best free AV and firewall for Vista?

[Kris]

AV: Currently using AVG under XP. Also know about avast, antivir, PC
Tools...

Firewall: Initially will use Vista firewall as I am used to XP firewall.
Currently using Comodo under XP.

tia

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

AV: Currently using AVG under XP. Also know about avast, antivir, PC
Tools...

Firewall: Initially will use Vista firewall as I am used to XP firewall.
Currently using Comodo under XP.

AVG's interface is nearly as bad as Avast's (which is appalling IMO), but at
least they do not slow down the computer as some others.

I use NOD32. It is really good, and v3.0 has a new interface. It's coded
in assembler, apparently, which makes it tiny in size and very light on
resources. It's also reportedly very effective

Eset Smart Security is the same thing, but adding a firewall and spam
filter, etc.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/labs/145074/eset-smart-security.html

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/labs/160/security-suites/products.html

ss.

 

[Val]

I use AVG free and ZoneAlarm. Minimal impact on system.

Just note that you'll get lots of alarms from ZA - half of M$s services seem
to want to talk on the network to someone. Why?????


AV: Currently using AVG under XP. Also know about avast, antivir, PC
Tools...

Firewall: Initially will use Vista firewall as I am used to XP firewall.
Currently using Comodo under XP.

tia

 

[Kris]

AVG's interface is nearly as bad as Avast's (which is appalling IMO), but at
least they do not slow down the computer as some others.

I use NOD32. It is really good, and v3.0 has a new interface. It's coded
in assembler, apparently, which makes it tiny in size and very light on
resources. It's also reportedly very effective

Eset Smart Security is the same thing, but adding a firewall and spam
filter, etc.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/labs/145074/eset-smart-security.html

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/labs/160/security-suites/products.html

ss.

I have found AVG's interface easy.

I used to use Avast but then felt that it was slowing things down and
shifted to AntiVir, but never went back to Avast to check - might well have
been something else.

I used Nod32 long time back when it was free, but then it changed, so I
changed. I'm a light home user so I look for freebies where possible.

 

[Kris]

I use AVG free and ZoneAlarm. Minimal impact on system.

Just note that you'll get lots of alarms from ZA - half of M$s services seem
to want to talk on the network to someone. Why?????


AV: Currently using AVG under XP. Also know about avast, antivir, PC
Tools...

Firewall: Initially will use Vista firewall as I am used to XP firewall.
Currently using Comodo under XP.

tia

Thanks! As long as AVG works fine, I'll try that after the initial setup
and all.

 

[Jay]

AV: Currently using AVG under XP. Also know about avast, antivir, PC
Tools...

Firewall: Initially will use Vista firewall as I am used to XP firewall.
Currently using Comodo under XP.

tia

Using AVG and Windows Firewall here on Vista Business.
No complaints with either.

 

[Jay]

I use AVG free and ZoneAlarm. Minimal impact on system.

Just note that you'll get lots of alarms from ZA - half of M$s services
seem
to want to talk on the network to someone. Why?????

Can you give an example of these services and who they are trying to talk
to?

 

[The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly]

Can you give an example of these services and who they are trying to
talk to?

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Forg...s-Harvest-User-Data-for-Microsoft-58752.shtml


--
"Fair use is not merely a nice concept--it is a federal law based on
free speech rights under the First Amendment and is a cornerstone of the
creativity and innovation that is a hallmark of this country. Consumer
rights in the digital age are not frivolous."
- Maura Corbett

 

[The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly]

Can you give an example of these services and who they are trying to
talk to?

20+ Windows Vista Features and Services Harvest User Data for Microsoft
- From your machine!
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Forg...s-Harvest-User-Data-for-Microsoft-58752.shtml

--
"Fair use is not merely a nice concept--it is a federal law based on
free speech rights under the First Amendment and is a cornerstone of the
creativity and innovation that is a hallmark of this country. Consumer
rights in the digital age are not frivolous."
- Maura Corbett

 

[Jay]

"The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly Known as Nina DiBoy'"

20+ Windows Vista Features and Services Harvest User Data for Microsoft
- From your machine!
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Forg...s-Harvest-User-Data-for-Microsoft-58752.shtml

But my Windows firewall does not alert me to things trying to "get out"
Oh!

 

[Kayman]

AV: Currently using AVG under XP. Also know about avast, antivir, PC
Tools...

Avira AntiVir® PersonalEdition Classic - Free
http://www.free-av.com/antivirus/allinonen.html
Or
Free antivirus - avast! 4 Home Edition
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
(Choose Custom Installation and under Resident
Protection, uncheck: Internet Mail and Outlook/Exchange.)

Firewall: Initially will use Vista firewall as I am used to XP firewall.
Currently using Comodo under XP.

You are not going to find anything better than the Vista FW and Vista in
itself due to the advanced features the FW and Vista are using.

"Personal Firewalls" are mostly snake-oil.
http://www.samspade.org/d/firewalls.html

Jesper's Blogs-
At Least This Snake Oil Is Free.
http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2007/07/19/at-least-this-snake-oil-is-free.aspx
Windows Firewall: the best new security feature in Vista?
http://blogs.technet.com/jesper_johansson/archive/2006/05/01/426921.aspx

Exploring The Windows Firewall.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/06/VistaFirewall/default.aspx
"If you try to block outbound connections from a computer that’s already
compromised, how can you be sure that the computer is really doing what you
ask? The answer: you can’t. Outbound protection is security theater—it’s a
gimmick that only gives the impression of improving your security without
doing anything that actually does improve your security. This is why
outbound protection didn’t exist in the Windows XP firewall and why it
doesn’t exist in the Windows Vista™ firewall."

Tap into the Vista firewall's advanced configuration features
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877-6098592.html
"...once you discover the secret of accessing its advanced configuration
settings via the MMC snap-in, you'll find it to be far more configurable
and functional. At last, Windows comes with a sophisticated personal
firewall that can be used to set up outbound rules as well as inbound, with
the ability to customize rules to fit your precise needs."
Or
Configure Vista Firewall to support outbound packet filtering
http://searchwindowssecurity.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid45_gci1247138,00.html
Or
Vista Firewall Control (Free versions available).
Protects your applications from undesirable network incoming and outgoing
activity, controls applications internet access.
http://sphinx-soft.com/Vista/

 

[John Barnett MVP]

Val, if you are getting lots of alarms from Zone Alarm (here I'm talking
about other PCs trying to access your system) then disable the feature.
Because the alarms are there you know that ZA is doing its job. When I used
ZA the alarms were nothing but a pain. When an alarm appears there should be
a box that you can tick to prevent other alarms appearing. Tick that box and
ZA will do the work silently.

If, on the other hand, ZA keeps flagging applications that want to access
the internet there should be an option on the flag warning to 'remember this
option' Once you have ticked this option you want be asked again to allow
this application to access the internet.


--
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[John Barnett MVP]

I recommend AVG anti virus and Zone Alarm firewall (free versions of both)

--
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly]

"The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly Known as Nina DiBoy'"


But my Windows firewall does not alert me to things trying to "get out"
Oh!

Exactly. This is why if you value your privacy, you should use a real
firewall instead of the windows firewall, you should disable and not use
these 'services, programs and features' of Vista, and preferably not use
Vista at all.

--
"Fair use is not merely a nice concept--it is a federal law based on
free speech rights under the First Amendment and is a cornerstone of the
creativity and innovation that is a hallmark of this country. Consumer
rights in the digital age are not frivolous."
- Maura Corbett

 

[Kerry Brown]

Software firewalls are much like a dog barking at shadows in the night.

 

[The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly]

"The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly Known as Nina DiBoy'"


But my Windows firewall does not alert me to things trying to "get out"
Oh!

Exactly. This is why if you value your privacy, you should use a real
firewall instead of the windows firewall, you should disable and not use
these 'services, programs and features' of Vista, or not use Vista at all.

--
"Fair use is not merely a nice concept--it is a federal law based on
free speech rights under the First Amendment and is a cornerstone of the
creativity and innovation that is a hallmark of this country. Consumer
rights in the digital age are not frivolous."
- Maura Corbett

 

[Mellowed]

"The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly Known as Nina DiBoy'"


But my Windows firewall does not alert me to things trying to "get out"
Oh!

The Zone Alarm firewall will alert you and you can block it. I also use
Zone Alarm and AVG with no problems.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

AVG's interface is nearly as bad as Avast's (which is appalling IMO),

I agree that Avast's interface is terrible, but it doesn't bother me
at all. I never see the interface, because I don't use it to do virus
scans. One of the features of Avast that I like the best is that you
can set it to do an automatic scan every time the screen saver comes
on.

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

I agree that Avast's interface is terrible, but it doesn't bother me
at all. I never see the interface, because I don't use it to do virus
scans. One of the features of Avast that I like the best is that you
can set it to do an automatic scan every time the screen saver comes
on.

I think that regular full disk scans are unnecessary and just wear out
drives. As long real-time scanning has been on since the last full scan,
they aren't needed. I have not had any Malawi for years though.

ss.

 

[Kris]

I think that regular full disk scans are unnecessary and just wear out
drives. As long real-time scanning has been on since the last full scan,
they aren't needed. I have not had any Malawi for years though.

ss.

Thanks, Ken - I didn't know that one!

And, yes, Synapse, I don't do full scans except very rarely - like right
after new install, and then maybe much later, if things seem quirky.

I can't recall that I've ever had a virus. Spyware detectors will
occasionally find some suspect cookies, but I use FF - IE, for me, is only
for MS updates. So it's easy to stay clean.

Thanks to both of you for your thoughts.