Recommended Windows Antivirus software

[Paul Stokes]

Hi Everyone, I have Norton 360 as my antivirus software after they bought Bullguard which I had for many years, which worked great in the background, recently I have been having problems with Norton 360, and now finally they have lost or hidden the password manager function, which has caused much grief, as with my memory not what it was, I find I cant login to many sites.
Can anyone recommend a safe and reliable antivirus software, as my renewal date is early September, and I will probably change the software before then and cancel Norton.
best regards
Paul

 

[richard carr]

Sorry Paul, but I used to use Bullguard too, so I'm stuck with Norton.

The password manager on mine is located on the security tab in the bottom right corner



I use LastPass for managing passwords

 

[daifly]

Paul

Unless you're getting into some of the more questionable corners of the internet, the built-in Windows Defender should be more than adequate for your needs.

Dave

 

[simond]

Hi Paul,

I haven’t bought an add-on anti-virus for years. Windows provides both an anti-virus, and anti-malware as part of W10 and W11, and I simply trust that. Likewise my iPhone and iPad are entirely dependent on Apple maintaining a safe environment.

Some time back, I used to use the Russian one, Kaspersky Lab, but for obvious reasons that stopped! I wouldn’t trust MacAfee as far as I could throw the Houses of Parliament, primarily due to the masses of spam that having anything to do with them seemed to generate, and Norton didn’t seem to offer any benefits.

My view is that Windows have a lot of skin in the game, they don’t want viruses infecting their customers’ computers. The AV companies also have skin in the game, they want us all to be scared enough of viruses that we pay them money.

I do, religiously, keep my laptop and smart devices updated.

HTH, but with the proviso that I am very conscious that you might get a problem that I haven’t seen, and further, I am a heavy user, but I am not in any way an IT professional.

best
Simon

 

[Bill Campbell]

Hi Paul

In the days when I used third party anti-virus software it was the free edition of AVG - have a look here:

AVG AntiVirus FREE | Essential basic protection

www.avg.com

AVG never gave me any problems but since Windows 10 I have not used third party anti-virus software. In fairness I should point out that my day-to-day machine is a Mac and I only use Windows via the Bootcamp facility.

I did try Norton some years ago - it came with a PC (a year's free use) and it gave nothing but trouble so it was removed.

Regards.

 

[Paul Stokes]

Hi Everyone, thanks for the info, I'll try the Windows Defender, out of interest when I click on the password manager link I get a screen giving me a choice of buttons to install on Google chrome or Microsoft Edge, both telling me they are not installed, when I click install it opens a Norton page saying they are installed, I know its installed but will not open when it should, but I have just accessed Norton Password Manager page when I tried to log in to a website I use a lot and know the password.

I'll see some of you at Guildex, come and say hello, I'm on the S7 stand

best regards
Paul

 

[Genghis]

I have used Norton for years but am about to cancel my renewal as it is becoming intrusive in its pushing for me to take on extra services. One of the machines I use relies on Windows Defender and to date it has provided cover successfully. Just make sure that Windows Update is running.
Dave

 

[Matt Rogers]

Using anything other than Window's defender is basically installing additional bloatware and/or spyware on your machine.

Windows defender is more up to date than any of the "leading" antivirus software's.

Regards

 

[Bob Essex]

Windows defender is automatically installed by default by W10 or W11 if no other antivirus program is detected. In order to use it any other AV must first be removed. I believe in the cases of both Norton and MacAffe this requires extra tools to ensure they are fully removed otherwise bits remain that ‘upset’ any other AV used and thus cause issues.

Bob

 

[simond]

I don’t know if Windows won’t install unless, but thoroughly getting rid of Norton and MacAfee sounds like very good advice.

 

[David Mylchreest]

Microsoft Defender is only available if you have a subscription to Microsoft 365 or at least that's the implication of the Microsoft website.
I find that Norton works, I've used it for the last 30 years or so. I agree that their constant bombardment of sales notifications is a pain but they're easily dealt with.
AVG Antivirus comes with a risk if you are using the free version. The risk is that the free version is always a month out of date, so that if a virus gets issued before the free AVG catches up then you're in the poo

 

[Eastsidepilot]

Paul

Unless you're getting into some of the more questionable corners of the internet, the built-in Windows Defender should be more than adequate for your needs.

Dave

I run windows 10 and have only ever had the built in defender with no problems for over 6-7 years.

 

[Paul_H]

Microsoft Defender is only available if you have a subscription to Microsoft 365 or at least that's the implication of the Microsoft website.

I don't think that's correct. My W10 installation reports it's running Defender and I have no MS subscriptions.

I also have AVAST free installed, which occasionally picks up web based threats, but often they're false alarms. Plus Malwarebytes free browser guard that sometimes flags up dodgy web site before I can land on them.

For storing passwords; I find Google's own password manager pretty good, but it does seem occasionally to loose passwords. Nothing beats backing them up, disguised, in spreadsheet.

I haven't paid for AV software for 25years now and so far using the free products and being careful has kept my systems trouble free.

 

[David Mylchreest]

I don't think that's correct. My W10 installation reports it's running Defender and I have no MS subscriptions.

[...]

I'm running W11 and when I wanted to have Defender the Microsoft Store made it clear that I had to have a subscription to Office 365

 

[Matt Rogers]

I'm running W11 and when I wanted to have Defender the Microsoft Store made it clear that I had to have a subscription to Office 365

I think you a re confusing Windows Security (Formally known as Windows Defender and built into the Windows OS) and the Microsoft Defender App which is part of Microsoft 365.

Windows Security and Microsoft Defender are NOT the same thing

Regards

 

[Paul_H]

That's an interesting link Matt, thanks for posting. Although the way it runs into an advert is bit crook.

 

[michael080]

I agree that the internal windows defender is good in most cases. Additionally, whatever I download from the internet will be first scanned at

virustotal


Sorry for the weird formatting,sent from my phone.

Michael

 

[David Mylchreest]

I think you a re confusing Windows Security (Formally known as Windows Defender and built into the Windows OS) and the Microsoft Defender App which is part of Microsoft 365.

Windows Security and Microsoft Defender are NOT the same thing

Regards

I do have Windows Security on my desktop, thank you for the heads up. Not sure the confusion was mine though

 

[Paul Stokes]

Well thank you everybody, I thought I was quite in the know regarding computers, but I must admit I have leant a lot though this post, mostly that I know nothing.
best regards
Paul

 

[Penrhos1920]

Will Defender continue to work with Win10 once win10 support stops soon.