In a twist on our annual AV roundup,
we let you, the readers, pick the 10 contenders for the 'ultimate protector'
crown
Every year, antivirus vendors paint the
same gloom-and-doom portrait, their canvases filled with startling statistics
outlining the rapid spread of malware.
As a consumer, the natural reaction is to
look at these reports with a fistful of salt and a sack of skepticism after
all, AV vendors have a vested interest in promoting a need for security software,
but are we really as vulnerable as they say? It all depends on your computing
habits, but make no mistake, the web is a dangerous place to roam.
Every
year, antivirus vendors paint the same gloom-and-doom portrait, their canvases
filled with startling statistics outlining the rapid spread of malware.
We’ve seen firsthand what a
malware-infected PC looks like; it isn’t pretty. Today’s malware strains not
only slow down your PC and bombard you with pop-ups, they can also capture your
keystrokes and send your bank login information to a cybercriminal thousands of
miles away. An innocent mouse click on the wrong URL is all it takes to set the
wheels in motion, and the next thing you know, someone else is using your
identity to open up a credit card account. Not cool.
Careful computing is your best line of
defense, but sometimes it’s not enough. Security software adds another layer of
protection, which is why we run an antivirus roundup each year. This time
around, however, we asked you to vote on which 10 programs should make the cut,
and you’ll find the results on the following pages. If the one you voted for
isn’t represented here, let us know and we’ll consider running a stand-alone
review in a future issue.
EVALUATING AV
What matters in an antivirus program
and why
System Performance And Scan Speed
We’re passionate about our PCs, and we
don’t spend endless hours researching parts and tweaking settings only to watch
a security program rob us of the performance we so carefully crafted. To keep
these programs honest, we compare how long it takes to boot into Windows versus
a clean install. We also examine the impact on PCMark 7 and Vantage scores, and
how long it takes to transfer 6GB of data. Finally, we measure the time it
takes to run a first and subsequent system scan.
Freeware
AntiVirus Software
Annoyance
We know what we want when it comes to
security software, but do the developers know? We deduct points for programs
that try to upsell us additional security or that are hyperactive with
unnecessary security alerts. At no time should we have reason to be annoyed or
frustrated with an AV program. Period.
Features And Implementation
Most of the programs voted into this
roundup are Internet security suites that promise to go above and beyond simple
virus protection. In theory, these suites should include everything we need to
stay safe on the web, and everything else is icing on the cake. At the same
time, we don’t want to be bogged down with arbitrary add-ons that exist solely
to beef up an AV's resume. We're looking for useful additions, and also how
well they're integrated into the core package. Extra points are awarded to AV
programs that inform you when you need to update an app, plugin, or browser.
Pricing
Let's get one thing straight: You don’t
need to pay for protection. If that's the case, why bother reviewing non-free
security suites? Put simply, we believe there’s value in security programs that
bundle multiple layers of protection and features into a tidy package. However,
the ones that charge an annual fee have to convince us that they’re worth
paying for, unlike the free AV programs, which get an automatic pass in this
category.
Virus Detection
If you think this category should hold the
most weight, we’re right there with you. Pricing and features don’t mean
diddly-squat if an AV program turns a blind eye to malware. This is also the
trickiest category to judge. Our approach is multipronged and starts with
synthetic spyware and virus tests found on www.spycar.org and www.eircar.org.
Next, we consult with independent testing labs Virus Bulletin
(www.virusbtn.com), AV-Comparatives (www.av-comparatives.org), and AV-Test
(www.av-test.org). Finally, we subject each program to our own collection of
malware and dirty links.
SECOND AND THIRD OPINIONS
No single product is all-knowing when it
comes to malware, which is always evolving, so it’s a good idea to solicit a
second or even third opinion on occasion. We recommend running an on-demand
scanner around once a month, and also any time you have reason to believe
something may have slipped past your AV software. Does your system suddenly
feel sluggish? Are your web searches getting hijacked? These are both
indicators that a foul file has infiltrated your PC.
One of our favorite on-demand scanners is
Malwarebytes (free, www.malwarebytes.org). Not only is Malwarebytes adept at
uncovering pesky programs that manage to hide from your AV scanner, but it also
has a way of running even when malicious programs specifically try to prevent
it from firing up. Just head to Start > All Programs > Malwarebytes
Anti-Malware > Tools and click the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Chameleon icon.
The
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware program
Another program we recommend adding to your
toolbox is Comodo Cleaning Essentials (free, www.comodo.com), which allows you
to terminate, delete, or suspend any untrusted item with a single mouse click.
It doesn’t require installation, making it a handy program to tote around on a
USB stick.
If an infection is preventing your AV
scanner from running, don’t panic. Yet another option is web scanning. There
are lots to choose from, including Panda ActiveScan (free,
http://bit.ly/2T0ite). Alternately, if all you need is a background check on a
single file, upload it to VirusTotal (free, www.virustotal.com), which will
check it against dozens of AV scan engines.
AV DOES NOT MEAN IMMUNITY
Just because you have antivirus software
installed doesn't mean you can roll around the web with impunity. New and
emerging threats, also called ''zero-day" attacks, are those that are so
recent that software developers haven’t had a chance to plug up the
vulnerability they’re trying to exploit. The same holds true for your AV
software until there's a definition update, zero-day threats have a free pass
to run amok. That's why behavior-based scanning is so popular, but even the
best-rated apps sometimes fall short in this area. It’s all the more reason to
be vigilant, but how?
Well, your best line of defense is to
practice smart computing habits and avoid putting yourself in high-risk
situations. Pirating software is one the quickest ways to contract a digital
disease, but it’s far from the only one.
Venturing over to seedier sides of the web
- the URLs that only get typed into incognito browser sessions is another
hotspot for malware (excuse the pun).
None of this means you need to be a nervous
Nelly when surfing the web. There are things you can do to tip the scales in
your favor, like making sure your operating system and browsers are all up to
date and fully patched. The same holds true for plugins, especially Flash and
JavaScript.
As an added layer of protection, consider
surfing with Sandboxie (free, www.sandboxie.com), which wraps a virtual layer
around your browser so that any changes programs make while surfing the web are
isolated from the OS.
