New model-year security products used to come out in the fall, like new model-year cars. In 2011, though, the first 2012 antivirus (G Data AntiVirus 2012($29.95 direct, 3.5 stars) turned up way back in May. It's almost May 2012, so it's time to declare the model year ended and get ready for the 2013 models.
Testing the Tools
To evaluate antivirus utilities I rely on hands-on, real-world testing. The malware removal test involves installing each product on a dozen malware-infested virtual machines and challenging it to clean them up. This article explains how I get from those tests to the figures in the chart below: How We Test Malware Removal.
To evaluate antivirus utilities I rely on hands-on, real-world testing. The malware removal test involves installing each product on a dozen malware-infested virtual machines and challenging it to clean them up. This article explains how I get from those tests to the figures in the chart below: How We Test Malware Removal.
For the malware blocking test I attempt to install the same collection of threats on a clean system protected by the product being tested. The article How We Test Malware Blockingexplains how I analyze and score the results.
I also refer to reports from major independent antivirus testing labs. The labs have vastly more resources than I do, so they can perform large-scale tests that would take more time than I have available. The chart below specifically lists results for the companies whose 2012 products are rounded up here. For full details on how I interpret these lab results seeHow We Interpret Antivirus Lab Tests. The chart below summarizes our test results as well results from the independent labs.
Cleanup-Only Tools
Four of these recent products are specifically designed to clean up malware infestations, with no real-time protection component. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Free 1.51 (Free, 4 stars) was the most effective of these. Its detection rate wasn't high, but effective removal gave it 6.4 points overall. The commercial Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware PRO 1.51 ($24.95 direct, 3 stars) does add real-time protection, but it was the least effective of the entire group.
Four of these recent products are specifically designed to clean up malware infestations, with no real-time protection component. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Free 1.51 (Free, 4 stars) was the most effective of these. Its detection rate wasn't high, but effective removal gave it 6.4 points overall. The commercial Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware PRO 1.51 ($24.95 direct, 3 stars) does add real-time protection, but it was the least effective of the entire group.
Norman Malware Cleaner 2.1 (Free, 3.5 stars) wasn't as effective as Malwarebytes. Its rootkit removal score is especially low because most of the rootkits it detected were still running after its alleged removal.
Comodo Cleaning Essentials (free, 4.5 stars) is full portable, so malware can't evade it by interfering with installation. It was particularly effective against rootkits.
While not free like the others, avast! Rescue Disc ($10/once direct, 3.5 stars) is inexpensive. Rootkits and other malware types that subvert Windows itself should yield to this bootable tool. However, in testing one rootkit remained running even after alleged removal. Free Antivirus Tools
As noted, Malwarebytes, Comodo Cleaning Essentials, and Norman Malware Cleaner are free antivirus utilities that focus on cleaning up existing threats. A few other free entries handle both cleanup and real-time protection.
The Defense+ behavioral tracking system in Comodo Antivirus 2012(free, 3 stars) detected numerous malware samples, but it flagged valid files too. Its on-demand scan detected almost all of the malware samples, but it left behind tons of malware traces.
Panda Cloud Anti-Virus 1.5 Free Edition (Free, 3.5 stars) doesn't have 2012 in the name, but it's contemporary with the 2012 products. It had the highest detection rate in my malware removal test, but incomplete cleanup brought its removal score down.
AVG Anti-Virus Free 2012 (Free, 4 stars) turned in a star performance for malware cleanup, taking the highest or second highest score of all free products in every category. It also scored well in malware blocking, and the independent labs give it good marks. AVG is our current Editors' Choice for free antivirus.
Avira Free Antivirus 2012 (Free, 4 stars) also fared well in my testing and in independent lab testing. In the rootkit removal test it missed some samples and didn't completely remove some it detected, putting it a tad behind AVG overall.
The independent labs give avast! Free Antivirus 7 (free, 4 stars) very good ratings, and it scored well in PCMag's malware cleanup test. The boot-time scan handles entrenched malware by cleaning it before Windows starts.
Long-time fans of Ad-Aware Free Antivirus+ 10 (free, 2.5 stars) will find that this latest version looks very different. It looks great, but its cleanup disabled one test system beyond recovery.
Mixed Ratings
Some of the 2012 products offered uneven protection. Outpost Antivirus Pro 7.5 ($29.95 direct for three licenses, 3 stars) did well in malware blocking tests but quite poorly in malware removal. Panda Antivirus Pro 2012 ($49.99/year direct for three licenses, 3 stars) skewed the other way, scoring noticeably better at malware cleanup. G Data AntiVirus 2012($29.95 direct, 3.5 stars) had the highest detection rate in the malware blocking test and the second highest overall blocking score, but in the removal test its performance was just average. ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5 ($39.99 direct, 3 stars) did a decent job of malware cleanup but wasn't nearly as effective at blocking new malware attacks, especially rootkits.
Some of the 2012 products offered uneven protection. Outpost Antivirus Pro 7.5 ($29.95 direct for three licenses, 3 stars) did well in malware blocking tests but quite poorly in malware removal. Panda Antivirus Pro 2012 ($49.99/year direct for three licenses, 3 stars) skewed the other way, scoring noticeably better at malware cleanup. G Data AntiVirus 2012($29.95 direct, 3.5 stars) had the highest detection rate in the malware blocking test and the second highest overall blocking score, but in the removal test its performance was just average. ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5 ($39.99 direct, 3 stars) did a decent job of malware cleanup but wasn't nearly as effective at blocking new malware attacks, especially rootkits.
In a similar vein, BullGuard Antivirus 12 turned in some of the lowest scores in my malware removal test, but in the blocking test it squeezed in just behind G Data. McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2012 scored a bit better than BullGuard for malware removal, but its malware blocking skills were just average.
TrustPort Antivirus 2012 ($39.95 direct, 3.5 stars) achieved good scores in both sets of tests. However, it crashed several test systems, and its behavior-based detection doesn't distinguish good programs from bad. Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus+ 2012 ($39.95 direct, 2.5 stars) detected most threats in the malware blocking test, but didn't thoroughly block the threats it detected. Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2012 ($59.95 direct for three licenses, 3.5 stars) gets rave reviews from the independent labs. However, it scored poorly in our own tests and needed help from tech support to clean up one threat.
Norman Antivirus 9 definitely left a bad impression. Even with help from tech support, it never could install on two test systems, which accounts in part for its very low malware removal score. Two other late-year arrivals, F-Secure Anti-Virus 2012 and GFI VIPRE Antivirus 2012, got the same overall score for malware removal, but VIPRE did a poor job of cleaning up rootkits. Their scores for malware blocking were also close, with F-Secure just a bit ahead.
More Than Antivirus
ZoneAlarm Antivirus + Firewall 2012 ($59.95 direct for three licenses, 3 stars) has added an advanced disinfection component that did a good job cleaning up detected malware, but its detection rate was low. It does include significant bonuses, adding firewall, phishing protection, credit monitoring, and backup.
ZoneAlarm Antivirus + Firewall 2012 ($59.95 direct for three licenses, 3 stars) has added an advanced disinfection component that did a good job cleaning up detected malware, but its detection rate was low. It does include significant bonuses, adding firewall, phishing protection, credit monitoring, and backup.
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2012 ($39.95 direct for three licenses, 4 stars) achieved good scores in PCMag's testing. It includes identity theft monitoring, private data protection, Facebook protection, and a powerful antiphishing component. The independent labs rate it very highly, and its new AutoPilot mode means it won't get in your face.
That brings us to Norton AntiVirus 2012 ($39.99 direct, 4.5 stars), an Editors' Choice for standalone antivirus protection. The labs give it good ratings and it scored very well in our own tests. It includes exploit protection that's better than what you get in suites from other vendors.
The totally new Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus ($39.95 direct, 4.5 stars) is also an Editor's Choice. It turned in a perfect score for malware blocking and came in second only to Norton for malware removal. Because its "brains" are in the cloud the local client is unbelievably tiny.
I anticipate that the 2013 antivirus models will start turning up any time now. I'm armed with a brand-new set of malware samples, ready to put them to the test.
Ad-Aware Free Antivirus+ 10
Free
Lavasoft's designers have so thoroughly streamlined both the user interface and the protective technology in this release that it's almost like version 1.0. Like a version 1.0 product, it has some glitches to work through. In particular, its cleanup totally killed one infested test system; users don't like that.
Free
Lavasoft's designers have so thoroughly streamlined both the user interface and the protective technology in this release that it's almost like version 1.0. Like a version 1.0 product, it has some glitches to work through. In particular, its cleanup totally killed one infested test system; users don't like that.
avast! Free Antivirus 7
Free
If avast!'s very good malware cleanup doesn't recognize a suspicious file, its built-in automatic sandboxing can keep that file from doing harm. It's one of several good choices for free antivirus protection, with unusual bonus features like Web reputation reporting and built-in remote assistance.
Free
If avast!'s very good malware cleanup doesn't recognize a suspicious file, its built-in automatic sandboxing can keep that file from doing harm. It's one of several good choices for free antivirus protection, with unusual bonus features like Web reputation reporting and built-in remote assistance.
avast! Rescue Disc
$10 direct
Avast! Rescue Disc can scan and clean any Windows installation, including one on a drive removed from another PC. No other product I've seen can do that. Its cleanup wasn't the most thorough, but it would probably be sufficient to revive a system rendered unbootable by malware.
AVG Anti-Virus Free 2012
Free
(Best Deal: $37.49 at Amazon)This free product scored better than the commercial competition in PCMag's hands-on antivirus tests, and it also gets high marks from the independent labs. It now integrates with other AVG products and includes useful bonus features. AVG Anti-Virus Free 2012 is PCMag's new Editors' Choice for free antivirus.
Free
This free antivirus gets good ratings from the independent labs and also scored well in PCMag's own malware removal and blocking tests, though in both tests it had some trouble with rootkits. It's a nice free solution that's worth your consideration.
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2012
$39.95 direct for 3 licenses
(Best Deal: $24.01 at Amazon)This antivirus packs in tons of features that you won't find in the competition, and it scores really well with independent antivirus labs. It's the best antiphishing tool I've seen. It turned in so-so scores in PCMag's own hands-on antimalware tests, but it's still a very good choice.
$24.95, direct
This product displays uneven capabilities. Its malware blocking scores approach those of the very best products, but it set new records for poor malware cleanup. Its bonus phishing protection and spam filtering aren't very accurate. These ups and downs average out to a good product, but you can do better.
Comodo Antivirus 2012
Free
Don't rely on Comodo Antivirus 2012 to clean up an infested system; it's just not good at that. It will keep a clean system clean, as long as you read and correctly respond to many popup queries from its Defense+ component. It's not for everyone.
Free
Don't rely on Comodo Antivirus 2012 to clean up an infested system; it's just not good at that. It will keep a clean system clean, as long as you read and correctly respond to many popup queries from its Defense+ component. It's not for everyone.
Comodo Cleaning Essentials
Free
Can't install your full-scale antivirus because active malware prevents it? The free and portable Comodo Cleaning Essentials doesn't need installation. It won't sweep away all the inactive malware traces, but it does a good job of eliminating the processes that fight installation of security software.
Free
Can't install your full-scale antivirus because active malware prevents it? The free and portable Comodo Cleaning Essentials doesn't need installation. It won't sweep away all the inactive malware traces, but it does a good job of eliminating the processes that fight installation of security software.
Coranti 2012 Multi-Engine AntiVirus & AntiSpyware
$39.99/year
Having four engines was supposed to make this tool four times as good. It didn't. The interface is huge and awkward and the full scan failed to remove most of the malware it detected. Almost anything else would be better.
$39.99/year
Having four engines was supposed to make this tool four times as good. It didn't. The interface is huge and awkward and the full scan failed to remove most of the malware it detected. Almost anything else would be better.
ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5
$39.99, direct; $59.99 for three licenses
This antivirus gets good marks from the independent labs. In my testing it did a decent job of malware cleanup but flubbed the malware blocking tests badly. You can do better.
$39.99 direct for three licenses
F-Secure achieved good scores in my hands-on tests and even better scores from the independent labs. However, getting it installed on malware-infested systems was difficult, and its DeepGuard behavior-based detection identified both valid programs and malware samples as "suspicious."
G Data AntiVirus 2012
$49.95 direct for three licenses
(Best Deal: $42.28 at Amazon Marketplace)In my own tests and in independent lab tests, G Data has a good malware detection rate. It just doesn't clean up found threats thoroughly. It's a good choice to keep your new system clean, not as good if you've already got a malware problem.
$39.95, direct
(Best Deal: $27.99 at SoftwareSupplyGroup )VIPRE seems to do a good job keeping malware from infiltrating a clean system, but when challenged to clean up already-infested systems it didn't so well, especially against rootkits. It does offer an unusual 10-installation home site license, which is quite a bargain. However, some free solutions have proven just as effective.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2012
$39.95 direct, $59.95 for three licenses
(Best Deal: $26.95 at SoftwareSupplyGroup )In PCMag's tests Kaspersky didn't score well, and one threat nearly defeated it. It has trouble detecting the very newest phishing sites. Yet the independent antivirus labs rank it at or near the top.
Malwarebytes to ZoneAlarm
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Free 1.51
Free
If you have a problem with malware that prevents installing a regular antivirus, or malware that your regular antivirus can't remove, try the free edition of Malwarebytes. For most types of malware its cleanup is significantly more thorough than average.
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware PRO 1.51
$24.95, direct
(Best Deal: $17.99 at Amazon Marketplace)The independent labs don't test Malwarebytes, so I have to rely solely on my own hands-on tests. My results indicate that the product's malware removal capabilities are vastly better than its malware blocking abilities. That makes the free edition a better deal.
$49.99 Direct, $69.99 for three licenses
(Best Deal: $28.00 at Royaldiscount.com)McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2012 offers decent protection against malware attack and includes many extras, most impressively a full personal firewall. However, in dynamic malware-removal testing by PCMag and independent labs it proved less effective.
$45.95 direct for three licenses
(Best Deal: $43.99 at TigerDirect.com)Getting antivirus software installed on infested test systems often requires a lot of back-and-forth with tech support. Norman is the only vendor I can recall that simply gave up when malware prevented installation. It long, slow scan left a lot of malware behind, especially rootkits. There are many better choices.
Free
Both PCMag's tests and independent lab tests show that Norman's malware cleanup isn't the best. However, this free tool runs even when malware blocks installation of more full-featured products. Give it a try when you need a quick fix.
Norton AntiVirus 2012
$39.99 direct
(Best Deal: $19.97 at SoftwareSupplyGroup )Both PCMag's tests and tests by independent lab rate this antivirus as a very good choice for both cleaning up malware-infested systems and keeping clean systems clean. Norton AntiVirus 2012 is our Editors' Choice for premium standalone antivirus.
Outpost Antivirus Pro 7.5
$29.95/year direct for 3 licenses
Outpost Antivirus Pro 7.5 won't get in your way. It installs and scans quickly, and it's good at keeping malware from attacking a brand-new clean system. Don't rely on it to clean up an existing infestation, though. In testing it flopped at cleaning up the threats it detected.
Panda Antivirus Pro 2012
$49.99/year direct for 3 licenses
Panda Antivirus Pro 2012 includes a number of features you'd normally expect to find only in a suite. In particular, it offers a full-blown firewall. However, for actual malware protection and cleanup you can do better.
Panda Cloud Antivirus 1.5 Free Edition
Free
This free antivirus solution minimizes its impact on your system by using the cloud for malware detection, and its simple user interface is easy on the eyes. In testing, it didn't completely handle every detected threat, but it's still a reasonable choice if you're looking for a free solution.
$39.99 direct for three licenses
If you need antivirus protection for three computers, Spyware Doctor is a bargain. Its three-pack price would get you just one copy of Norton or Webroot. However, its protection doesn't quite come up to those top-of-the-line antivirus tools.
Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus+ 2012
$39.95, direct; three licenses for $59.95
Trend Micro delivers on its promise of unobtrusive protection that's easy to use. The problem is, both PCMag's tests and some independent lab tests show that it just doesn't protect as well as the competition.
TrustPort Antivirus 2012
$39.95, direct
With its multiple antivirus engines TrustPort detects more malware than most. It's especially good at keeping malware out of a clean system. However, in testing it flopped at cleaning up the malware it detected, leaving quite a few detected threats running. This product is best used on a brand-new clean computer.
Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus
$39.95, Direct
(Best Deal: $34.99 at Amazon)Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus is tiny beyond belief, yet it achieved perfect scores across the board in my malware-blocking tests. It also did a very good job cleaning up malware-infested systems. This impressive product shares our Editor's Choice honor with Norton AntiVirus 2012.
ZoneAlarm Antivirus + Firewall 2012
59.95 direct for 3 licenses
(Best Deal: $20.49 at Amazon Marketplace)ZoneAlarm has a brand new look and a new advanced disinfection feature that did a good job the malware it detected, though it didn't detect as many samples as others have. It goes beyond simple antivirus, adding firewall, antiphishing, backup, credit monitoring, and more.
0 comments:
Posting Komentar