AntiVirus and Firewall

I am in the market for a full version AntiVirus and Firewall program. Is there a program that does both? If not, which ones do you guys recommend as the best. I checked online and as far as I can tell ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite seems to have it all and is ranked the best. Any other ideas? I figure you all should know, if anyone does.

Thanks in advance.

 

If you have more than 1gb of RAM get Norton Internet Security 2006 ...

 

Big time anti-Norton's. I dont have the space or the patience for there stuff. Thanks though.

So far I have it down to ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite and Pc-cillin Internet Security 2005.

 

as for anti-virus pc-cillin are quite great .. but I like kaspersky personal pro better
and as for firewall .. I tried zone alarm about 4-5 times and everytime I deleted it after 30min.
dont like it ... dont know why ..

 

I recommend NOD32 with Zone Alarm pro.
very good antivirus and firewall.

 

I've got P4 3 Ghz with 1GB of RAM, but we're running NIS 2005. I know a lot of people saying how the Norton products are memory hogs, but I haven't seen anything of the sort when an earlier version of NSW and NIS on a P3 1 Ghz with 768MB of RAM. The only one I don't go with is McAfee because I thought they went downhill fast after the DOS version I used to use ages ago.

Since Norton isn't your forté then I'd say try the Zone Alarm or PCcillin version. I used to use PCcillin and I did like it. Granted that was many many years ago.

Good luck in your ventures!

 

My vote for Zone Alarm ISS...

A very good Internet Suite would probably have too be Kaspersky Internet Suite 2006(still in beta) which I say knocks out all the other Internet Suites out, once its released(I have beta tested it and it is amazing what they did too it)

 

Does Kaspersky include the firewall as well?

 

Don't know or use Kaspersky, but I have ZoneAlarm Security Suite and it's brilliant.

It combines almost everything into the one neat program, and it runs unobtrusively in the background.

It's spam control is probably the only weak point, but you wouldn't rely on it alone anyway.

 

Thanks Insomniac, I am leaning towards ZoneAlarm SS even more now. Will I be able to download a 2006 version for free if they create one, or will I have to buy it? In other words, should I wait until the 2006 version comes out before buying?

Does it have antivirus software also? Or do I have to leave Avast! on?

Thanks.

 

I have read a few sites and have found some disturbing references about ZoneAlarm SS. Firstly, some of the sites state that this product really slows down their systems. I understand that one of them had to go through msconfig and shut down all other applications and then restart them one by one? I am not really interested in something that requires me to do more work. It is supposed to be hands off, for the most part, right?

Thanks

 

Kaspersky requires 100MB of free space on your hard drive? Is that a typo on their site?

 

Pc World rates Pc-cillin Security Suite 2004 as the best on the market. I am really getting confused about this decision. Grrrrrrrrrr..

 

Only Kaspersky Internet Security Suite include a firewall + antivirus + antispam. Kaspersky Anti-Hacker includes only the firewall I believe.

Yes Zone Alarm Security Suite does include a antivirus.

Thats an old review of Pc-cillin. I would go with and trail Zone Alarm Security Suite and see how you like that

 

Well, after reviewing alot of different sites I have narrowed it down to ZoneAlarm, Pc-Cillin, and or Kaspersky. In that order. I will have to do a trial run of ZoneAlarm and Pc-cillin and determine which I like best. I hate the idea of that looooooooooooong download on my dial-up. Thanks for all the ideas.

 

The following quote is from the sticky thread So...you want a new computer on the Hardware forum:

My own anti-virus is Norton, and used to be McAfee. I see all these recommendations on this thread for other programs, but why? Can someone please explain why McAfee and Norton are not recommended? I'm looking for a detailed explanation, so feel free to type away. Thanks!

 

Quote " I see all these recommendations on this thread for other programs, but why? Can someone please explain why McAfee and Norton are not recommended?"


Norton is a resource hog. It's very secure and reliable, but it really does need "trimming down" for the average user.

On an underpowered system especially, it's not a good choice.

McAfee is less so in this regard, but I don't think it's quite as good as Norton, especially in the Firewall department or the integration of suites.

Norton's pricing in some products is also erratic.

However, the reason these programs aren't regularly recommended is because there are free products that do as good a job, or in this case better.

There's nothing wrong with Norton or McAfee and they both make pretty good products, so I would be happy if I received them as bundled software, but I wouldn't pay for them when there are better products for free.

You just can't beat that word, try saying it a few times, free, free, freeeee!

 

Hello. I recommend Norton. I have been using this for over 3 years and I yet to date, have never had a problem with it. The software is very reliable and constantly updates.

While I am here....can anyone in this forum help me with sound? My speakers work fine but when I go to Audio device I cannot open this software to make my selections. Pls. help. Thanks!

 

I have NAV 2003.......
I've used Nortons along with Sygate for almost 4 yrs now and I cannot complain about anything. It seems like Nortons catches just about anything you can throw at me,I like it.

 

I have tested both Norton and McAfee on my computer, and it seems McAfee likes too slow down my computer more then Norton does. Overall I think Norton products are better then McAfee products.

I have been using Norton AntiVirus 2005 for months now, and it doesnt seem too slow down my computer..

 

Let's see Norton Antivirus 2006 Retail $39.99, provides 12-months of updates; at which time you need to purchase a subscription to keep your program and AV defs updated. 2-Year subscription $59.99. Might as well buy a new AV program annually at those prices. IMHO when you buy an AntiVirus program the definitions should be updated at no cost to the user for the lifetime of the program. This is not the case with Norton or McAfee, and others on the market.

When a computer comes bundled with Norton or McAfee it is a 60-day trial, at the end of which you must purchase the software. When it comes to system security there should be no trial software period. Considering what system manufacturers pay in licensing fees and what consumers pay for their systems, there is no reason why these can't be full retail products.

 

Good point SPD. I ran McAfee for a long time and I liked it much better than Norton. Norton slowed me up a great deal. But if i'm running Windows (which is a rarity nowadays) It's always with AVG and Sygate. I have yet to have a problem with either and they are not resource hogs

 

As I bet these companys would want too keep there customers definitions free for a lifetime, but they got too make some money so they charge for them and people buy it.

 

AVG Free works for me.

 

The Subscription Service business model is a poor one and will be the undoing of the 'Heavy Weights'. Paying for program updates and current definitions amounts to racketeering. You wouldn't pay an automobile manufacturer to fix a manufacturers defect in your auto, so why should you pay Norton, McAfee or anyone else to fix a programming defect in the program. Paying to keep your definitions up2date to keep your system protected is the same as paying a gangster protection monies.

These pricing schemes are not driven by the need to be profitable; but instead are driven by a false perception for the need to show increased profitability to their investors. Anyway you slice it, it is racketeering.

 

This is my setup of choice as well. That and MS Antispyware coupled with Ad-aware and Spybot S&D. I get the real-time protection of AVG and MSAS coupled with the on-demand capabilites of Adaware, Spybot and whatever online AV scanner. The redundant scanning capabilities of these programs combined appeals to me quite a bit. Heh, often just the normal AV app is not enough. We use Trend Micro's Office Scan at work, and one sweep with Bitdefender's online scan uncovered 5 instances of the mydoom virus on my machine.

 

i was just considering the actual AV and firewall programs. When i'm on a Windows box, I also have ad-aware, spybot, and other programs to kill off the bad guys.

Safe surfing and regualr updating is the best thing you can do to protect yourself from spyware/malware yadda yadda. Well staying offline is the best you can do to protect yourself haha but that isn't really feasible (spelling error I'm sure)

 

Well, I decided to go with ZoneAlarm Security Suite. First install locked up my system. I decided to reformat and start all over with everything and the new install went well. I am going to end up spending a month figuring out the adjustments that need to be made, but oh well.

In regards to the fee for yearly updates, I dont mind paying it if the updates are "real" time.

Thank for the opinions and information all. By the by, I also downloaded Spybot and AdAware again. It just wouldn't be right without them on my system.

 

You should also add SpywareBlaster too your setup unless you already have it, and possibly add a free anti-trojan program like A-Squared Free or Ewido Free for on-demand scanning....

 

With ZoneAlarm, to update it you have to download the entire program then install it over the top of the existing installation.

It's one of the very few things about ZA I dislike.

It's kernel level protection is excellent however, and isn't something that's offered on many programs.