Free Anti-Virus and Spyware Removers

[Gotch]

I recently bought a new computer, one of those e-machines from Wally-world. They come with Norton and I was paying for Verizon security.

Well, this guy I know through grappling is an IT guy and he always insists its best to dump the big name and pay systems and use a series of free malware sites that he recommends.

So, on to the point. I get my new computer home, get it going and visit like maybe six sites (and no none of them were porn sites). It was like yahoo, two mixed martial arts sites, ebay and a couple of my emails.

I start thinking about how he always harks on this malware issue, so I decide to trust him and I remove both Norton and the Verizon Security. I download his recommended services;

malwarebytes - SUPERantispyware - and a-squared

I run them and find about eight malware on my new computer! and I'm not talking about low risk stuff. No kidding.

They take care of the problem and I pay nothing for my anti-virus services. I would hug the guy if he wouldn't arm-bar me

The only draw-back is no real time protection, but they find things I guarantee you the pay services will miss. I simply run malwarebytes and SUPERantispyware regularly, take like 12 minutes each and run a-squared every once in a while, it takes maybe 45 minutes.

I personally would recommend these services over the pay services.

*Disclaimer* This is just my opinion

[drgnfly3030]

Malwarebytes is a great program to have. I use that, AVG anti-virus, Ad-Aware, and Zone Alarm on my computer.

[buckeye_fan]

I have had both AVG anti-virus and Ad-Aware on my desktop for about a year and a half and have had no problems since. Really good programs.

[starbuck]

spyware terminator and spybot are both good to have also and both free.

[R0cketer]

Malwarebyes anti-malware is really good. Has gotten rid of several things that were tough. It and superantispyware are my main 2 tools, but there is another utility that I highly recommend if you have something evil. It is recommended to not use it unless guided by someone, but I've used it on about 10-20 machines so far and have no problems, but still I'll warn that in advance. Programs is called combofix. Discovered it when I had a computer that I could not clean off, I'd clean it, within a day the same thing was showing up. Did a bit of research on a few repair sites and the program was pretty much a 'use this and if still have a problem let us know'. Ran it, it cleaned several things that the others didn't, 2 rootkits in particular if my memory is right. Only problem I've had with it is that it sets the system clock to 24 hour time and a few of the machines it didn't set it back. Thats fairly easy to fix in control panels under regional though.

This being my field, I highly recommend that you get these programs and run them. Afterall, you're only better protecting yourself.

[Gotch]

Picked up a trojan fake alert last night. Ran superantispyware and malwarebytes as well as a-squared quick scan. None of them found the malware. Got up this morning, updated all three services and ran them again. Again malwarebytes and superantispyware failed to weed it out, but a full scan by a-squared got it.

For the most part superantispyware and malwarebytes are the best I've used, but this is why I do like a-squared as a compliment. It seems to find a few thing the other two miss.