Is it worth paying for an anti virus

Soldato
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Shouldn't need it, 10-20 years ago yes as there were plenty of exploits. As long as windows is fully updated then that's the main thing.
 
Associate
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Along with Windows Defender I would also suggest that your regular account is just a standard user and have a separate admin account which you can use if you need to install anything.
That way if you come across the likes of drive-by infections it cannot install anything in the background which may be missed by Windows Defender.
A good additional option is also to use OpenDNS to block certain categories via DNS as well.
 
Associate
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Would grab something like Kaspersky. It's light and slot better than the free stuff.

Licenses are cheap enough. 10 devices for 1 year can be had for £25. 5 devices for 2 years - £33
 
Soldato
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22 Sep 2006
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3,330
Would grab something like Kaspersky. It's light and slot better than the free stuff.

Licenses are cheap enough. 10 devices for 1 year can be had for £25. 5 devices for 2 years - £33
No need to pay, both Kaspersky and Bitdefender do free versions, they are no frills but just as good.
 
Soldato
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Free versions are notorious for data collection though, so be careful about the T&Cs.


You might as well wear a tin foil hat and stay indoors, they track and trace you more when you go out, oh and if you use Windows then you are already have data being collected, end of the day there is no privacy unless you going to shoot down all the cameras and satellites out there and somehow get all the big companies like Google etc to stop data collecting, stop using credit cards etc so anti virus software is way down on the bottom of the list to worry about.
 
Soldato
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You might as well wear a tin foil hat and stay indoors, they track and trace you more when you go out, oh and if you use Windows then you are already have data being collected, end of the day there is no privacy unless you going to shoot down all the cameras and satellites out there and somehow get all the big companies like Google etc to stop data collecting, stop using credit cards etc so anti virus software is way down on the bottom of the list to worry about.

Lol that's pretty absurd. Watching over your privacy with the products that you use is apparently the same as locking yourself in a cave.
 
Soldato
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Lol that's pretty absurd. Watching over your privacy with the products that you use is apparently the same as locking yourself in a cave.


Some people get too paranoid about privacy ;) ,besides it's not what you know they have tracking you ,but the unknown/cloaked stuff you have to worry about. I wonder if it is safe on Mars privacy wise, guess not with the satellites they have hehe..

Btw I have no issues with Bitdefender free version on my main desktop PC.
 
Associate
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You will be surprised at what the active version of MWB picks up (the free one does not run all the time in the background)
Security is very high on my give-a-toss-o-meter at work and i also have similar concerns for my own kit so i will pay for decent malware detection.
 
Man of Honour
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13 Oct 2006
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91,156
Defender is fine if you are fairly clued up but a more casual user and/or multi-user setup you probably want something to go with it that gives active browsing protection, etc.

Common sense + Defender has worked well for me for years - unless there is some super sneaky low level rootkit out there :s only time I've had a virus was a 0day ad-hijack exploit years ago which wasn't stopped by any mainstream browser or anti-virus software at the time anyway so anyone loading the sites that were hit by it (in my case Guru3D) would have been infected.

EDIT: Annoyingly and typically it was one of the few times I was lazy and didn't bother sandboxing my browser as I'd usually do.
 
Associate
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I've managed to get Malwarebytes Premium with my NatWest Bank Account (if you have an account it's included for up to 10 devices).

Is this enough on it's own, or do you need to run in conjunction with Defender? I think there is an option to use both together, but the default installation I think gives all responsibility to Malwarebytes.
 
Associate
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Warwickshire
I've managed to get Malwarebytes Premium with my NatWest Bank Account (if you have an account it's included for up to 10 devices).

Is this enough on it's own, or do you need to run in conjunction with Defender? I think there is an option to use both together, but the default installation I think gives all responsibility to Malwarebytes.
I prefer to keep Defender and run them both together I.E. turn off the option you mention to register with Security Centre.
 
Soldato
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Bucking the trend I use the paid for Kaspersky on mine and my wifes because hers got infected once that Windows Defender missed and it was a right bottom to sort out. So I just do it now as a matter of cause and it also blocks dodgy pop up websites that auto open which Windows Defender doesnt. Only costs me about £12-15 for a 3 user licence. Its not just the surfing its the email detection too and firewall stuff.

Small price to pay for peace of mind I just dont trust Windows Defender.

Although saying that both kids computers user Windows Defender but they dont surf the internet much.

Even now my wife gets dodgy emails and still has to ask me about them so aye I dont trust the wife either. ;)
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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5,280
You will be surprised at what the active version of MWB picks up (the free one does not run all the time in the background)
Security is very high on my give-a-toss-o-meter at work and i also have similar concerns for my own kit so i will pay for decent malware detection.

I’m the same on the security front. Previously I was looking at the paid versions of Bitdefender so as to ease my worrying about it. They seem to get really good reviews but I can’t find anyone who uses it to get an honest opinion.

I’m also unsure whether it’s worth getting something that covers the phones too.
 
Soldato
Joined
19 Oct 2002
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7,268
Location
Woolyback Country
I've managed to get Malwarebytes Premium with my NatWest Bank Account (if you have an account it's included for up to 10 devices).

Is this enough on it's own, or do you need to run in conjunction with Defender? I think there is an option to use both together, but the default installation I think gives all responsibility to Malwarebytes.
10 devices?
I only got 2 :(
EDIT Just seen they seem to have upgraded it to 10 now :)
 
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