free anti-virus/spyware etc. protection

[mercia]

apologies if this subject has been covered before, but
can anyone recommend reliable free internet security? For the last two years I have been using something called Trend Micro Titanium but don't really want to fork out for its renewal - or does the best always come at a price?

any suggestions gratefully received

[ostuni]

Avast was recommended to me several years ago, on a messageboard frequented by several who know more about this sort of thing than I do... I've used it since then, with no ill effects.

[MrGongGong]

Avast was recommended to me several years ago, on a messageboard frequented by several who know more about this sort of thing than I do... I've used it since then, with no ill effects.

Avast seems to work fine on the PCs in this house
and we like the pirate theme (that's what was missing on sunday )

[subcontrabass]

apologies if this subject has been covered before, but
can anyone recommend reliable free internet security? For the last two years I have been using something called Trend Micro Titanium but don't really want to fork out for its renewal - or does the best always come at cost?

any suggestions gratefully received

For many years I have used Avira free anti-virus software (http://www.avira.com/free-av) and Zone Alarm free firewall (http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en...download-b.htm). These seem to work in a satisfactory way. Avira updates about twice a day.

Zone Alarm now offer an integrated anti-virus and firewall, but I have not tried it.

I also use Spybot (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html) for defence against malware.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I've been using Norton 360 since I bought this laptop three years ago: my subscription renewal is coming up in a month or so. I'd be grateful if anyone - when they've stopped laughing at my naivety, of course - would tell me why I don't need to spend money on Internet security.

Cheers!

[MrGongGong]

I don't use a PC myself anymore
but doesn't Windows 7 include anti virus, spyware and firewall etc as part of the basic package now ?

[subcontrabass]

- would tell me why I don't need to spend money on Internet security.

You do not need to spend money when there are several adequate free options available for use on computers not used for commercial purposes.

[subcontrabass]

I don't use a PC myself anymore
but doesn't Windows 7 include anti virus, spyware and firewall etc as part of the basic package now ?

Some experts who have studied them find them to be inadequate.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

You do not need to spend money when there are several adequate free options available for use on computers not used for commercial purposes.

So they're not all waiting to strip my bank account of all assets and put pornography on my hard drive? (Y'see; I believe what they tell me in the shops!)

[Serial_Apologist]

So they're not all waiting to strip my bank account of all assets and put pornography on my hard drive? (Y'see; I believe what they tell me in the shops!)

If true at least you wouldn't be in any position to pay for the pornography.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

If true at least you wouldn't be in any position to pay for the pornography.

[MrGongGong]

If true at least you wouldn't be in any position to pay for the pornography.

It is (IMV) The Cure's best album though ...................

[Curalach]

any suggestions gratefully received

Mercia, although I have now been using Kaspersky for 3 years for my pc and my wife's laptop, I used to use AVG which is free and with which I never had any problem. This rather begs the question "why change?"
It was a recommendation from someone I trust and it manages to update itself without impacting on system performance.
I would still say that AVG is well worth a try and I would go back to it if Kaspersky were not so inexpensive from Amazon.

[Anna]

I use AVG (free version) I run Malwarebytes once a week to double check for malware, it's very effective. I also have Windows Defender which doesn't seem to do anything useful that I can see. Zone Alarm caused conflicts with Virgin security when I was with them but I thought it was good.

[Don Petter]

I've used AVG (free versions) for many years now, with no problems. (Oh, but don't install LinkScanner, which slows things down a lot.)

I have also heard it said that the free Microsoft Security Essentials is good (Windows only).