Comparative review of free antiviruses

I decided after reviewing a single AVG Antivirus 9.0 anti-virus from Courteous habravchanin to write my own and go through free solutions in this area.

Evaluation of antiviruses was carried out by three parameters - usability (here the habrasoobshchestvo may not agree with my assessments), resource consumption and reliability (I assessed reliability by the famous archive of 3732 viruses).
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A-Squared Free

Main features of a-squared Free 4.5
• Removes trojans, spyware (Spyware), adware (Adware), Internet worms, keyloggers (Keyloggers), rootkits (Rootkits), dialers (Dialers) and other threats.
• Easy to use and completely free.
• More than 4 million users worldwide

For owners of not too nimble or limited Internet, the fact of an initial update to 33mb can be a minus.
Carefully, under the cut a lot of screenshots!

In terms of interface, I liked the product, it is very difficult to get lost in the menu. But it turned out to be a spoon of honey in a barrel with tar, because the product was completely unsatisfactory and coped with the presence of viruses, besides it consumes excessive resources during the scanning process.





Final grade:
Usability: 10/10
Resource Consumption: 3/10
Reliability: 4/10

Conclusion: this is an anti-virus solution, I cannot advise anyone at all, the chance to catch something disgusting is too high.

Link: www.comss.ru/page.php?id=88

Avast! Free antivirus

Main technologies:
• Antivirus and antispyware kernel
• Real-time rootkit protection
• Base avast! Community iq
• Studying intruder techniques in unprotected networks
• Intelligent checker avast! Intelligent Scanner
• Intelligent updates of virus databases
• Auto / game mode
• Green Computer
• avast! iTrack
• File system / email shield
• Web Shield
• P2P / Instant Messaging Shield
• Network Shield
• Shield behavior

I lived for a long time with this antivirus solution, but did not like the large number of false positives and the problem of adding the file to the safe list.

When installing a pleasant surprise is the proposal to additionally install Google Chrome. The number of modules is quite voluminous and will be quite enough for most users.



Very nice design, no complaints about convenience.



When scanning, A-Squared Free works much faster and more qualitatively, besides resources “eats” are also much less.





Final grade:
Usability: 10/10
Resource Consumption: 8/10
Reliability: 9/10

Conclusion: Avast! Free Antivirus can be advised to many users, computer security will be at a very good level.

Link: www.avast.com/ru-ru/free-antivirus-download

AVG Antivirus Free

On Habré, there was recently a review of the paid version of this solution, but I decided to also consider the free option.

The main characteristics of AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition:
- Automatic updates for all the time using the antivirus.
- AVG Resident Shield scans files during their opening and programs at their launch.
- AVG Email Scanner checks all your email.
- AVG On-Demand Scanner allows the user to scan the computer for viruses, both on a schedule and manually.
- Careful handling of infected files (can cure infected files).

The interface is convenient, I can’t say anything bad about it; practically does not consume memory.





With the finding of viruses brilliantly copes this package.



Final grade:
Usability: 10/10
Resource Consumption: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10

Conclusion: I can advise this solution to a greater extent than Avast! Antivirus Free, although the interface is not so pretty.

Link: www.avg.com/ru-ru/avg-anti-virus-free

Comodo Antivirus

I myself personally use the maximum edition of the product from Comodo - Comodo Internet Security - for the reason that copes with viruses and, despite the difficult interface for a beginner, makes it easy to monitor the actions of all applications on the computer. Plus, it is nice that both the antivirus and the firewall are combined into 1 package. Another interesting feature is the ThreatCast feature - when a window appears with a choice of action (if some application, for example, wants to write something to the registry or go online), it also shows what other Comodo users have done in this situation. In addition, this is probably the only solution that also suggests using your dns.

But what an official source writes about him.

Key Comodo AntiVirus Features
• Enhanced heuristic analysis and preventive protection allow intercepts unknown viruses.
• Real-time protection, process monitoring and on-demand scanner.
• Block Internet worms before they take effect.
• Scan email.
• Automatic daily update of the virus database.

Comodo Antivirus has the functionality of paid antivirus software - detects and removes all known viruses, trojans, Internet worms from your computer, and is available absolutely free.

When describing a-squared Free, I mentioned a large amount of initial updates. Here it is even worse with this - 85.9 mb. RAM does not eat enough, but this is offset by a very high result in finding viruses.





Final grade:
Usability: 8/10
Resource Consumption: 8/10
Reliability: 10/10

Link: antivirus.comodo.com

Microsoft Security Essentials

In general, it is quite interesting that Microsoft has released a free antivirus solution. I think this is a positive thing. A nice feature is that you do not need to restart the system after installing MSE. You can also note the fact that the antivirus is able to cure infected files, and not just delete or put in storage.

Key features
* Perfect Malware Protection
* Simple free download *
* Automatic update
* Ease of use
* To install Microsoft Security Essentials, a genuine Windows OS must be running on the computer.

The first update of the antivirus passed very quickly and therefore it was possible to proceed to field trials.



Of the minuses, it can be noted that the program hangs when trying to cure viruses in the archive. Also, I didn’t find how to explain the anomalous processor load (nothing was scanned, just the system after loading).



So for XP, I cannot recommend it, on windows seven this behavior was not noticed.

Final grade:
Usability: 8/10
Resource Consumption: 1/10
Reliability: 9/10

Link: www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/?mkt=en-ru

Nano antivirus

This is how developers are positioning their product.
- Protect your computer against all types of viruses, Trojans and worms, including their encrypted and polymorphic variants.
- Protection of your system in real time, ensuring the security of user data during the entire time of his work.
- Enhanced support for unpacking, allowing to detect malware in various types of archives.
- High speed of work achieved through the use of advanced scanning system.
- The analysis system that allows you to detect new, not yet listed in the virus database, malicious programs on the characteristics of their behavior.
- Operational, at least once a day, update of virus databases, timely protecting your computer from new malicious programs.

In terms of interface, I liked the antivirus, all settings are very simple and obvious. Of the minuses, I can point out quite large pop-up windows.
With finding viruses NanoAV handled very, very well.



But the gluttony in terms of RAM is somewhat increased.



Final grade:
Usability: 10/10
Resource Consumption: 6/10
Reliability: 9/10

Link: www.nanoav.ru

Zillya! Antivirus

When installing, they force you to specify the name, surname and address of the email - a fat minus. After installation, the user waits for a typical offer to reboot the system - reboot.

Features of the program
- 100% free for all Ukrainians
- Protection against viruses, worms, trojans and other malicious programs
- Protection against spyware and adware
- Protection against unauthorized access to personal information
- Real time tracking function (“Watchdog”)
- Selection of scanning and scheduled scans
- Built-in heuristic analysis algorithm
- Check files downloaded to your computer from the Internet
- Email Verification
- Inspection of office documents
- Automatic update of databases and programs from Ukrainian servers
- A wide range of settings and advanced features
- Ukrainian language support

It is easy to see that the developers were not too lazy to write about the most obvious and familiar features of any antivirus. Well, it is their right, and I will see how well this anti-virus solution copes with its main task - finding viruses :)



And coped, as can be seen from the screenshot, the product is very bad with the main responsibility.

Operative memory is also very fond.



So I can advise this product to no one and, frankly speaking, with so many pathos, I expected more from it.

Final grade:
Usability: 9/10
Resource Consumption: 5/10
Reliability: 6/10

Link: zillya.ua/ru/zillya-antivirus.html

Avira AntiVir Personal

Functions.
- AntiVir: stops all types of viruses
- AntiDialer: protects against expensive dialers
- AntiRootkit: recognizes hidden rootkits
- New scanner: up to 20% faster
- Greater user friendliness
- Antispyware software: removes malware and spyware
- NetbookSupport for laptops with low resolution
- QuickRemoval: one-click virus removal

A relatively ascetic interface, which will definitely appeal to opponents of all kinds of transparencies and generally nyashny interfaces. Personally, the product made an impression on me of a very serious software for the stern ones who know what they need, people. And I was not mistaken, we look at the result.



RAM does not eat, so very good software. However, the Premium option already offers several more web-based protection methods.
- Antiphishing: Phishing Protection
- WebGuard: checks for viruses in downloadable files
- AntiDrive-by: blocks the download of viruses when working on the Internet
- RescueSystem: creates a recovery disk
- Enhanced email protection (POP3 + SMTP)
- Fast Premium product update server



Final grade:
Usability: 8/10
Resource Consumption: 10/10
Reliability: 9/10

Link: www.free-av.com/en/products/1/avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html

AVZ

I admit, I have a weakness for all sorts of nice-looking interfaces, but so that it is not in the minus of usability. Here we see only the "workhorse", completely without any frills. Well, I hope that this product works better than it looks.



However, my fears were justified, and the product turned out to be completely incapable of somehow recognizing the viruses in the archive. Perhaps, with their presence outside the archive, he would have coped better, but that is - that is.



Final grade:
Usability: 10/10
Resource Consumption: 10/10
Reliability: 0/10

Clamwin

This antivirus solution also has an extremely ascetic interface. But the test results are quite funny - on the one hand, the virus was found, on the other - from the results I realized that the product does not know how to work with archives.



Memory consumption.



Final grade:
Usability: 10/10
Resource Consumption: 10/10
Reliability: 2/10

Panda Cloud Antivirus

The interface is nothing superfluous, it is very similar to those in products based on Adobe Air and this is more of a plus than a minus. But it was not without drawbacks - about 10 hours of time were killed to test this antivirus. The thing is that it works on the “cloud” system, that is, it shows the best results when there is Internet access - data is checked by the type of checksums of some parameters. In general, this scheme has achieved a fairly good level of virus detection, but the performance leaves much to be desired. Plus, the virtual system processor was constantly clogged during this time by 100%, which, however, did not prevent playing starcraft 2 at all :)



Consumption of RAM.



Final grade:
Usability: 10/10
Resource Consumption: 10/10
Reliability: 9/10

Summary of test results.

Title	Usability	Resource Consumption	Reliability	Total	"Corporate free"
A-Squared Free	ten	3	four	17
Avast! Free antivirus	ten	eight	9	27
AVG Antivirus FREE	ten	ten	ten	thirty
Comodo Antivirus	eight	eight	ten	26
Microsoft Security Essentials	eight	one	9	18
Nano antivirus	ten	6	9	25
Zillya	9	five	6	20
Avira AntiVir Personal	eight	ten	9	27
AVZ	ten	ten	0	20
Panda Cloud Antivirus	ten	ten	9	29

ps My first topic on Habré (=

Up. Added AVZ, Panda Cloud Antivirus, ClamWin and Avira AntiVir Personal to the review.
Up2. Transferred to the blog "Information Security".