Best Free Anti-Virus Protection

[Les Awesome]

so my norton protection just ran out and i need protecting
for cheap cos i'm poor.
Whats the best anti virus protecting thingy

 

[Jark212]

I use Microsoft Security Essentials, it's free and I haven't had any problems with it...

 

[Conan_Edogawa]

I don't know about best, but I've been doing pretty well using Comodo.

 

[Lazarus Long]

I'm not sure you would really want anti virus protection. I kid because I love.

AVG has a free version that has yet to do me wrong. Then again, that could just be evidence in support of my hypothesis that computer viruses are like the biological kind: be very careful which ports you plug your cat-5 into, and you'll be okay. Protection certainly doesn't hurt, anyway.

 

[omega_peaches]

I want the people that made AVG Free's babies.

 

[Turigamot]

Avast! YARRRRR

 

[megamanenm]

I use the free version of Avast!, the pop-ups asking to upgrade do get anything though. But I've had no issue with it so far...

 

[Nostalgia Ripoff]

I've been using Avast, and it's done me right so far. Although, it is detecting a Trojan here on the Escapist, so I'm not quite sure of its accuracy anymore.

Edit: Specifically, it says that the virus is coming from Gaikai, one of the advertisers here. I don't think that's right, but hey. What do I know?

 

[Avaholic03]

I'm using Avast! now. Used to have AVG, but I got tired of the crap asking me to upgrade to their paid version. Avast! runs completely in the background, nothing annoying, no performance lag during scanning, and no viruses so far *knocks on wood*

 

[Hader]

I use Avast!, though I hear plenty good about AVG and Microsoft Security Essentials. Any of those three should do well.

 

[juvemisfit]

Microsoft Security Essentials. If it breaks, it doesn't do stupid stuff like break and cut off your internet access. My workplace actually recommends it over the AV my Uni provides.

 

[Skorpyo]

It appears to me that the vast majority of the Escapist (myself included) prefer Avast!.

There's a reason for that, you know.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

It appears to me that the vast majority of the Escapist (myself included) prefer Avast!.

There's a reason for that, you know.

Pretty much this. I've used Avast! for years, nary a complaint. It catches teh viruses and doesn't afraid of anything. (Granted, I don't give it much of a workout since I use Opera and Firefox for web browsing and don't download mysterious files.)

 

[Frank Reading]

Comodo is pretty good as a firewall and virus scanner. Good features, but lags your PC when scanning.

 

[Deadpan Snarker]

I have yet to go wrong with AVG in the 3 years I've been using it. I've heard good things about Avast!, though I've never used it myself.

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

A lot of people are saying Avast so I'm gonna go ahead and say Avast......look mommy, I'm fitting in.

 

[EternalFacepalm]

Avast! and Comodo Firewall (it WILL annoy the crap out of you, though) works well together, in my opinion.
AVG works pretty well too, don't know about MSE, though.

 

[Sunkissed Cheez It]

The best anti virus is common sense, but I use Microsoft Security Essentials. It's non intrusive and does its job.

 

[Tallim]

I use the Comodo security suite. Firewall, Antivirus and Active Defence. Works wonders, haven't had anything catch hold for years now. Although the Defence and Firewall are very aggressive and annoying until they know all your trusted stuff.