Question Anti-virus recommendation

[Bodrey]

I have a subscription to NordVPN that expires in a month. I'm also running a free AV app but even the paid version isn't robust enough for my needs. Instead of buying/subscribing to separate AV and VPN apps I'd like to find a good AV that offers built-in keylogger protection as well as a VPN and isn't resource-intensive. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

 

[randyh121]

Nord includes an Anti Virus
Malware protection tool for your devices | NordVPN
That being said I would not rely on Nords Anti Virus. Just use windows defender as the anti virus, or Malwarebytes free.
Reason I say windows is this. Who do you think is going to stop the latest and greatest virus from hurting your computer? Microsoft, who owns the entire operating system you use, or some third party?
Microsoft obviously, they need to protect their product

 

[hotaru.hino]

Window Defender is good enough for most people. See https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/01/antivirus-is-bad/ on why third party AV may not be as good as they want you to think.

Also Windows Defender has been getting really good scores on AVTest: https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/manufacturer/microsoft/

 

[Cj-tech]

I have a subscription to NordVPN that expires in a month. I'm also running a free AV app but even the paid version isn't robust enough for my needs. Instead of buying/subscribing to separate AV and VPN apps I'd like to find a good AV that offers built-in keylogger protection as well as a VPN and isn't resource-intensive. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

Windows Defender is fine for most people. A VPN is great because it protects your network traffic. The biggest thing you should do is learn to identify spam, safe websites, and unsafe programs. I could set my grandma up with the greatest antivirus in the world but it wouldn’t do a thing if she installed candy crush because her “friend” sent her a link in her email. Hopefully it would warn her and maybe block it… but you can usually force antivirus software to ignore it.

 

[Rokinamerica]

I could set my grandma up with the greatest antivirus in the world but it wouldn’t do a thing if she installed candy crush because her “friend” sent her a link in her email.

How funny, I am the grandfather that has to be tech support and set up my kids. Like you, I only use Defender and am very strict about what I will open or click. It, like any AV/Malware scanners etc. will only be as effective as the user lets it be.

Nothing can protect you if you click anything and everything that catches your eye.


Throw in the requisite backup plan, tested of course, tested tio make sure it works and you should be good to go on.

 

[USAFRet]

How funny, I am the grandfather that has to be tech support and set up my kids. Like you, I only use Defender and am very strict about what I will open or click. It, like any AV/Malware scanners etc. will only be as effective as the user lets it be.

Nothing can protect you if you click anything and everything that catches your eye.


Throw in the requisite backup plan, tested of course, tested tio make sure it works and you should be good to go on.

I am you exactly.

 

[Cj-tech]

How funny, I am the grandfather that has to be tech support and set up my kids. Like you, I only use Defender and am very strict about what I will open or click. It, like any AV/Malware scanners etc. will only be as effective as the user lets it be.

Nothing can protect you if you click anything and everything that catches your eye.


Throw in the requisite backup plan, tested of course, tested tio make sure it works and you should be good to go on.

Yes. Backups are a great way to prepare for an infection.

 

[ubuysa]

Agree completely re Defender, Windows Firewall, and backups. However, nobody has mentioned that NordVPN's primary purpose is as a VPN - and if you need a VPN you can't do better than NordVPN.

 

[Viking2121]

Windows defender is usually more than enough, its gotten pretty good over the years. Thats all you really need, its not perfect same goes for any Anti Virus program's, most are just bloat and a pain to get rid of in some cases when it does slow the system down to much.

Though I would suggest to them paranoid people to run something like Malwarebytes premium and thats it, yeah its not an Antivirus but it picks up viruses and works well along side of Defender, of course there will be some performance cost, mostly on lower end systems.

Can also just run the free version and manually scan from time to time, I don't use it anymore on my personal rig, haven't for years, but it is on my flash drive just in case I get a computer in for repair thats running weird and slow, also Kaspersky Free Virus Removal Tool.

 

[Olivia Simmons]

As you can see there are several good antivirus programs available on the market each with its own strength and weaknsses such as Norton Antivirus, McAfee Antivirus , Nord VPN And Avira etc ,no antivirus can generate 100% security so its essential to keep your antivirus updated . About Nord VPN its not only a VPN its works as an Antirvirus .Somehow protecting your pc is all in your hand by avoiding suspicious emails and links.

 

[MJS WARLORD]

Hello to all the regular names , and other contributors i see in this thread ..... this is my contribution to the discussion.

Started pc geeking in 2003 using norton anti virus , found a bug in the program that let you use install disc again for another year , did this many times and yes i know it was wrong.
After about 5 years i moved to norton 360 but after many years i ditched it because it was resource hungry.
Tried macafee courtesy of my isp but ditched it because it missed genuine threats that malwares bytes found.
For the last 7 years i have used kaspersky and it has about 100 days left on it , because of whats happening in the real world i wont be re-renewing it , some magazines have stopped promoting it for the same reasons.

I have looked at what else is out their and i think my next anti virus is going to be ESET.

NOTE..... i dont have defender or malware bytes running in the background but i do a scan with them about every 2 weeks.

 

[Corwin65]

I'm also the family IT department and I've been using only MS Defender and the occasional free Malwarebytes scan. No Issues on about 15 systems.