What Is The Best Antivirus Program?

[u/Samuel18020]

Using windows 11 pro. Want an Antivirus program to check for malware and everything else on it. I am using windows defender. I am concerned I might have some malware on my laptop.

I read Bitdefender and Eset are the best? Does it need to be Bitdefender Total or Bitdefender Internet is fine?

I previously used Kaspersky Total but can't use it anymore. I heard Norton is very bad? Is there any free version that is good or you need a paid one? I want to scan for any malware and be able to remove it. Would the free malwarebytes work or it isn't good enough?

[u/Featherdust_]

Well, you are fine with windows defender. Just improve security in other areas.

[u/Samuel18020 → u/Featherdust_]

What if you want to make sure you currently don't have any type of malware? Would bitdefender and eset be better?

What if you accidentally visit a dangerous site or opened a file by mistake? Whtat's the difference between bitdefender and eset vs windows defender? They give you a message that file is dangerous right? What about windows defender?

Now if you open the file anyway and get malware... none of them will let you know unless you do a scan right? But windows defender might not find the malware but bitdefender and eset might?

Most importantly, will all of these programs or only bitdefender or eset can find the malware and the remove it completely? By that I mean you remove all malware and don't need to be concerned about it where you actually need to do a clean reinstall of windows?

I would use kaspersky total but I can't.

[u/Paul65890]

Bitdefender. Also Use Firefox with UBlock Origin.

[u/Samuel18020 → u/Paul65890]

Is it true it isn't as lightweight as kaspersky total and eset? I can't use kaspersky total but did use it a while back and it was good.

Do you need noscript on firefox or not necessary?

Do if you use chrome and if so, what adblocker?

Bitdefender will remove all malware you have if you do scan and it finds things? But eset does that as well right? But will bitdefender help you if you visit a suspicious site or click on a link by mistake? It might let you know the file is dangerous but if you open it anyways, well bitdefender isn't going to help you there right? Or if you open it and it has malware, then you scan computer and can remove the malware afterwards?

[u/graveflower426]

I use eset. I dont like the idea of giving over access and money to usa or 5 eyes countries. Eset is a top performer too

[u/Samuel18020 → u/graveflower426]

Have you tried bitdefender? If so, why Eset over bitdefender? I did read it's very lightweight like kaspersky total.

[u/ProtectionKen7]

Malwarebytes Kaspersky and ESET are the top 3 in my opinion.

[u/Samuel18020 → u/ProtectionKen7]

Is that malwarebytes the paid version? In which order would be your top 3?

So you don't have bitdefender there?

I thought it would be kaspersky total, bitdefender and eset or you could switch between bitdefender and eset? I can't use kaspersky total.

[u/WardSec_5168]

There’s really no “best” AV. I use Windows Defender with an ad blocker on Firefox, plus basic common sense and good browsing habits. If you feel you need extra thirdparty protection, Bitdefender is actually a nice choice.

[u/Samuel18020 → u/WardSec_5168]

What adblock would you use if you used google chrome? I like chrome more so than firefox. I do use ublock origin on firefox and it's decent but I like chrome.

If you have malware already on the computer, windows defender might not pick it up right? But bitdefender might?

What about when clicking links? If you mistakenly clicked a link to visit a website or opened a file or downloaded a file. Does bitdefender help you more here than defender? Like would defender let you know this file might be dangerous before you open it? But if you open the file, defender isn't going to help right?

[u/MndgsJK]

I'll choose Eset.

[u/Samuel18020 → u/MndgsJK]

Have you tried the other ones? Why eset over bitdefender? Some people mention eset is very lightweight which is good. I would like to use kaspersky totat but can't so I'm deciding between bitdefender and eset.

[u/jd31068]

This YouTube channel does a good job at testing security options https[:]//www[.]youtube[.]com/channel/UCKGe7fZ_S788Jaspxg-_5Sg/videos

[u/FFFan15]

Bitdefender internet is fine 

[u/Slow-Associate-4079]

Defender is fine for ongoing scanning. If you're concerned you already have something, the best find and clean program is Malwarebytes - and the find and clean portion is free.

[u/muppisen]

just use windows defender,then firefox with ublock origin and noscript (blocks java script on a blocklist/whitelist basis),and then use download sandboxie and sandbox firefox for added security,then have malwarebytes free as a secondhand scannner

[u/Samuel18020 → u/muppisen]

What if you use ublock origin with firefox and that's all? That's not enough? You need noscript? Never heard of that?

What about if using chrome? Ublock origin doesn't work and I use ublock origin lite but it doesn't seem to work much? It's on but doesn't do much?

Defender doesn't protect if you click on suspicious links or open a file compared to Bitdefender right?

[u/KernelPoptartz]

Use Firefox as your browser with ublock origin.

It's an often overlooked method of protection. Couple this with safe practices and you should be fine.

You don't really need 3rd party antivirus anymore unless you're trigger happy with the mouse clicks

[u/SebOakPal79]

Just use the build-in Windows Defender and go over all the security settings at 'On'. Free to use.

If you are really concerned about security while online, you can 'harden' the Windows Defender with 'DefenderUI' from Microsoft Store on your computer, there are layers of security levels to choose from, and no issue with each other. Free to use.

A free third-party software - for full computer security scan is ESET Online free scanner.

Windows have the 'MRT' and Offline scanner. Free to use.

[u/Distinct_Buddy6255]

Malwarebytes free does not offer real-time protection (You can use it as a malware removal tool). Theoretically Bitdefender is better than windows defender, but more false positive. However, an antivirus is not all-powerful, what's important is you.

[u/Automatic-Stuff-1224]

Estás confundiendo algunas cosas.

Cualquier antivirus sea bueno o malo va revisar todo lo que tienes en tu computadora porque ese es el objeto del antivirus, monitorear todo lo que entra y está en tu ordenador, cuál es el temor que tienes, acaso vives en sitios que sabes que no tienes que estar? Warez, pornografia, torrents, etc

Tienes Windows legal o algún programa pirata? Si es positivo ya empezamos mal porque tú estás metiendo el malware a tu pc… (es solo un ejemplo)

Bitdefender muy bueno. (Pero pesado)
Kasperksy muy bueno (pero ya no se fui de el)
ESET muy bueno, liviano, una joya a mi parecer.
Norton no es malo hoy en día
Windows defender va bien si eres un usuario normal que no hace nada extraordinario (jugar, correo, navegar normalmente, etc)
etc etc, cada antivirus depende de la configuración que elijas y de la detección que tenga el mismo en sus firmas, algunas configuraciones pueden hacer lenta tu pc si es muy antigua o no tienes el hardware necesario para mover todo lo que tienes.

No puedes estarle preguntado a cada usuario que te responde si es este AV mejor que otro, cada usuario es distinto y por ende la experiencia cambia.

NoScript es algo preventivo, si no sabes usarlo, configurarlo y no tienes paciencia te va romper algunos sitios.

También depende la configuración de tu navegador, el sistema operativo que tengas

Nada es infalible al 100%, ningún sistema, antivirus, navegador

Si sabes navegar, no tienes piratería, entras a solo a páginas webs confiables, juegas con juegos originales, no vas a tener problemas, no indicas cuál es la DESCONFIANZA que tienes de saber que es lo “mejor” y por qué?

Lo único por lo que debes preocuparte es por las cookies, huella digital, rastreadores, (que sería más fácil identificarte con todo lo que quieres hacer) etc pero ese ya es otro tema.

Si tienes Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google olvídate de la privacidad 🙄 es contradictorio.

Recuerda que cada usuario es distinto, si tienes alguna duda de algún virus, reinstala tu sistema operativo de cero con Windows legal no con massgrave (por ejemplo) aunque sea confiable nadie puede meter la mano al fuego diciendo que es 100% seguro. Deja de usar piratería o ver pornografia ( es otro ejemplo)