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Windows 8 spyware/antivirus?

IHateMyJob2004

IHateMyJob2004

Lifer
What are people using for free antivirus on Windows 8?

What about free spyware?

Does Microsoft offer any free software that covers these areas?
 
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I use windows defender which now has microsoft security essentials built in, and the firewall. No other third party software needed along with a router. No problems here but hey there's lot of 'legitimate' spyware out there these days that gets installed with freeware or games. I wanted to install "cut the string" but did not want to install the bloatware/spyware "pokki" for example. Gotta watch what shareware/freeware you install these days as they'll install browser hijacking garbage without the option to opt out. Perhaps there is a third party spyware program that will protect from this but I don't need it.
 
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avast! Free Antivirus

Even compatible wit Windows 8.1

MSE is the worst AV in the world, see how it scores in the below chart:

fucmxh.png
 
Berryracer isn't wrong though:

"Microsoft has admitted Windows users should install antivirus above and beyond its own Security Essentials, describing its protection as merely a "baseline" that will "always be on the bottom" of antivirus software rankings."
http://bit.ly/14G9DHg

With that being said i've had my AV installed for years and it's still sitting at 0 detected.

So what does that mean. I never get viri or does it mean that Eset isn't detecting the ones i do get?
 
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smakme7757 said:
Berryracer isn't wrong though:

"Microsoft has admitted Windows users should install antivirus above and beyond its own Security Essentials, describing its protection as merely a "baseline" that will "always be on the bottom" of antivirus software rankings."
http://bit.ly/14G9DHg

With that being said i've had my AV installed for years and it's still sitting at 0 detected.

So what does that mean. I never get viri or does it mean that Eset isn't detecting the ones i do get?
Click to expand...
thank u for bringing that up. I didn't reply to the guy above you because I have no time to waste convincing people not to use that baseline AV. In fact, it is the same not to use any AV than to use MSE or Windows Defender. I also hate how it gets its definition updates as Windows updates rather than update silently.

I am tired of all AV programs to be honest. I have 3 year licenses for each of the below please read my comments:

Bitdefender AV Plus = very buggy software, although its detections are the best, it acts as a virus by itself in the way it slows down your internet browsing and weird bugs here and there

Kaspersky IS = very buggy again especially its new 2014 version. not even compatible with Windows 8.1 yet

Eset Smart Security = it lost its reign as the king of AV programs it had in the past, it was the lightest, yet the most secure, not it isn't the lightest, neither the best at detecting or preventing viruses

I have now installed AV and testing it, pleased so far, and I love the fact that it has a built in IE ad blocker! thumbs up! it even works blocking ads in the new IE 11 even though the addons state that they are not compatible with IE 11
 
smakme7757 said:
Berryracer isn't wrong though:

"Microsoft has admitted Windows users should install antivirus above and beyond its own Security Essentials, describing its protection as merely a "baseline" that will "always be on the bottom" of antivirus software rankings."
http://bit.ly/14G9DHg
Click to expand...

Please point out where Microsoft is quoted as saying that.

As someone else already made comments along these lines, I'll point you straight to my response to that:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?p=35570849&highlight=#post35570849

berryracer doesn't ever actually bother to read up before making such claims, he just parrots what other people post (his response to yours is a case in point), which is why he finds it very difficult to respond to any criticisms to his comments.

For example, even though I would warn a customer against using McAfee, I would raise an eyebrow at any set of tests whose conclusions suggested that it was say 80% worse at detecting malware than the competition, and I would definitely read up on the testing methodology of the research that made such claims.
 
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That isn't a quote.

Example: Berryracer said that MSE is rubbish.

That isn't a quote either.

Here's another example of something that isn't a quote, but an extrapolation from something I read:

Microsoft says that its security software isn't good enough.

See what I did there?
 
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mikeymikec said:
That isn't a quote.

Example: Berryracer said that MSE is rubbish.

That isn't a quote either.

Here's another example of something that isn't a quote, but an extrapolation from something I read:

Microsoft says that its security software isn't good enough.
Click to expand...
The bottom line is that Microsoft shares their knowledge with other AV companies, so all other AV companies will have *at a minimum* the same coverage as MSE.

Add in that most AV companies have years and years years of data and it's no surprise that they get better results than MSE.

Does that make MSE the worst product on the market. Maybe.

Does it mean MSE is 100% useless, no it doesn't.

Berryracers argument is that MSE is 100% useless, so he is wrong. However if you want the best protection, then you can't beat a dedicated security company. End of story.

As Microsoft put it:
"Baseline does not equal bad,"
Click to expand...
"We provide a high-quality, high-performing service to our customers and if they choose not to buy antivirus on Windows 8... we want to get those people protected."
Click to expand...
From same link as above. or here: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Micr...-Just-a-Basic-Anti-Virus-Product-386213.shtml

Microsoft representative: Holly Stewart

In the end the consumer has a choice.
Take what Microsoft provides or buy into an AV solution. What's best, who knows? Like I mentioned before, my AV is still sitting at 0 detected....
 
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smakme7757 said:
The bottom line is that Microsoft shares their knowledge with other AV companies, so all other AV companies will have *at a minimum* the same coverage as MSE.
Click to expand...

As a side note, I'd like to know more about this if you can find something to back up this claim, feel free to PM it to me.

Berryracers argument is that MSE is 100% useless, so he is wrong.
Click to expand...
And that's all I was trying to point out. He basically parrots out these claims as if they are fact when all he has done is look at obfuscated statistics (which IMO are based on some very dodgy methodologies and explanations for what the tests involved), and goes on every AV thread saying the same thing. This does not help people.

He's entitled to his opinion, and if he doesn't like MSE, I don't have a problem with that.

On the topic of press bullshit, notice that the first quote you made regarding what MS said does not equal what are apparently quotes from Microsoft in your post I'm responding to.

The most laughable part of the PC Pro article is the headline:

"Microsoft: Security Essentials is designed to be bottom of the antivirus rankings"

Source: Nichole Kobie's ass
 
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mikeymikec said:
I've never heard that before, citation needed.
Click to expand...
you should really read the source links i provide. For all you know I made it all up.

From both of the provided links.
"We’re providing all of that data and information to our partners so they can do at least as well as we are,"
Click to expand...
mikeymikec said:
He's entitled to his opinion, and if he doesn't like MSE, I don't have a problem with that.

On the topic of press bullshit, notice that the first quote you made regarding what MS said does not equal what are apparently quotes from Microsoft in your post I'm responding to.
Click to expand...
But he still has a point that a dedicated AV company can provide a higher level of security. How much higher is a discussion for another day.
 
The "Press Bullshit" you're referring is still true. MS can't offer the best AV coverage. It's pretty common knowledge the MSE isn't the absolutely best product on the market.
 
smakme7757 said:
It's pretty common knowledge the MSE isn't the absolutely best product on the market.
Click to expand...

That's a high standard you're aiming for. I don't know that I'd even call it "competitive". MSE is light, and easy. Those are pretty much the only reasons to run it near as I can tell. The big question is "Is that better than running nothing at all?".

I'd be interested in hearing if anyone here has had MSE protect them from a virus. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that. Most people with a clue don't get viruses anyway, so running the best A/V, or nothing at all doesn't make a bit of difference. The best question is "What A/V best protects people that don't have a clue?".

I used to use Avira free, but the adware's gotten out of control. I switched my mother to Ubuntu largely because of that. If she were running Windows, I wonder what the best A/V would be? Best is defined as easy, fairly light, and effective.
 
lxskllr said:
That's a high standard you're aiming for. I don't know that I'd even call it "competitive". MSE is light, and easy. Those are pretty much the only reasons to run it near as I can tell. The big question is "Is that better than running nothing at all?".

I'd be interested in hearing if anyone here has had MSE protect them from a virus. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that. Most people with a clue don't get viruses anyway, so running the best A/V, or nothing at all doesn't make a bit of difference. The best question is "What A/V best protects people that don't have a clue?".

I used to use Avira free, but the adware's gotten out of control. I switched my mother to Ubuntu largely because of that. If she were running Windows, I wonder what the best A/V would be? Best is defined as easy, fairly light, and effective.
Click to expand...
MSE is designed to be good enough. Other AV products are more intrusive because they want to be the best. It's their niche, it's their specialty and it's their primary income stream. So i don't doubt for a minute that they are better. But again, what is better? Eset on my desktop is still sitting @ 0 detected threats.

How many virus would a user have to encounter before it met one MSE didn't detect? (I'm not talking about a test, I mean real life usage)

It's up to the consumer to decide if the added security of a paid product will give them a decent ROI (I don't feel my Eset sub has done that - still sitting at 0). Personally I'm happy with MSE, i have no plans to renew my Eset sub when it runs out.

*edit. Shortened post - to get to the point 🙂

**Edit:
I lost all faith to be honest when i created my own virus which was Fully UnDetectable (FUD as the script kiddies like to call it) with just a few hours on Google. There is just no substitute for "Internet Awareness".
 
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This topic must come up at least once a week, and the same varied opinions are posted. Please search the forum before you post another "What's the best AV?"

We would not need an AV program if everyone followed mechBgon security guide. http://www.mechbgon.com/build/security2.html and used common sense, but that would be in a perfect world.

For info, I also posted the "Microsoft Security Essentials is designed to be bottom of the antivirus rankings" link in the Security section. http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2344925

If you want to go with AV-Comparatives findings, and take note that they use MSE as a base line, then for Real World Protection and Performance the leaders are Kaspersky and Bitdefender; and among the free AVs Avast.
http://www.av-comparatives.org/comparatives-reviews/
 
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berryracer said:
Bitdefender AV Plus = very buggy software, although its detections are the best, it acts as a virus by itself in the way it slows down your internet browsing and weird bugs here and there
Click to expand...
I have been using Bitdefender for quite a while now and have nothing but good things to say.
Bitdefender has works quietly in the back ground and is very stable and well quite.
It has caught several questionable websites and as far as I am concerned on my windows 8 machine Bitdefender rocks!!!
 
lxskllr said:
...I'd be interested in hearing if anyone here has had MSE protect them from a virus. ...
Click to expand...

Raises hand. Didn't protect me, but a person I was helping out. They were running McAfee at the time. I think the issue is that names like McAfee and Norton are targets Those designing malware don't worry about getting around/through MSE, since so many people have little faith in it anyway. They go after the names that really get them attention.

Not to say MSE was the only thing I ran at the time (haven't found an antivirus that is especially good at spyware/malware) but it did find threats.
 
I've been running free AVG on all my boxes for years and can't complain. Updates quietly and I can schedule it to update and scan at 3am. Every once in a while I wake up to 4 PC's (at this point) saying updates have taken place and a restart is required, but it's been very good at catching things.
 
ketchup79 said:
Raises hand. Didn't protect me, but a person I was helping out. They were running McAfee at the time. I think the issue is that names like McAfee and Norton are targets Those designing malware don't worry about getting around/through MSE, since so many people have little faith in it anyway. They go after the names that really get them attention.

Not to say MSE was the only thing I ran at the time (haven't found an antivirus that is especially good at spyware/malware) but it did find threats.
Click to expand...

Well, it's good to know it does /something/ :^D

When I was on Windows, I used to run Spybot S&D, and the only thing it was good for was downloading updates, and reloading the database. I never hit a bad site the immunization blocked, and occasional scans only turned up a few cookies. After a few years, I just uninstalled it. It only served as manual labor for me to perform, and defragging the hd served that purpose fine. Defragging gave me the benefit of watching the colors move around. Strangely satisfying to watch, but didn't do much for performance :^D
 
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