14 DAY TRIAL // I have seen this question on user forums and comments and I have heard it from friends. And I even heard some definitive answers. Generally, people looking for a Vista compatible antivirus were asking about the best one. Now, I am not going to recommend a specific security solution for Windows Vista. It is too early for such a conclusion to be drawn. Even more so as Vista will be available for the general public come January 29, 2007, and the majority of the security solutions that deliver support for Vista are still in beta. What I am going to do is present you with a range of options, and of course, provide the adequate links to the products and let you judge for yourselves.
When choosing a security solution for Vista, you will have to make sure that it integrates seamlessly with the operating system. For this, it will have to balance three aspects: performance, functionality and accuracy. You will only be able to judge the functionality of the antivirus in time. If you constantly get infected with malware even though you have deployed an antivirus, then perhaps it is best if you reconsider your choice and switch to another product. Another aspect that you should look to that is related to functionality is the rate of virus signatures updates. If you are unable to remember the last time your antivirus has been updated, then the vendor is slow to react to emerging threats, and you are exposed to a wide window of attacks via zero-day exploits.
As for performance? Well? I did mention the seamless integration with the operating system. A security solution that is a resource hog will not necessarily deliver the best protection. Symantec's Norton had this problem in the past. When running a full system scan, the hangtime that the other applications were experiencing, even on above average configurations, made the system useless. A security product that all but completely consumes the hardware resources available, virtually locking you out until it's done with the scan, will affect your workflow. With Norton 360, Symantec has resolved some past issues, but only time will tell to which extent.
Accuracy is another aspect that you should consider. If your antivirus has detected Windows Media Player as a virus, then you should start wondering about the false positives it is generating. You could end up losing files just because of the antivirus. Also, on more than one occasion, I got to talking with friends and they said that they had an antivirus and for periods of time over half a year or even one year, the software did not report any malware. Let me make this clear. No security solution is that good. The only way to stay completely protected is if you unplug your machine and let it gather dust.
All users know that it is not recommended to deploy multiple security solutions simultaneously. This is because they are not compatible with one another. Multiple security solutions will rather render the operating system inoperable than deliver additional protection. However, nothing is stopping you from deploying one at a time. No, you don't have to buy them all. Look for trial editions or for free beta builds. But look for an alternative. Always look for an alternative. This is the only way that will guarantee you will get the best security solution. Also, keep in mind that viruses are no longer the main threat for your operating system. The threat environment has geared toward spyware, adware, Trojan horses, worms, keyloggers and spam. Look for a complete security solution that provides protection against a range of malicious code. The time of the antivirus is long gone.
And since I was talking of alternatives, let's get down to business. (The products presented below are in random order!)
Norton 360 Beta - "In today's fast-evolving threat landscape, computer users need smart, manageable security that provides layers of protection beyond the basics," said Enrique Salem, group president, Consumer Business Unit, Symantec Corp. "Since the Vista operating system is not a security solution and only includes some of the basics, consumers need a solution like Norton 360 for comprehensive protection."
Norton AntiVirus 2007 Beta and Norton Internet Security 2007 Beta - "As the industry leader, Symantec is raising the bar by delivering significant advancements in two key areas of our 2007 release: security technology and product performance," said Enrique Salem, group president, Consumer Products and Solutions for Symantec. "Today's threat landscape shows large, widespread virus outbreaks being replaced by groups of higher frequency, low-visibility attacks aimed at financial gain rather than notoriety. Symantec has responded by developing sophisticated new security features to restore consumer confidence online and world-class protection that automatically identifies and neutralizes online threats without requiring users to make complicated decisions about their security. We've complemented these technological advancements with ground-breaking performance enhancements our customers will feel in almost every facet of the products - from boot time to full system scans."
Panda Antivirus 2007 Beta for Windows Vista main features: low system resources usage, anti-spyware protection - protects your privacy and the confidentiality of your data, automatic protection against all types of malicious software, Protection against fraud and automatic updates. Panda Antivirus 2007 for Windows Vista includes a wide range of services which give you the backing of IT security experts. Some services evaluate and resolve any questions you may have. Some of the services included are: Internet tech support, email tech support, sending of suspicious, etc.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus Maintenance Pack 2 Beta and Kaspersky Internet Security Maintenance Pack 2 Beta - Maintenance Pack 2 adds support for Windows Vista. Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 combines reactive antivirus detection with the latest proactive technologies to provide your computer with solid and dependable protection against malicious programs. Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0 is a fully integrated solution that protects your computer from all of the most common Internet threats, including viruses, hacker attacks, adware, spam and spyware. Support for Windows Vista is one of the more important new features in both beta versions
Trend Micro OfficeScan 7.8 beta - "We are pleased to have worked closely with Microsoft during the Beta program of Windows Vista by ensuring that corporate and consumer customers using the beta and RTM can receive reliable malware protection from our TrendLabsSM researchers," said Lane Bess, president, North American operations, Trend Micro. "Windows Vista customers can rely on Trend Micro's long-standing security expertise for protecting their systems, just as we've safeguarded users of Windows client operating systems for nearly two decades. More than 220,000 downloads of the Windows Vista-compatible version of PC-cillin Internet Security for consumers prove the value to customers of client-side security solutions from Trend Micro that complement the additional security features in Microsoft's new operating system."
NOD32 Antivirus 2.70.23 - NOD32 Antivirus System provides well balanced, state-of-the-art protection against threats endangering your PC and enterprise systems running various platforms from Microsoft Windows 95 / 98 / ME / NT / 2000 / XP / Vista, through a number of UNIX/Linux, Novell, MS DOS operating systems to Microsoft Exchange Server, Lotus Domino and other mail servers.
avast! 4 Home Edition 4.7.892 and avast! 4 Professional Edition 4.7.892 - The latest versions of all Avast! antivirus editions, including the free Home Edition, now support the new Windows Vista platform (both 32-bit and 64-bit builds).The minimum version of avast! Home/Professional Edition compatible with Windows Vista is 4.7.892.
BitDefender Internet Security 10.5 Beta 4 for Windows Vista - BitDefender provides security solutions to satisfy the protection requirements of today's computing environment, delivering effective threat management to over 41 million home and corporate users in more than 200 countries. Please note that Bitdefender Internet Security v10.2 BETA 1 can be installed only on Microsoft Windows Vista build 5744 and above.
AVG Anti-Malware 7.5.433a904 and AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5.0.50 - "GRISOFT's focus has always been providing users with the most comprehensive and proactive computer security solutions on the market," said Larry Bridwell, Vice President of Communications of GRISOFT. "With AVG 7.5 and, more specifically, Internet Security 7.5, we've taken another step toward truly providing all users with security software that can continually protect them from the growing number of cyber and computer threats."
