PC Protection Tools

[Aristotle]

Two of the best used to be Adaware and Spybot.

I have noticed that these two programs haven't had ANY updates in the last 3+ months. I find it VERY unlikely that there haven't been new worms, trojans, spam tricks, spyware, etc. invented during that time. It seems like these two programs have been suffering neglect.

As for other tools, I have read of a free anti virus program (some acronym like AVS) but I have never used it and wonder if anyone here does.

Please share other good PC protection tools you use so that everyone can help keep their PC running in tip top shape!

[Marah]

The virus protection is AVG and I really like it. On the first run, it found a trojan on my computer that McAfee had missed so I already had a high opinion of it. I think even more highly of it now that I realize how frequently I get updates.

The "look" of AVG is very much freeware but who cares what it looks like when the program itself is good? I can only hope they keep this updated.

[Gesslar]

I have AVG as well, i don't mind. it

[Grantref]

Are you sure there hasn't been an update? According to adaware's website the latest definitions file was updated on 5/31/05. However, it won't download it unless you have adaware 1.06, so if you have an older version it may have been telling you 'no updates available'.

Spybot was also updated on 5/31/05.

[Nephrys]

I also thought that ad-aware hadn't had any updates, but turns out that they just made a new version -Ad-Aware SE Personal- which you can still download free. I uninstalled my old version, and installed that one and was amazed at how much stuff had infiltrated my computer, just because I hadn't had the new version or any updates. I haven't seen any spybot updates though.

[Aristotle]

Gah. Wtf! What is the point of having an update feature if it doesn't do the full update of the software! SHEESH!

Ok, getting the latest versions of those.

Any more opinions on AVG?

Any other PC protection tools people use and like?

[Aristotle]

Jesus christ. 264 new objects found by AdAware. No wonder I'd noticed some weird issues and hangs on my PC. Here I was doing my updates and running my scans regularly and it was pointless.

Nice update function, AdAware. I want my money back!

Oops. Its free. Nevermind.

I'm just glad it found them and I hope this resolves the hangs.

[Riek]

I currently use Kerio Personal Firewall which comes bundled with AVG. I really like them both, and find them more intuitive and better functionality wise than Nortons.

I also happily use spybot and adaware.

[Riek]

Oh, regclean and spiderbite are also handy cleanup tools I use after my monthly run of spybot/adaware.

[Jozep]

I had Webroot Spysweeper installed by Best Buy, it does a good job, downside is it's not free. Although, Adaware is also very good, I still catch things with it that Spy Sweeper misses sometimes. And, it is free.

For viruses I use Norton AV. I used to have AVG as well, I was quite shocked when the guy told me that having more than one Anti Virus running is actually a bad thing, I guess they tend to cancel each other out. Don't know how much truth there is in that, but, since it didn't make the guy any money to tell me that, it might be true!