Norton 360 vs. free options

[DayLaborer]

I'm looking to protect my new (dual-core, Win7 64-bit) PC. It's completely clean of viruses, etc. now. I cannot figure this out - there are so many conflicting rants vs. raves about everything I read about.

I'm considering two possible solutions:
Panda Anti-Virus Cloud AND Spy Blaster
OR
Norton 360 (by itself)
as I believe either of those two solutions provides a "complete" solution (virus and malware).

Is it worth paying for 360 over a free "package"? Any advice or help, please?

Thanks,
Eliezer

 

[BadBigBen]

My Opinion and I will stick with that, I would never pay Simantec (Norton) a dime for their cruddy software...

if you look around this Forum and others out there on the NET, you will see that Norton brings lots of problems with it, specially when you try to uninstall it...

now I am also not to keen on Panda, and specially All-in-one solutions when it comes to AV and AntiMalware apps...

this is my set up I've used, and works on Win7:

Avira Personal (Free) AntiVirus.
Comodo Personal Firewall.
Malwarebytes AntiMalware.
Javacool's Spyware Blaster (inoculate the PC).
SuperAntiSpyware.
and still the venerable SpyBot S&D (mainly for its inoculation function and certain sub tools it brings with it)...

Infections on Win7 = Null.
on XP = one (back in 2005 or so)...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[2ffat]

I've been using Panda's Cloud on my wife's home PC and like it. Much better than Panda's old stuff and Norton's. I also supplement Panda with MBAM (Malwarebytes AntiMalware), etc. I never use just one product.


James P. Cottingham
[sup]I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229![/sup]

 

[DayLaborer]

Ben, although I'm sure it's a complete / secure solution, that's a lot more configuring, etc. than I'm interested in for myself.

James, so do Panda and MBAM comprise your "whole solution"? Those are sufficient?

Thanks,
Eliezer

 

[DayLaborer]

1) Does MBAM prevent key loggers, malware, and other bad stuff from infecting your PC in the first place, etc.?
2) Does it stop you or block "bad" websites in real time as you browse?

Thanks,
Eliezer

 

[2ffat]

so do Panda and MBAM comprise your "whole solution"?

No, I also use Spyware Terminator, SAS (Super Anti-Spyware),and Spybot. So far so good but she really doesn't surf much except for her email accounts and some shopping. But, better safe than sorry.

1) Does MBAM prevent key loggers, malware, and other bad stuff from infecting your PC in the first place, etc.?

2) Does it stop you or block "bad" websites in real time as you browse?

The paid version does but I haven't used it so I can't comment on how well it works.


James P. Cottingham
[sup]I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229![/sup]

 

[DayLaborer]

So am I "good" if I "just" go with the paid version of MBAM + Panda Cloud?

 

[kjv1611]

Personal opinion here, from all I've read in these and other forums, as well as various virus scanner tests...

1. Get a software firewall - Comodo Internet Security would be best if you're running 64 bit. If running 32 bit, you can choose between Comodo and Online Armor (Tall Emu)

2. Best AV apps - Avira Antivir and Nod32. Nod32 is not free, but it's comperable to Norton, McAfee, etc.

If you just install a GOOD antivirus and a GOOD firewall, then you don't necessarily have to install the rest - less to configure. However, you will be less secure, regardless of what route you take, if you "put your eggs in one basket".

What you could also do is this: (specific example)
1. Firewall - Comodo Internet Security - Disable the Antivirus portion.
2. Antivirus - Avira Antivir
3. Antimalware, additional virus protection, and pretty much takes care of itself - Microsoft Security Essentials.

You'd have less to take care of with that, but it'll get the job done. Or, since Microsoft Security Essentials is supposed to be a full antivirus, and tests well, you could try just going with it. It's probably the least "in your face" of all antivirus products, anyway... and it's 100% free.

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

Last reviews I checked, Panda's software doesn't test out all that well compared to the competition. Surely better than some, but not the best.

If you really want an unbiased review/test of AV products, look here:

http://www.av-comparatives.org/

Keep in mind that you want a balanced approach - not a product that's good in one test, and absolutely horrible in another, necessarily.

 

[goombawaho]

BadBigBen - I would have said the same thing as you, but........ The new Symantec/Norton Security that comes free with Comcast is pretty nice and very much streamlined from previous versions. It is NOT the same software that used to slow your PC down to crawl and much faster than the Mcafee that it replaces.

So, if you could get that product for free, I wouldn't look any further. If not, then pick and choose. I would probably run AVG Free and the paid version of Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware if I was setting up a computer for my grandmother.

I see so very much fewer viruses/malware on Vista/Windows 7 than on XP that it's not even funny. I think that if you're off XP, you've just increased your odds at staying clean by about 70% right there. Granted, there's less Vista/Windows 7 out there than XP, but we just don't see many infections with the latter.

 

[kjv1611]

Vista/7 does something different with the way programs are loaded into memory than XP and previous. Something about before, the programs would be loaded to the same spots, but beginning with Vista, that spot does not stay constant... so there's one less place to exploit. That would explain part of what you're talking about, goombawaho.

 

[JimInKS]

I have been using Avast free and like it pretty well. As far as I know Avast has stopped whatever exploits my wife has stumbled into on Facebook.

Also, I think that using an alternative browser to ie may be at least as important as the AV software.

I use Firefox with Adblock plus. The most recent Virus incidents I have observed have been drive by infections from Ads. Adblock pretty much takes care of most of these.

If you are fairly computer savvy, and want to put up with the aggravation, I would also use the NoScript add-on to Firefox.

 

[wahnula]

I like MSE. It's free, light, updates regularly, and scores very well on new threats that are submitted to VirusTotal.

Tony

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