Bitdefender Internet Security question

[Felicity]

Need advice regarding Bitdefender Internet Security 2009. I have been given this package to put on my PC. (Can be used on 3 PC's)

Is it okay to use or should I get a free anti-virus program from the internet?

Felicity

[CharlieChomper]

From what I've seen of that version (ie the "home use" Windows form), it does have some issues with malware detection (for example, it may detect a trojan out there, but it may make a claim that it can't remove it or really do anything about it) as well as spam filtering at times or in trying to determine which websites are "safe" versus malicious, etc.

In fairness, some of those same problems have resided with some free anti-viral programs as well (most notably AVG I seem to remember as having the detection/failure to remove problem).

[Felicity]

Thank you CC for your reply! Hubby has AVG on his PC, and he doesnt seem to have any issues, but then again he doesnt visit that many sites like I do! (sims, sims sims)

I have both the options of having Bitdefender or the free AVG program. I am just nervous about putting anything now on my PC that is going to cause problems. I have just got it back from my nephew, and it is working so wonderfully, I dont want it busting on me again.

Dont some of these anti-viral programs, when they find a virus or trojan, they stick into some vault. And then it lays there until who knows when? Or am I wrong about that?

What do you suggest I use CC? Your suggestions would be so useful right now!

Felicity

[CharlieChomper]

Actually, not all of them put malware of any sort into "quarantine" (as it's often called and the term you're probably looking for--although, there's another term for it as well that you don't often hear outside certain circles).

Some of them do actually remove them--especially if they're of the variety that lodges itself somehow into the registry or makes changes there in some way or any other system file.

As to what I'd recommend, it's hard to really say there's any one package (free or pay) that doesn't have some issues attached to it or is absolutely "better" than any others out there--it seems to be more a question of which issues you are willing to live with or are "deal breakers", unfortunately.

From what I've seen of this year's offerings, Trend Micro, seems to be among the better choices of the paid programs out there.

However, historically, I've found that with things like gaming (where anti-viral software should be disabled, as with updating drivers), you may want to install a secondary firewall program like Zone Alarm (which you can get for free) to have that running in the background while you're simming, once the anti-viral software is disabled (with Trend Micro, it is supposedly modular enough to allow you to disable certain segments of it, but it is a bit of a task trying to keep track of what has/hasn't been disabled and then going back in and re-enabling everything again--that's among the reasons I'd advise the secondary firewall)--alternatively, you can go into your network properties and disable your internet connection first and then the security software and then re-enable it after you're done playing.

Also, on that note, I came to find (rather irritatingly, I might add) that one caveat with Trend Micro as a company, is you really need to monitor renewals with them very carefully--as they may sometimes enable a setting (usually within their website and an account set up for the user on there) which would automatically renew the subscription for their product regardless of whether the user had wanted to renew it or not. You basically will not even be aware of it until you get an email to whichever account it was you used to register the product letting you know that it has been renewed--and sometimes without the benefit of a coupon to save money on said renewal.

However, as I said, it sadly has become more of a situation of where it's easier to say which programs are worse and point out where the issues lie than to say any one program may be "better" than another. This applies to both free programs along with pay, alike. To use an old Latin expression, it's a question of Emptor Caveat!

[Felicity]

Thank you so very much CC! I really appreciate your input and advice, and will discuss these issues with hubby and see where we go from here.

Felicity

[CharlieChomper]

You're very welcome. Let me know how things go.

[Felicity]

I wasnt happy with the Bitdefender, firstly I couldnt get the stupid thing to work from the beginning. Then I tried the trial version of AVG and eventually gave up on that one.

Now I have Avast. Its a free version, but at present, monetary wise, it is the best option for us at the moment. So far I havent had any issues, as yet! I play sims from a CD, so it does not interfere there either.

Have you heard anything about it CC?

Felicity

[CharlieChomper]

As I had said in my earlier post, all anti-viral/security software out there have their fair share of issues--it's a question of (unfortunately) deciding which ones you can/can't live with.

I have heard of Avast before, and it is amongst the better free anti-viral programs out there. Historically, however, it has not been amongst the most "pro-active" of antiviral programs--it has gotten better in this regard. It sometimes does miss things (which is true of a number of programs out there in this category, including many pay programs in existence--so, it's not an issue limited to them), though.

If you opt to use the "Webshield" feature, however, it can sometimes cause problems with other software (including a few EA titles out there) while for anti-spyware software, I'd actually recommend keeping something like Adaware around (I've yet to encounter any anti-viral/security software in existence--free or paid--where what's bundled with it actually works very well in this regard or doesn't have some issues attached...).

Regardless, I'd also recommend looking into a firewall program such as ZoneAlarm (which is free) to further protect your system as it isn't just a question of protecting it from malware, but from other things as well (this holds true regardless of what operating system someone is running).

[Felicity]

Thank you CC! I do have ZoneAlarm running on my PC. So far Avast! hasnt caused any issues yet. I play Sims all day, and havent had any problems. Will keep you posted anyhow!

Felicity