# best antivirus for gaming, and protection



## Zealex (Nov 30, 2008)

I need help, I only have mcafee and ca 2008, i get ca throught my isp but I don't know which should i use, i believe my mcafee expires soon so i want to get a new better antivirus,antispyware,etc...soo any tips ideas suggestions on what should i get for my PC?


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## DeadlyData (Dec 13, 2008)

Zealex said:


> I need help, I only have mcafee and ca 2008, i get ca throught my isp but I don't know which should i use, i believe my mcafee expires soon so i want to get a new better antivirus,antispyware,etc...soo any tips ideas suggestions on what should i get for my PC?


My recommendation would be going with something that doesn't fully rootkit your system it's self attempting to take full/total control I.E. Norton.

It depends on what kind of threats your up against what the risks you're willing to take are and how actively you have seen your self get infected.

If it's not something your worried to much about I'd recommend doing something along the lines of what I do such as simply running a low end anti-virus.

Like AVG, and keeping it disabled while gaming to get maximum performance and preforming scans every so often.

How ever I don't only run AVG I run several other anti-spyware and anti-malware apps.


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## Zealex (Nov 30, 2008)

what about avast, ever hear of that?


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## DeadlyData (Dec 13, 2008)

Zealex said:


> what about avast, ever hear of that?


Heard of yes... Dealt with or have experience with how ever not really.

I've been in a few servers I wasn't supposed to exactly be in running the software.

but I'd really not like to give you any advice or specs about it even if I were to google such information as I haven't dealt with it first hand.

From the outside looking in in other words from what I have seen of it is it's decent it has the escalated privilege intentions how ever still allows the user to have control.


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## Zealex (Nov 30, 2008)

can i get avg for free, and if so is the free version of avg good and were could i download, plus is it just antivirus or firewall,etc.


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

There is a free version of *AVG* antivirus, but *Avast* and *Avira* both score higher in benchmark comparison tests.

See *here* for more security recommendations.

As DeadlyData says, it's better to have separate programs for antivirus, antispyware and firewall. A layered approach is more effective than using a combined package.

Make sure you fully uninstall your current antivirus before installing a new one to prevent conflicts and slowdown. The general rule is "one antivirus, one software firewall, many antispyware".


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## McNinja (Jun 22, 2008)

I highly recommend NOD32 

very small resource hog
around 10mb of ram taken up

catches everything and scans around 200gigs in about 15mins or at a rate of 20mb/s


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## Zealex (Nov 30, 2008)

koala said:


> There is a free version of *AVG* antivirus, but *Avast* and *Avira* both score higher in benchmark comparison tests.
> 
> See *here* for more security recommendations.
> 
> ...


wait, in otherwords you state that i should have for example, CA antispyware, mcafee antivirus, kaspery firewall, etc? a mixture?


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

Yes, a mixture of programs will provide more effective protection than a single package containing all 3 types. It's called multi-layer protection.

Don't bother with CA or McAfee though, the programs listed in this thread are all better. See the link in my last post for more details about separate security programs and how to implement them.

These are the programs I have installed at the moment (all free)
Antivirus: Avira
Firewall: Comodo
Antispyware: Ad-Aware 2008, a-squared, SpyBot, Spyware Blaster and WinPatrol Plus.


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## Zealex (Nov 30, 2008)

lol ca is 2008 cause its throught my isp, hmmmm spybot is good for antispyware isnt it like spybot search and destroy?


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## Zealex (Nov 30, 2008)

were can i find spybot and comondo?


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

SpyBot (Search & Destroy) - http://www.spybot.com/en/mirrors/index.html
Comodo Free Firewall - http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/download_firewall.html


EDIT: I've just noticed that Comodo has changed their setup in the last few weeks. They now offer free firewall and antivirus in one package, but I'm still using their standalone firewall. Hang on for some replies from people who are using the new Comodo suite.

If you still want to use just the Comodo firewall part of the package without their antivirus, you can uncheck the 'Install Comodo Antivirus' option during installation.


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## Zealex (Nov 30, 2008)

koala said:


> SpyBot (Search & Destroy) - http://www.spybot.com/en/mirrors/index.html
> Comodo Free Firewall - http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/download_firewall.html
> 
> 
> ...


thanks, im still useing ca firewall thou im useing spybot and avira thou, should i use commando or ca?


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

If you're comfortable with the CA firewall and know how to configure and work with it then you could stick with it, but if you want something better go for Comodo.


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## McNinja (Jun 22, 2008)

theres usually 5 layers of security you should have
I have these 5
1 -I use Nod32 for anti virus (awesome heuristic virus finding engine = can catch viruses even its not in its virus definition database)

2-Spybot for antispyware (checks for registry changes with its teatimer)


3-windows vista firewall (protects outgoing and incoming)

4-UAC (user account control) helps you by asking you if you want to allow aprogram to install)

5- your router protects your internet ports 

In vista the defualt firewall is fine since it protects incoming and outgoing but Xp only protected incoming not outgoing so you got infected on a XP machine it could become a "zombie" comp and infect other computers nearby, or one that would connect to it.


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## Herlene (Dec 13, 2008)

is windows defender enough protection enough? Do I need to install antispyware or antiadware?
I've only got avg free edition...


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## McNinja (Jun 22, 2008)

anti-spyware (spybot is free)
this one checks if the registry has had any changes to it kinda like UAC for vista
http://www.spybot.com/index2.html

spy bot takes care of some ads, trojans and a couple other things anti virus doesn't 

and windows defender is a joke

if you want I recommend you uninstall AVG free and try the trial version of NOD32
http://www.eset.com/download/free_trial_download_eav.php


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## Zealex (Nov 30, 2008)

Mcninjaguy said:


> I highly recommend NOD32
> 
> very small resource hog
> around 10mb of ram taken up
> ...


wait are you saying some antivirses can slow down your pc???


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## McNinja (Jun 22, 2008)

ohh yes Norton Anti virus is a huge resource hog and its not a very good anti virus anyways

Macafee also takes up a lot of resources but its a good anti virus


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## DeadlyData (Dec 13, 2008)

To reply to the thread in a organized manner...

Starting with NOD32...

This is actually one anti-virus I have looked into first hand and as well bypassed first hand it's analysis methods are outdated.

In order to figure out if something is potentially dangerous it simply looks for IRC based syntax such as.



> JOIN
> #
> PRIVMSG


Basically RAW, IRC stuff.

It does preform various other string checks but for the most part it doesn't provide enough hook/ring 0 detection and prevention.

And outputs a lot of false positives based on crypt sigs because it simply can't de-crypt/code/or un-pack an exe.

Not to mention it attempts to override a lot of user control.

So I'd not recommend it.

2nd 

I give thanks to koala, for seconding my suggestion on using different applications for each task, anti-spyware, firewall, anti-virus.

There's more reasons then one to actually using various amounts of this software starting with the analysis of a security suite.

Security Suite would mean the developer going up against it would simply figure out specifically how that one companies products were all working together and squeeze around the entire suite in one.

Where if you're running different companies software, made for different purposes it may get around one but unless it's targeted to get around all or in other words (FUD) it'll get found by something unless it's preforming windows hooks to DCOM to bypass certain firewall detection, but that's where you'd like a ring 0 anti-virus to step in and detect the hook.

3rd 

There are various amounts of anti-virus that can lag your system the reason being they like to be big resource hogs by constantly un-efficiently monitoring every thing.

The reason being they're made more for the totally paranoid computer user who is dumb enough to download "virus.exe" and attempt to run it.

Some how ever are made for the same purpose but with more efficiency in my own prospective.

AVG how ever doesn't exactly fit the potential of hook/root-kit or etc detection.

But will help the average gamer out when they try to download something and it happens to have a little virus/trojan in it.

Or when the dumb idiot who thinks he's a hacker attempts to send them a RAT/Trojan over msn it'd good enough for these cases.

And also does detect polycrypt signatures so would pick-up most packed/crypted/compressed viruses or trojans attempted to be sent/or forced upon you in most ways.


And 4th...

I actually prefer to run multiple amounts of Anti-Spyware but some of the ones I run aren't exactly the running 24/7 type.

Malware Anti-Bytes - Is good for Spyware/Malware and some Trojans-Rootkits/Viruses (How ever the free version is not a 24/7 active protection, Meaning it will only find when you scan with it or when it's scheduled to scan).

SpyBot Search & Destroy - It's good spyware detection when it comes to viruses or etc seems to be a little un-efficient/good.

The TeaTimer and other application are mostly just annoying and defiantly not needed and would cause lag and major annoyance to the front-end user.

XofSpy - Is another one I run and am happy with how ever it's not free and also isn't an (Active) protection engine.

SUPERAntiSpyware Professional - Has found it's way on to my system when it came down to the Vundo I believe it was called A variant.

How ever Malware anti-bytes happened to cover this as well I didn't find out until a later time... I believe there is a free version of SUPERAntiSpyware.

And it's very reliable in the removal of some pretty dirty root kits.

I believe it has a 24/7 Active Module that can be enabled and disabled as well as a shell extension to scan downloaded software.

Hope the following helped.


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## McNinja (Jun 22, 2008)

I don't which version of NOD32 you're looking at DEADLYDATA, my nod32 catches everything yes I can run virus.exe and it will kill the application you looking at pre-NOD32 3.0?

NOD32 best real time scanning
lowest resources I've ever seen

sometimes having a program like spy bot is good and its not for dumb users. I'd rather be a tiny bit paranoid than infected

why would you go for the second best when you can have the best for cheaper?

NOD32
$29 (1 year)
anti virus only
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832114005


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## DeadlyData (Dec 13, 2008)

Mcninjaguy said:


> I don't which version of NOD32 you're looking at DEADLYDATA, my nod32 catches everything yes I can run virus.exe and it will kill the application you looking at pre-NOD32 3.0?
> 
> NOD32 best real time scanning
> lowest resources I've ever seen
> ...


Not sure of an exact version the edition I looked at did not belong to me rather a server company that I was *digging* through if you will and I needed a way to maintain access.

The way I found of doing so was rather easy, so my opinion of nod32 still stands.

If you'd like to give it a ago I could certainly whip up a dangerous exe and allow you to scan it with nod32 and watch it not pick it up then again with some of the stuff I do not much picks it up any how.

So maybe my opinion is just overrated.


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## tetonbob (Jan 10, 2005)

> If you'd like to give it a ago I could certainly whip up a dangerous exe and allow you to scan it with nod32 and watch it not pick it up then again with some of the stuff I do not much picks it up any how.


Not in this forum, thank you very much. It's not that type of forum. This is essentially a forum for home user support.

Since this topic seems to be going off track, I'm going to close it now.


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