Many people choose to or want to choose the free route when it comes to computer security. This can be tricky though because the market for free and commercial security applications is enormous. Achieving effective security for free is possible, and a good free anti virus program is the biggest contributor.

The marks of a good anti-virus program are
a) High detection rate
b) Low false detection rates
c) Low demand on system resources
d) Simple to use

Based on these factors, I have looked at many free anti virus programs, and the following 3 antiviruses are clearly the best 3 anti-virus programs available:

#1 Best Free Antivirus: Avira AntiVir Personal
Avira Antivir has the highest detection rate and lowest demand on your computer of all of the free anti virus programs. In fact, AntiVir regularly outperforms many commercial anti virus programs. Make sure you keep it updated, and be cautious because it does not support antispyware.

#2 Best Free Antivirus: Avast! Home Edition
Avast! includes support against spyware, rootkits, and other threats in addition to viruses. It also has fantastic detection rates, but takes a little more of a toll on your system's resources then Avira.

#3 Best Free Antivirus: AVG Anti-virus Free Edition
AVG has a slightly lower detection rate than the other two anti-virus programs, and is more demanding on your system. It does support antispyware (like Avast!), and requires very little maintenance as it can update itself. AVG is a great solution for the individual who is less tech savvy.

These three anti virus programs comprise the best free antivirus solutions on the market. To complete your security solution, back one of them up with a trusted anti spyware program. With this under your belt, you are well on the way to free, effective computer security.

Nick Dimon writes about computer security and maintenance on his site http://www.crappycomputer.com/ with the purpose of informing and teaching users how to get what they deserve from their machines.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dimon

Ever wondered if free anti virus software that are commonly found on the internet are as good as they say? Here's the review...

Many people have always wondered if free anti virus suites are better than the commercial counterparts.

Well, according to my past experiences, many free anti virus suites are not as good as their commercial counterparts....

This may be depressing news to many internet users who do not want to spend too much..

However, many people do not know that some commercial av(anti virus) software are not as good as commercial ones (around 5 %)

But I will only talk about free av here.

So Here's a list of the top 3 free av software that i tested and tried

1) AVG:

Provides real-time protection and is user friendly, good for the average home user

Has a commercial version which caters more for business needs. However, it does not detect as much viruses and malware as the other 2 av software.

2) avast! home edition:

Good virus database and detection. Not as user friendly.

Confusing Icons and user interface. Detects decent amount of malware and viruses. Provides good realtime protection. The only thing that I do not like about this is the user interface. It tries to look visual appealing to users but suffered in the user friendliness.

3) Avira anti-virus:

Best database of viruses, detects nearly as much viruses and other malware as commercial av. Decent user interface.

Realtime scanner not as good as AVG. Another thing about the free version is that it pops out a random advertisement of its product. But nonetheless, it is still quite a good free av

All has their Pros and Cons.

Note: Do not install more than 1 av software in a computer as the av may conflict with each other and cause your system to run more slowly then usual. Therefore, my advice is to stick to 1 av software and not install any more.

Personally, I think Avira is my preferred av as it really detects quite a lot more malware and viruses than the other 2 (about 5% more). The problem about the advertisement popping out is nto hindering my preference as it rarely pops out.

Nevertheless, the choice is yours.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Tan_Robobooga

If you are looking for the best free antivirus software then you will want to check out AVG antivirus. Here we will run through a review of the product and how it can help you protect your PC from viruses and other malware.

Background

AVG antivirus is marketed by a company called AVG Technologies (formerly known as Grisoft). This Czech company has been active in the computer security field for over 10 years and has good reputation among professional and home computer users. The name AVG comes from the product's original name, which was Anti Virus Guard. But it is now known simply as AVG.

License types

There is a free version and a 'pro' version that is paid for. AVG antivirus free edition is available for home users to install on individual computers. For commercial use, a Pro license is required.

Features

The software comes complete with a database of virus definitions that is updated on a regular basis for free. This update occurs in the background automatically so that there is no chance of you forgetting to do this. There is also real-time protection thanks to the 'AVG Resident Shield'. This detects viruses as soon as they try to infect your machine.

The software will protect against viruses that are attached to emails (one of the most common routes of entry), as well as allowing you to scan all documents that are imported to your machine before you open them. For example if a colleague gives you a CD disk of data, you can run a virus check on it before opening it.

Upgrade

If you upgrade to the 'Pro' version you will get access to technical support. This maybe quite useful if you are a novice computer user. If you are experienced you will probably be happy with continuing to use the free version.

Verdict

This is a full-featured piece of software that has enjoyed many good reviews. It is worthy of being considered the best free antivirus software.

Find out how I choose the top antivirus software for my PC by visiting http://www.top-antivirus-software.com. You can also learn about computer virus definitions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Elms

Are Free Antivirus Software Programs Any Good?

The short answer is yes, free antivirus software is just as good as the ones you pay for at eliminating virus threats. I know many of us have learned the hard way that you get what you pay for but that is not the case with free antivirus software. The truth is, many antivirus companies give out their personal or home version of their product for free. They do this so that people will use it, become impressed with it and then recommend it to the companies they work for. These antivirus companies make their money from the commercial versions of their products.

Most companies that offer a free antivirus product are just as fast at detecting new viruses as the pay-for companies. These companies make their money by offering a good commercial version so their reputation would be on the line if they didn't come out with updates just as fast as the other guys. Their business model is to get referrals from the free versions so it is in their best interest to keep them updated and working well. They are just as fast or even faster in some cases at getting new virus definition files created.

Another benefit to the free versions is that most of them auto-update. These products get judged on how well they work and the companies that make them need word of mouth to push sales. It would not be good if they let people install the products and then relied on those people to update the software themselves. The updates are the most important part of having an antivirus program. As new viruses come out, new updates to your AV program come out to keep you safe from them. If you are not updating your AV programs, you are leaving yourself open to be infected by any new virus that comes along.

I recommend using AVG, Avast or Avira. All these products come in a free home version for your personal use and all of them rate just as high as the pay-for versions from the big two (Norton and McAfee).

If you need help finding any of the free software I mentioned, go to my Free Antivirus Software website. I have links to them as well as lots of other information to help you to remove any virus threat you may have.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_McNamara

How to Select an Online Virus Protection Program
By eHow Computers Editor

A computer is an investment. Much like a car, it is often used daily for various tasks. To have your computer not work can be difficult at the least and devastating if you depend on it for your livelihood. Selecting an online virus protection program is a step towards safeguarding your investment. There are a number available online. Here are some steps to help in the selection process.


Step 1

Do your research. Select antivirus programs from sites that have been recognized by reputable sources like PC Magazine, PC world, etc.

Step 2

Make sure it is easy to do. Look for antivirus programs that do most of the work with little interaction from you.

Step 3

Choose antivirus programs that have automatic online updates. This is a BIG help and an added security measure.

Step 4

Choose the antivirus program that address a variety of concerns like viruses, spyware, adware, etc.

Step 5

Select an antivirus program that removes viruses from incoming emails. It should also scan compressed files.

Step 6

Effective antivirus reports will also include an expanded threat protection to alert you of non-threatening spyware.

Step 7

Be certain that your antivirus program does an automatic update on the latest viruses, virus definitions and other computer threats.

source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2012187_select-online-virusprogram.html