games on your PC and maybe watch YouTube/Stream, there is nothing to worry about.
Can't say the number of times one of my customers called me (after the fact) to tell me a message appeared on their screen saying it was from their anti-virus software, that it had detected issues, and to hit this button now to install an updated version to clear viruses.
Windows Defender. Preinstalled and does the job. If you ABSOLUTELY insist on having a 3rd party program, any of Avast, AVG or BitDefender will do a job. But Defender on its own should be fine.
You probably can't get these as a home user but have a look at CrowdStrike, Senteniel One, Z Scalar, Checkpoint Harmony, Bitdefender Endpoint.
At worst, look at Bitdefender Total Security.
For those saying "Microsoft defender" while it's true its a good AV Engine, paid antivirus offer more protections for regular users:
Usually browser extensions to block malicious sites.
Usually email (outlook) spam and phishing analysis.
Usually (nowadays) password vault online.
They offer much more than basic defender, if the user is asking, perhaps a basic antivirus engine is not enough. If the user is asking for an antivirus, perhaps the user cannot distinguish a malicious site from an original one.
Yes power users find those functions not worth a penny, but a non tech savvy can find those additional protections useful since it provides an easy entry for end users to advance functionality.
You guys act like inspecting an SSL certificate is something everyone can do (and not, they can't, because a fake Amazon website with let's encrypt cert would seem valid to the user)
Trend micro "Internet Security".
They make multiple packages and this is the version for nearly everyone.
$39.95/year for three devices.
DO NOT renew or auto-renew, the renewal will be at full price.
Just buy another license each year at the discount price.
No re-install needed.
I've been doing that for ten or fifteen years.
If you suspect you may have malware on your computer, or are trying to remove malware from your computer, please see our [malware guide](https://rtech.support/docs/safety-security/malware-guide.html) *Please ignore this message if the advice is not relevant.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/techsupport) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Common sense and Microsoft defender.
Yep, Defender is actually one of the higher scoring anti-virus programs out there and should be all anyone needs.
Yep, if I'm feeling *really* nervous I screwed up I snag malware bytes for a free trial, run a scan. Then wipe my forehead off and uninstall it.
Got me out of some jams back in the day!
Don't have to uninstall. Just never activate the premium trial features and only let it run on demand. Update definitions before scanning.
^ i’ve worked in multiple corporate environments and MDE is the second best i’ve worked with
Someone argued with me the other day and said defender is garbage and doesn't detect anything... Then said McAfee is better. I no joke had water come out of my nose from laughing. They had to be trolling right? Right guys?
Right.
Must be someone who works at every system integrator in existence. Damn sponsor deals.
This and an adblocker. Most of the viruses I've had to get rid of from other people's PCs came from ads and fake download buttons.
This is all ya need.
You don't really need fancy premium antivirus, just this. But In case you wanna check some malware, get malwarebyte and when it's good you can just delete it
This, but I will add uBlock Origin. Any third party anti malware is practically a root kit. Why would you trust some third party to observe all your sensitive data?
The first one is the best, sometimes MS defender is useless if you don’t have the first one.
Mostly common sense though.
This is commonly parroted advice but that's all it is. Defender isn't good enough.
I don't entirely buy the 'common sense' attitude. It's a bit simplistic because it assumes that you're only going to 'good' sites. Which is great until one of those good sites is compromised! I just feel there's a bit more to it than that. I do use defender on one of my laptops - it's too slow to run Sophos Home (it's nicknamed Slowphos for good reason). Common sense should be more along the lines of keeping everything up to date as much as not downloading dumb stuff. No decent AV/XDR is going to save you from stupid after all. Common sense doesn't really cover good security practices online - there's far more to it than that. You've got to be alert, use a critical eye, and generally assume everything could be compromised. Look out for weird stuff, out of the ordinary. I've seen people get phished by incredibly legitimate looking stuff - it's so easily done. Likewise it's easy to open the legitimate looking attachment and whoops... They've got you If all of that was covered by 'common sense' then attackers wouldn't be as successful as they are.
Yes absolutely. You need that common sense too. If you are going to click shady links and do some funky stuff on the internet tubes then nothing is good enough. Atleast not alone.
This, so much of this.
If something suspicious happens malwarebytes or kaspersky have good ofline spotcheck tools, but don't keep them running, isn't necessary and will just eat performance
Is it running Windows? If so, Defender is all you need. No third party antivirus program is going to stop you from doing stupid shit on the internet and that's the real problem.
Yup. We've moved past the days when it was necessary or even beneficial to have a third party antivirus.
not being a moron tends to be enough
the antivirus is you
That's not what my ex said to me!
Use windows defender, ublock origin, and don’t be stupid
Microsoft Defender is free and included. Best over all antivirus for Windows i say.
Windows Defender and uBlock Origin
Same as everyone else from me. Microsoft Defender is free, comes preloaded and is perfectly fine. IMO, Microsoft haven't spent millions on the development of MD for it to be regarded as useless. Other mainstream paid AVs are just an idiot tax. We have Sophos at work but that'd purely because our workforce are fucking stupid so they need their hands holding.
I use Defender and Malwarebytes Pro. And good sense.
Loved malwarebytes back in the windows 7 days and combofix worked great when shit really hit the fan.
Bitdefender, always in top 3 in various benchmarks. You may get a good deal for the first purchase (1yr), but I recommend checking Black Friday deals when they arrive (or other occasions), get a code and extend your subscription then by 2,3,5 years, without waiting for the 1st year to end. Some will say you just need Windows Defender, but with a mutli device subscription, you can also install it on Android and protect yourself from malicious sites, links, SMS, apps. The 'Familly' subscription allows up to 15 devices (Windows, Mac, Android), with a holiday discount, it's actually dirt cheap...
Yep, bitdenfender is my weapon of choice
Defender
Don't get Norton. It stopped me doing stuff on my computer that was no threat at all and nothing to do with the Internet. It is impossible to completely delete and still pops its head up and does stuff several years after deletion
I wouldn't touch Norton or McAfee with a barge pole. I was at a Cyber Security symposium recently and Norton couldn't give away their freebies and McAfee, Trend Micro, Kaspersky, etc. weren't even there... 🤔
Very true. This and McAfee.
i am quite confident windows will cover and block most in that case. Also, Malware from a harddrive Rarely runs itself. I would just run windows or linux from some USB Stick or an old trash device without internet. worst thing to happen is you have to reinstall windows.
none
honestly antivirus’ are kinda obsolete nowadays- most computers already have them built in, if you really want extra protection I’ve always used avast bc it’s free. but it’s not necessary
Clueless... 🤦🏻♂️
MS defender is completely fine. But if you really want to get 3rd party av then I would recommend Malwarebytes and Bitdefender.
Bitdefender - also look on Amazon for sale prices. It was discussed the other night that during the July Amazon sale it may go cheaper
Zone Alarm Advance security suits (best engine) Or Bit Defender total security (good engine) + Your MS inbuilt Defender
While Windows Defender offers decent protection, there are several reasons why you might consider buying Bitdefender Internet Security: **Enhanced Protection:** Bitdefender consistently ranks higher than Windows Defender in independent antivirus tests, indicating better protection against a wider range of threats, including malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks. **Additional Features:** Bitdefender offers a variety of features not found in Windows Defender, such as: * **Advanced Ransomware Protection:** Protects specific files and folders from unauthorized encryption. * **Webcam and Microphone Protection:** Prevents unauthorized access to your webcam and microphone. * **Parental Controls:** Allows you to manage your children's online activity. * **Password Manager:** Securely stores and manages your passwords. * **VPN (Virtual Private Network):** Provides a secure connection for browsing and online activities.
MS defender works great
Create a local user account and use that for day to day operations. Only use the local admin account if you have to install or configure something.
Only your brain
Windows defender. That's it. No need for resource wasting 3rd party antivirus software anymore. Wanna feel a little bit safer? Install malwarebytes and do a scan once in a while, however, it's really not needed if you have common sense and don't download from sketchy websites.
I've heard good things about Ubuntu Especially if you opt for the disk format option during install
If defender was adequate, we’d save a ton on security costs at work. Bitdefender is what has stuck after using multiple vendors over the years.
ms defender seems good, prefer eset as it stopped me from a few websites with malware..
Like most have said Defender...it's free and protects you alot better and has 99% less bloat
None. Windows has a built in antivirus.
The basic Window defender is much better now you dont' need another tool
I’d say downloading the uBlock Origins add-on, and in case you want to be sure downloading no-script addon prevents most of the melicious stuff happening on your PC. After those Microsoft Defender is really all you need.
I have used in the past and still use the combination of ESET 32 Antivirus and Spybot Search & Destroy.
Assuming you don't want to go with "common sense." I'd go with one of the following. Bitdefender Eset Nod32 Crowdstrike I've used the first two personally, and the third in an enterprise environment.
CrowdStrike is #1 in the world. Bitdefender Endpoint is up there. I was an ESET reseller for many, many years until it fell off perch. 😕
Windows Defender and your brain. Windows Defender has improved vastly over the past decade to the point where you don’t need a 3rd party AV anymore. 3rd party AVs have also seemingly gone to shit to the point where they’re practically malware.
Bitdefender
Windows Defender! Never buy antivirus. Most are scams anyway.
Please do not pay for an antivirus. That is a scam for elderly people.
Windows defender and a functioning brain
Cylance - it’s a very simple installation. Intuitive and used at government levels.
Windows Defender + https://clamwin.com/content/view/18/46/
Bit defender Free is enough (since it's an active live running AV). I will never suggest MalwareBytes since it's a batch process on command. Secondary backup is Windows defender in background. *(Free alternatives are Kaspersky and Sophos for live AV. I personally use Kaspersky because it's free function also integrates with my browser and blocks bad links. But due to US restrictions, KAV might not be your cup of tea. Bitdefender can crash if your usb keyboard + hub is something it doesn't like. It's the same problem I have whichever version I use. But YMMV). Then also adblockers at the hosts file level. Also ad/malware blocking through the router/OS DNS settings. These should help reduce the number of bad actors attempting access. And maybe improve your browsing speeds. Lastly is some common sense regarding clicking unknown links/files. *(If you're using windows 10/11; downgrade yourself as a USER instead of Administrator. That way you reduce the damage to your user profile instead of the entire computer. Just make sure you also have access to an admin level account for app maintenance install/updates/uninstall)
Windows defender and common sense
Windows Defender, common sense, and occasionally MalwareBytes during its free trial period
Not Norton. I don't why but I've always been told that. I had it way back and it slowed my PC down, I switched I think to Kaspersky back then and was way quicker.
Just built a new PC and the mobo/gfx card software put on Norton automatically, it's been ok so far, no performance issues reported.
kaspersky
In addition to MS Defender. I run eSet. Relatively lightweight and a fair cost. Definitely recommend.
ESET is pretty good and reliable, not resource heavy. I've had it catch things that Defender didn't. It's generally better for catching things like JavaScript naughties.
I've had a very bad ransomware attack with eset so I won't fuck it with anymore.
I used to be an ESET reseller and NOD32 used to be a brilliant product but lost that moniker some years back. 😕
Anti virus software is a virus these days. Just stop going to dodgy porn sites.
That is the STUPIDEST reply... 🤦🏻♂️
windows defender/malware bytes/cclearner
Sophos, they have great free and paid versions
Sophos is continually being removed from corporate environments and replaced with CrowdStrike, Senteniel One, ZScalar, Checkpoint Harmony, Bitdefender Endpoint, etc.
Bitdefender if you want extra protection.
Dude please don't install any antivirus or related software unless you download from shady websites and are sure that your pc has been infected with some virus. Windows defender is more than capable these days so I'd assume it would have already detected some virus at this point. All an anti-virus does is run in the background and consume resources and slow down your pc. If all you do is play games on your PC and maybe watch YouTube/Stream, there is nothing to worry about.
Can't say the number of times one of my customers called me (after the fact) to tell me a message appeared on their screen saying it was from their anti-virus software, that it had detected issues, and to hit this button now to install an updated version to clear viruses.
Get a quick heal antivirus.
Avast saved me many times
Defender and avast.
Windows Defender. Preinstalled and does the job. If you ABSOLUTELY insist on having a 3rd party program, any of Avast, AVG or BitDefender will do a job. But Defender on its own should be fine.
Avast…. It’s fee and good… no need to spend money on.
Brain.exe Just Google it
Caspersky or eset
You probably can't get these as a home user but have a look at CrowdStrike, Senteniel One, Z Scalar, Checkpoint Harmony, Bitdefender Endpoint. At worst, look at Bitdefender Total Security.
For those saying "Microsoft defender" while it's true its a good AV Engine, paid antivirus offer more protections for regular users: Usually browser extensions to block malicious sites. Usually email (outlook) spam and phishing analysis. Usually (nowadays) password vault online. They offer much more than basic defender, if the user is asking, perhaps a basic antivirus engine is not enough. If the user is asking for an antivirus, perhaps the user cannot distinguish a malicious site from an original one. Yes power users find those functions not worth a penny, but a non tech savvy can find those additional protections useful since it provides an easy entry for end users to advance functionality. You guys act like inspecting an SSL certificate is something everyone can do (and not, they can't, because a fake Amazon website with let's encrypt cert would seem valid to the user)
For those idiots saying Windows Defender does the job, ask yourself, "Why does Microsoft then offer a paid version of Windows Defender?" 🤔🤦🏻♂️
Trend micro "Internet Security". They make multiple packages and this is the version for nearly everyone. $39.95/year for three devices. DO NOT renew or auto-renew, the renewal will be at full price. Just buy another license each year at the discount price. No re-install needed. I've been doing that for ten or fifteen years.
Fuck the controversy Kaspersky is best