Antivirus Software

According to Gartner Inc. security analyst John Pescatore, "Spyware and phishing are actually bigger problems for consumers than viruses." Pescatore adds that he expects such threats to continue to grow. Still, experts agree that every Windows computer needs antivirus software. While spyware is more prevalent, viruses can do more harm. Most antivirus programs will catch some spyware; many now have full-fledged anti-spyware applications included.

Nearly all software companies are offering 30-day free trials of their programs. We don't know all the catches, but one commonly mentioned in reviews is that many of these programs can be difficult to uninstall. Most of the programs can be installed on two or three computers with a single license (purchase).

Best antivirus software

Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7.0 (*est. $40) scans all Internet traffic in real time to block viruses before they are saved to disk. It monitors all processes and registry changes, and warns users about suspicious modifications. The program is capable of implementing a system restore if a disaster strikes, but Windows XP and Vista also have that feature. CNet.com rates Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7.0 as an Editors' Choice. CNet's reviewer Robert Vamosi compares it favorably with BitDefender Antivirus 2008, Norton AntiVirus 2008 and McAfee VirusScan Plus 2008 in reaching that conclusion. Vamosi says Kaspersky is "light and fast." At BrightHub.com, Brett Callow says, "Kaspersky Anti-Virus [7.0] is, to put it simply, one of the best antivirus products on the market, clearly outperforming the offerings from its household-name competition."

Half of CNet readers give the program a high score, but many users experienced installation problems, slowing and crashes. One user informs that Kaspersky is incompatible with the popular ZoneAlarm firewall, although others don't report this problem. While Kaspersky has compatibility conflicts and other annoyances, it gets much higher user ratings than the best-selling Norton and McAfee antivirus programs. It has the highest rating among users of antivirus programs reviewed by CNet.com (CNet has not yet reviewed NOD32 3.0, but NOD32 2.5 has a much higher average rating than Kaspersky).

Kaspersky antivirus software produced mixed -- but generally very good -- results in independent lab tests. Kaspersky successfully prevented more viruses than any other program in a test by Virus.gr, a Greek antivirus-testing lab. It was less than perfect in a couple of Virus Bulletin's tests, and thus failed to achieve 100% certification, but Kaspersky Version 6 received a very favorable review from Virus Bulletin.

Like Kaspersky Anti-Virus, ESET NOD32 3.0 (*est. $40) protects against viruses, spyware, adware and phishing attacks. NOD32 uses a single engine to scan for all malware. It blocks infected files from being opened. The company's claim that "it has the smallest footprint and fastest performance" may be exaggeration, but reviews express that this is an outstanding earmark of the program. Version 2.5 enabled the fastest boot and scan speeds in CNet's tests, although Kaspersky edged NOD32 in a couple of deep-scanning tests.

Last year's version of NOD32 (version 2.7) was unique among antivirus programs in that reviewers completely agreed about its strengths and weaknesses. It was the best all-around antivirus program, with one huge caveat -- a "spectacularly bad" user interface, as described by Scot Finnie in Scot's Newsletter. Even so, Finnie praises NOD32 for its small file size, and reports that the program is fast and reliable and causes no problems. ESET has since responded to reviewer criticism and completely redesigned the user interface in the new version 3.0.

NOD32 3.0 has only been professionally reviewed so far by BIOS magazine, which selects it as an Editor's Choice in antivirus software. The user interface now has two options: basic and advanced. The advanced menu offers complete user control, and much of the terminology is in plain English. We'll await confirmation from other professional reviewers, but the default settings seem to be designed well enough that users may be able to gain the full benefit of the program without ever opening the interface window. Early user reviews are almost entirely favorable.

NOD32 has trumped all competitors in user reviews in recent years. Users at Amazon.com and CNet.com give the program the highest average ratings, and support is amazingly high from Scot's Newsletter readers and Newegg.com customers. NOD32 antivirus software is certified by all the major testing labs.

Experts agree that antivirus, anti-spyware and firewall applications are essential. Yet, many of the otherwise best antivirus programs are incompatible with anti-spyware and firewall programs made by other companies. But by all accounts, NOD32 antivirus software works and plays well with all other software.

Internet security suites

According to security software experts, an Internet security suite is an inelegant solution because the best of these programs often fall short in one or more areas. Security suites also include components and features that many users may not want, such as spam filters and parental controls. Still, if you use an Internet security suite and no other security software, you will have pretty good protection against all types of malware. A security software suite is often cheaper than buying individual programs. See our full report on Internet security suites for more information.

No new Internet security suite totally dominates reviews, but BitDefender has the early lead among critics. BitDefender Internet Security 2008 (*est. $50) and BitDefender Total Security 2008 (*est. $60) are basically the same program, but the latter adds maintenance and backup software. The previous version, BitDefender Internet Security 10, caused considerable slowing and had a complicated interface. Reviews say those issues have been satisfactorily addressed. BitDefender 10 coexisted politely with Webroot Spy Sweeper, a leading anti-spyware program.

Although BitDefender is favored by more reviewers, Norton Internet Security 2008 (*est. $55) is the best Internet security suite according to the three most credible experts. Tests show that it is a very good performer, but more than a third of about 100 users give it the lowest possible rating because of the problems it causes on their computers. If you use only Norton Internet Security 2008 for security, you are less likely to have problems than if you are using Norton in combination with other brands of security software.

Panda Internet Security 2008 (*est. $40) receives fewer reviews than some Internet security programs. Reviews agree that protection against viruses and spyware are excellent. The secondary features of the program, however, are not as good, according to PC Magazine. However, Panda Internet Security has an advantage in that it's inexpensive, with reportedly few conflict risks compared with Norton.

Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare (*est. $40) is an automated web-based security service. It includes antivirus, anti-spyware and firewall components, and it can back up files. The service includes 24-hour support. A widespread belief expressed in the computer press is that Microsoft shouldn't be selling security software, since imperfections in its products create most of the need for security. Professional reviews of Windows Live OneCare 2.0 are mixed. Its conventional Windows interface is a benefit for people who want simplicity and a short learning curve. We cover it and other such software combos in more detail in our report on Internet security suites .

Other notable antivirus software programs

Norton AntiVirus 2008 (*est. $40) is the bestselling program overall. It's popular because it is effective at detecting and blocking viruses, spyware and worms. It's also aggressively marketed, and retailers frequently offer free-after-rebate promotions. Reviews say that Symantec made a concerted effort to put its security programs on a diet and improve efficiency last year. Most reviews agreed that the 2007 version was significantly improved from the 2006 version, but still fatter and slower than competing products.

At BrightHub.com, reviewer Brett Callow writes, "Norton AntiVirus 2008 … offers first-class protection from viruses and other forms of malware. Despite this, Norton AntiVirus is … big and resource-intensive, and is missing the innovation seen in products from the new(ish) kids on the block, such as ESET and Kaspersky." Callow concludes that he would recommend Norton, but he would not use it on his own computer. Similarly, CNet's Robert Vamosi criticizes "the user experience," while praising antivirus protection. Norton passes all the tests conducted by independent labs.

While professional reviewers give Norton high ratings in spite of its shortcomings, people who have tried to live with the program aren't as kind. In about 50 early reviews at Newegg.com, Amazon.com and CNet.com, about 40 percent of buyers give the program the lowest possible rating. System drag is by far the biggest complaint. System problems, crashes, customer service and conflicts with other software also draw criticism.

The only other full reviews of the new 2008 antivirus software are by CNet.com, which gives middling ratings to CA Anti-Virus Plus CA Anti-Spyware 2008 (*est. $40) and Panda Antivirus 2008 (*est. $30) , and a high rating to BitDefender Antivirus 2008 (*est. $35) . Robert Vamosi says CA Anti-Virus Plus is faster than the previous version, but otherwise unimproved. CA Anti-Virus 2007 did not particularly impress any reviewer. Vamosi doesn't mention it, but CA (formerly named Computer Associates) will automatically renew (and charge you) if you don't opt out of auto renewals. The company touts this as a security feature. Last year, CA offered to pay for damages if your computer became infected with a virus. CA no longer offers this warranty. In early user reviews, several were unable to successfully install CA Anti-Virus without having it crash their computers. The program passes major lab tests, however.

Panda Antivirus 2008 (which also includes anti-spyware protection) hasn't been lab tested yet, but CNet's Robert Vamosi says the BitDefender Antivirus 2008 "is a better deal in both protection and features." He says system drain is average. A handful of user reviews span the spectrum of opinion, but the number of reports is too small to be significant in judging Panda Antivirus 2008.

CNet's Vamosi is very impressed with BitDefender Antivirus 2008, but in the end still votes for Kaspersky. Vamosi gives BitDefender points as "most improved," however. The previous version, BitDefender Antivirus v10, received mixed reviews but Vamosi says the new version is fast, which would be the major improvement over the slothful version 10.

Trend Micro AntiVirus plus AntiSpyware 2008 (*est. $35) needs to be mentioned, because Trend Micro is the third leading security software seller. Trend Micro AntiVirus plus AntiSpyware 2008 hasn't been fully reviewed yet. CNet.com has a partial review, but withholds a rating pending independent testing. The review has little useful information, but is not especially encouraging. A dozen user reviews reveal typical mixed reactions, with half of users giving it the bottom rating. One user complains that the program is impossible to uninstall without manually deleting registry keys. That major problem plagued the 2007 versions of Trend Micro's programs as well.

Trend Micro AntiVirus plus AntiSpyware 2007 received at least one top rating, but other reviews of the program were closer to the opposite extreme. PC Magazine reviews the Trend Micro Internet Security 2008 (which includes antivirus software). You can read Neil Rubenking gritting his teeth between the lines in this review. He experienced "serious and varied installation problems," but concedes the program might otherwise be above average. Both Rubenking and CNet.com's Robert Vamosi imply that the 2008 version is faster than the 2007 version.

F-Secure Anti-Virus 2008 (*est. $65) might be worth considering. The program and its Internet security sibling have received some favorable reviews in the past couple of years. However, we found no professional or user reviews for F-Secure Anti-Virus 2008, and at press time, the new version wasn't commercially available. The situation may be different as you read this. We also did not find a review of the standalone ZoneAlarm Antivirus (*est. $30) , which includes a firewall as well as antivirus software.

Free antivirus software

If you don't want to pay for antivirus software, you have many options, but according to reviews, free programs are not as good as commercial antivirus software. We found popular support for three free programs: Grisoft's AVG Anti-Virus Free (http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1), avast! 4 Home Edition (http://www.avast.com/) and AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic (http://www.free-av.com/). Mary Landesman, About.com's Guide to Antivirus Software, had the free programs professionally tested and found that AntiVir PersonalEdition does the best job of detecting viruses, but only manages to find three-quarters of them.

UK Internet magazine Web User compares all the major free antivirus programs and says AVG Anti-Virus is the best. Reviewer Mark Wilson likes its features and ease of use. He also likes the free edition of BitDefender, even though it doesn't include real-time virus protection. Other reviewers specifically do not recommend the free edition of BitDefender.

Scot Finnie of Scot's Newsletter reports that "AVG users swear by this product," even though "its protection isn't up to the level of F-Secure or NOD32 …according to many of the independent tests." Scot's Newsletter readers, including IT managers and security experts, recommend AVG over other free programs. However, even though AVG has more than 300,000 downloads from BetaNews, it earns a lower average rating from BetaNews members than its free competitors do. avast! Home Edition has the highest average rating of any free program. However, avast! did not pass the most recent ICSA Labs test. AntiVir Personal is also more highly regarded than AVG by downloaders at BetaNews.

Grisoft, the developer of AVG Free Edition, also makes the commercial program AVG Anti-Virus 7.5 Professional Edition (*est. $30). In spite of the name, it is a consumer product. The Free Edition is a stripped-down version. Only McAfee VirusScan Plus 2007 fares as poorly in reviews as AVG Anti-Virus 7.5 Professional Edition.

The common thread we found in user reviews of free programs is that few people claim they are better than commercial programs. In addition to free antivirus software, you can often get regular software for free, if you're willing to send in rebate forms. You can get a rebate on security software when you purchase tax-prep software. Other rebate deals are common.

Most antivirus software manufacturers offer "competitive upgrade rebates" if you switch to their brand. You need specific proof of ownership of a competing product (e.g., a CD-ROM). While these rebates rarely equal the purchase price, manufacturers and/or retailers often offer second rebates so retailers can advertise that the product is free.

Another option is to use software provided by your Internet service provider (ISP). The national ISPs offer free antivirus software as a competitive advantage. Comcast, AOL and MSN Premium offer a free version of McAfee. Verizon and Qwest also offer McAfee as part of MSN Premium. EarthLink and Cox offer proprietary programs.

Antivirus software for Mac and Linux platforms

Many people believe that computers running Linux or Macintosh operating systems are immune from viruses. While nearly all viruses specifically attack Windows, other types of malware are platform-neutral.

If you are running both Mac OS X and Windows on an Intel-based Mac computer, be aware that you need to protect both platforms -- that means you need security software for Windows even if you are working on a Mac.

While worms might not affect Macintosh computers, they can be unwittingly passed along via e-mail to Windows computers. Mac users who are on a network shared by both Windows and Mac systems need to protect other users on the system from malicious macros and Trojan horses. Macworld recommends Intego's VirusBarrier (*est. $50) "for its scanning speed and its well-integrated Mac features." Macworld's Rob Griffiths adds, "Norton AntiVirus is a close second." Intego VirusBarrier X4 Dual Protection (*est. $70) works with the Windows and Macintosh systems, but we have not yet seen it evaluated in reviews. Norton AntiVirus 11.0 for Macintosh (*est. $50) was just released in mid-December. It has not been reviewed yet.

Linux is the safest operating system, according to PC World's Scott Spanbauer in his June 2006 column. For that reason, he recommends free programs for Linux users. Clam AntiVirus is excellent, he says. As an alternative, "If you'd prefer antivirus software with a commercial track record, try the Linux version of Grisoft's renowned AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition."

Important Features: Antivirus software

Here's what the experts say to look for when choosing antivirus software:

• A good detection rate is key. Several third-party companies test antivirus software for detection rates. Mary Landesman, About.com's Guide to Antivirus Software, says, "Before considering any antivirus solution, you should check their ItW certification by consulting any of the following: VB100% (http://www.virusbtn.com), ICSALabs (http://www.icsa.net) or Checkmark (http://www.check-mark.com)." Most mainstream products perform well, including those discussed in this report.

• Check the system requirements before you buy. If you are using Windows XP or Vista, any antivirus software will work. If you have an older or slower computer, however, a large antivirus software program can consume a huge percentage of your computing power. Check our Comparison Chart for system requirements for the software included in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers.

• An intuitive interface makes software easy to use. Because antivirus software can be customized in many ways, it's important that the interface guides users through the various settings.

• The ability to update daily is crucial. Most software provides one year of unlimited free updates. After that, you renew your virus-update subscription, buy a new version of the same program or switch brands. Virus signatures are specific strings of binary code that can be detected by antivirus software. Most programs will automatically check for updates. Some free software relies on a manual check, but AVG automatically checks for updates.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (with Retailer Links)	Details from Amazon.com
7	ESET NOD32 3.0/2.7 (*est. $40)	details
5	Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7.0/6.0 (*est. $40)	details
4	Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 7.5 (free)	-
2	Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic (free)	-
2	Norton AntiVirus 2008 (*est. $40)	details
1 each	Alwil avast! Home Edition 4.7, BullGuard Anti-Virus, CA Antivirus 2008 , F-Secure Anti-Virus 2008, McAfee VirusScan Plus , Norton AntiVirus 2008 , Panda Internet Security 2008 , Trend Micro AntiVirus plus AntiSpyware 2007

Note that some of the listings on this chart come from recent reviews of discontinued versions. Because reviewers do not appear to be changing their tunes about the new versions, reviews of the old versions that were conducted this year (especially if tested with Windows Vista) still have some validity. Be aware, though, that all new versions were released within the past four months, and until we see a significant number of user reviews, we won't know which of the new versions introduce new problems. The 2007 versions of Trend Micro, McAfee and BitDefender programs were considerably worse than their predecessors, according to people who used both 2006 and 2007 versions.

We found the most recommendations for versions 6 and 7 of Kaspersky Anti-Virus and versions 2.7 and 3.0 of ESET's NOD32. NOD32 2.7 is universally praised for its effectiveness, and equally discredited for its clunky, counterintuitive interface. That's the only reason why not all experts have historically rated it as the best program. Now, version 3.0 has a new interface. Reviewers say it's still ugly (from an aesthetic standpoint), but some feel that the new two-tiered (novice/expert) interface overcomes previous objections. Kaspersky also is very effective and has some conflict issues, but all credible reviewers rank both programs among the two or three best.

Norton AntiVirus 2008 continues to be controversial. The 2007 version was redesigned to be much less of system hog, but its drain on computing speed was still worse than that from most competitors. Conflicts with ZoneAlarm (the top-rated firewall program) and Spy Sweeper (the top-rated anti-spyware program) also plagued Norton AntiVirus 2007, according to some reports we've seen. We await user reviews that tell us whether the new version overcomes those issues. Tests by all the independent labs show that Norton works well.

AVG is the most popular free antivirus program. It does well in some tests and not as well in others. It offers little user control and no free tech support, but you can't pay less. AntiVir is more effective in a few tests.

If you need more than just antivirus software, consider a security suite, which also includes a software firewall, a spam filter, spyware protection, parental filters, popup blockers and anti-phishing features. See the ConsumerSearch report on Internet security suites for more information.

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