Best laptop virus security

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Minibiker

Soldato
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Hi all

I got the missus a new laptop today, Whats the best Anti Virus to install?

Also any other things i should check or install once the machine is fired up?

Cheers
 
Windows Defender has been good for a long time now. Unless you have anything special in mind, I wouldn't go any further than that.
 
I use avg it’s light and doesn’t slow anything down picked up a years subscription on eBay for £5.

Do a windows update and check all drivers are up to date, which they probably will be being brand new
 
David Flett said:
I use avg it’s light and doesn’t slow anything down picked up a years subscription on eBay for £5.

Do a windows update and check all drivers are up to date, which they probably will be being brand new
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Minstadave said:
Bitdefender is what I use for my folks, it needs no maintenance and is very lightweight.
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Can you guys explain your reasoning behind not just running the built in anti-malware solution? I'm not having a go, I'm trying to pluck out the added value you're suggesting is brought by putting in the extra effort.
 
If I remember rightly, Bitdefender reviewed better and protected a wider range of exploits. My parents are prone to doing daft things so wanted something robust.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys... I only use Windows defender on her old laptop and not had any issues just wasnt sure if there was any extra benefits on paying for one.. Think ill stick with windows defender then as she doesnt do much other than Facebook, Shopping and uses it for Word documents etc
 
Windows Defender has worked well enough in my experience - if the laptop is used on public networks then it would be a good idea to have some kind of firewall - beyond the basic Windows built in one.

If they are a bit prone to just clicking yes and bypassing security warnings, etc. some kind of browser protection suite wouldn't go amiss either.
 
I work for an anti-malware company and only use Windows Defender. Trust me it's good enough and picks up a lot of the nasty stuff I've seen paid for AVs miss.
 
I use BitDefender, although I would offer a word of caution - their Web Scanning inserts a HTTPS termination in the middle. So if you look at the certs for sites you'll see a BitDefender root certificate. If that isn't an opportunity for a man-in-the-middle-attack I don't know what is.

I suspect I'll be binning them and going back to just Defender after my subscription expires.
 
There is no reason to not use the built in version. After all Microsoft doesn't want their own systems to be compromised as much as they are. This is why they probably have a whole team dedicated to jus this part of the system. I have never once used anything different since they started bundling it in. At the end of the day the more software running the slower these systems get.
 
Microsoft Defender

MS are throwing money and resources into this now as it's the backbone of their corporate offerings.

I also run Malwarebytes premium as I'm not the only user of my PC and it helps stop people accessing the daftest of websites, downloading known nasties etc.
 
Raumarik said:
Microsoft Defender

MS are throwing money and resources into this now as it's the backbone of their corporate offerings.

I also run Malwarebytes premium as I'm not the only user of my PC and it helps stop people accessing the daftest of websites, downloading known nasties etc.
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Sound advice.

Work have been running Forefront, now Windows Defender for the last 5+ years. We get less problems with the 4000+ clients than the servers running an expensive third party product. it just works. The definitions update every few hours via Windows Update.

I think we've had one infection of a new variant cryptoware that got past it on a single machine. Submitted a sample to MS, they added it to the next sets of definitions 4 hours later.
 
Moley said:
I work for an anti-malware company and only use Windows Defender. Trust me it's good enough and picks up a lot of the nasty stuff I've seen paid for AVs miss.
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As a matter of interest, what "nasty stuff" has Windows Defender picked up and since you work for an "an anti-malware company", was this as a result of your carrying out tests?

I ask because it is years since I (or anyone I know) encountered malware. I am DEFINITELY not suggesting that anyone should not use anti-virus software, just puzzled that anyone should pick up a virus unless they go looking for it or are incredibly stupid and "promiscuous".

In my experience all anti virus / anti malware software imposes a significant load on the system, particularly on start-up.
 
stockhausen said:
As a matter of interest, what "nasty stuff" has Windows Defender picked up and since you work for an "an anti-malware company", was this as a result of your carrying out tests?
I ask because it is years since I (or anyone I know) encountered malware. I am DEFINITELY not suggesting that anyone should not use anti-virus software, just puzzled that anyone should pick up a virus unless they go looking for it or are incredibly stupid and "promiscuous".
In my experience all anti virus / anti malware software imposes a significant load on the system, particularly on start-up.
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So working as an SE for my company you can imagine I get *lots* of nasty stuff sent to me and get to play with some of the more interesting malware out there - our data centre sends us a zeroday email everyday containing new samples that are hitting customer sites and are completely unknown to VirusTotal (who don't use Windows Defender btw). Sometimes windows defender will recognise these files as bad - they seem especially good at handling malicious office documents.

You are spot on that most people shouldn't get infected unless they are daft - but that's the thing, *most* people are daft.

Most AVs do indeed impose a load on systems which can be improved somewhat with fast SSDs but not completely of course.
 
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