XSS Attacks Pushing Fake Antivirus

According to the security researchers at Zscaler (a cloud security company), malware distributors are exploiting security flaws in news.com.au, lawyer.com, appleinsider.com and many other legitimate websites to thrust fake antivirus software on unwitting computer users.

Zscaler states that the currently spreading attacks are worth noting, as they exploit cross-site scripting or XSS flaws to conceal malicious links inside the URLs of reputed websites. Consequently, people in the hope of viewing websites that they know as well as trust land on a page, which make them think that their PCs are infected by malware.

Mike Geide, Senior Security Researcher at Zscaler, said that the interesting fact about the attacks was that they had embedded iframes to divert people elsewhere, as reported by The Register on December 16, 2009.

It is still not known who the individual or group of individuals is responsible for the XSS attacks. However, it is not difficult to understand the motive behind these attacks, which is to exploit people's faith on a familiar website so that malware distributors can load fake anti-virus software on the maximum number of computers possible.

Moreover, these malware distributors also exploit the situation of a large time gap between the injection of malicious software into users' computers and the development of an antivirus product by AV firms to detect and block that software.

As earlier exploration of such AV software has indicated, cyber criminals, who thrust fake AV programs, make huge amounts of dollars every month.

Further, hijacking of legitimate websites for distributing fake antivirus is not anything new. Earlier this year (2009), criminals hijacked the website of NY Times for the same purpose and soon thereafter the Gizmodo site as well.

In fact, security companies describe FAKEAV as a rising hidden threat. Over the recent years, this threat has been escalating vastly. Computer security company 'PandaLabs' substantiated this with its detection of 374,000 FAKEAVs during Q2 2009. McAfee, another security company, too notified a similar trend.

Finally, it can be said that the threat of fake antivirus requires to be tackled urgently.

Antivirus Suites Block DSEO

It has come to our attention that several Antivirus suites have listed our Driver Signature Enforcement Overrider (DSEO) as a dangerous file. We originally created DSEO to solve the serious driver signature enforcement problem that appeared after Microsoft removed the permanent command line switch that disables driver signature enforcement in Windows Vista SP1 and Windows 7. Sadly, the only way around this is to press F8 upon startup and choose "Disable Driver Signature Enforcement", which is temporary and unacceptable. Microsoft has left users without an option to disable the feature permanently.

Driver signature enforcement is indeed a good idea, but it is performed badly. It requires all drivers and system files to be digitally signed with a certificate or they won't run. The problem with signing your files is the fact that the certificate costs thousands of dollars. Of course, that money is not a concern for corporations such as Adobe, but for the majority of developers, which are freeware/open source developers that make no profit, this is simply unforgivable

Free Microsoft software fails to scare rivals

Software giant Microsoft is sharpening its focus on the security software market with a free anti-virus solution, which can be downloaded from the internet. Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), however, will be available only for the genuine Windows users. It can be installed on PCs running original Windows XP, Vista and Win 7 operating systems

Microsoft Security Essentials will check if the operating system is genuine before proceeding with the actual installation of the programme,” says Rishi Srivastava, consumer and online marketing officer, Microsoft India. He adds that the company is not looking to woo enterprise customers with MSE.

The competition, however, is unfazed. Alex Gnatusin of Kaspersky Lab, an internet security company, opines that “Whether or not anti-virus protection is free is not the main factor when purchasing an anti-virus solution today. The choice of a product or service in the information security sphere comes down to how much the customer trusts one vendor over another with his data.”

Gaurav Kanwal, country sales manager (Consumer Products & Solutions), Symantec, concurs: “Microsoft Security Essentials is a point solutions and gives consumers a false sense of security. It renders very basic protection which is not adequate, and is not capable of protecting consumers from today’s malware. It will be more dangerous and risky for consumers to rely on it.”

Meanwhile, top-tier PC makers like HP and Dell will not be bundling MSE with their computers since they are paid by anti-virus vendors to include trial or limited-time versions of their products.

Remove Fake Antivirus 1.58

Remove Fake Antivirus is used to remove fake antivirus programs which are viruses or trojans. It is used to remove used to remove: Security Tool, Antivirus Live, Personal Security, Cyber Security, Alpha Antivirus, Windows Enterprise Suite, Security Center, Control Center, Braviax, Windows Police Pro, Antivirus Pro 2010, PC Antispyware 2010, FraudTool.MalwareProtector.d, Winshield2009.com, Green AV, Windows Protection Suite, Total Security 2009, Windows System Suite, Antivirus BEST, System Security, Personal Antivirus, System Security 2009, Malware Doctor, Antivirus System Pro, WinPC Defender, Anti-Virus-1, Spyware Guard 2008, System Guard 2009, Antivirus 2009, Antivirus 2010, Antivirus Pro 2009, Antivirus 360, MS Antispyware 2009, IGuardPC or I Guard PC, and Additional Guard.

AVG Free Edition 9.0.716

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is trusted antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows, available to download and update for free.
Features:

• Award-winning antivirus and antispyware
• Real-time safe internet surfing and searching
• Quality proven by 80 million of users
• Easy to download, install and use
• Protection against viruses and spyware
• Compatible with Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP

Change log:

• AvgSys: Fixed problem with removing of registry infection on x64 Windows systems.
• Core: Detection of the next modification of Virut has been added.
• Core: Detection of new modification of SWIZZOR has been added.
• Core: Fixed problem with reporting broken digital signature on correctly signed files.
• Core: Fixed possible crash while verifying digital signatures on big files.
• Core: Fixed occasional false alarms on javascript files.
• Kernel: Cookie detection has been disabled by default in computer scan.
• Safe Search: SearchShield support for Firefox 3.6.
• Safe Search: Fixed possible crash of IE8 caused by Safe Search component.
• Safe Search: Improve notification to user when a suspected phishing site is detected.
• User Interface: Fixed freezing in License component when Shift+Tab is used.
• User Interface: Fixed problem with repeated opening of popup dialogs if content is missing.
• User Interface: Improved detection of fullscreen applications and gaming mode while displaying pop-up messages to prevent focus loss.

Free anti-virus: is it worth it?

With a range of free anti-virus packages available on the market, do you get what you pay for?

Developers of free anti-virus products generally rely on establishing a solid reputation among their free user base, which will hopefully upgrade to their full security packages in the future, or recommend the products for use in their business and corporate environment.

One may be wary of free offerings, with the old adage: “You get what you pay for.” We investigate further to shed some light on the issue.

In collaborative tests conducted by PC World and AV-Test.org, of the free anti-virus options available on the market, Avira AntiVirus Personal received top marks for its malware detection abilities and scanning speed, even though it didn’t have the friendliest interface.

Avast Home Edition came in second, but the interface also left much to be desired. AVG Free was the next best choice, slipping behind the previously mentioned options in detection ability, but offering a much neater interface.

PC Tools and Comodo Internet Security brought up the rear with a large amount of malware simply slipping past its defences. Microsoft’s free Security Essentials was not available at the time of the PC World/AV-Test analysis, but it performed admirably in the equally respectable AV-Comparatives test, with decent proactive scanning results, but poor on-demand scanning detection rates.

However, Con Mallon, Regional Product Marketing Director at Norton for Europe, Middle East and Africa, doesn’t put much faith in free anti-virus products. “We believe the false sense of security provided by these tools is almost as dangerous as having no security at all. Unique malware and social engineering techniques fly under the radar of traditional signature based technology employed by free security tools.”

“The latest generation of Internet security is real-time and reputation-based, operating immediately and not relying on a signature being produced and downloaded before the computer is protected,” Mallon continued.

When asked if Symantec has experienced noticeable competition from free anti-virus offerings, Mallon said: “[We have] seen no untoward impact on sales due to free AV offerings. Freeware solutions rely only on a single line of defence against malware and threats online. Customers actually need a full suite product with layers of protection that freeware cannot offer [and] understand you ‘get what you pay for.’”

MyBroadband recently investigated anti-virus products using data gathered from AV-Comparatives (AVC) and AV-Test. Mallon’s comments regarding the tests was that they “do not take into account any of the new protection capabilities provided by technology delivered from the cloud – in fact the tests specifically disconnect all products from the cloud.”

Many products, including those from Symantec, rely on reputation based analysis gathered from the range of product users via ‘the cloud’. “Because the [tests] are run in a disconnected mode, not only is the benefit of pure reputation-based security protection lost but also the more aggressive capabilities of our traditional engines,” said Mallon.

Judging by the test results and the opinion of Mallon, it would appear that while free anti-virus solutions can provide good protection, they might not be as comprehensive as their paid-for counterparts.

avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta

Prague-based ALWIL Software has offered "Free antivirus for everyone" for ages. The company started in 1991, and their core product dates back to 1988. With around 100 million users, ALWIL provides the security software that protects a substantial fraction of all consumer PCs worldwide. avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 (free, direct), currently in beta, has a totally new appearance and offers significantly enhanced protection against malware. I had planned to review the final, shipping product, but due to a delay in the release schedule that won't happen for a while. For now, here's a detailed hands-on report on my experience with the beta. You can give it a try, too—download it at files.avast.com.

The current avast! antivirus 4.8 Home Edition look more like a media player utility than antivirus software. If that's not strange enough, the included "skins" feature can make it look like just about anything. With version 5.0 avast! gets a more standard rectangular appearance. You can't make it look like a Star Trek instrument panel any more, but it's a lot easier to find features.

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The core antivirus/antispyware engine got a rewrite for this edition, and ALWIL added some new components to aid in the fight. A new heuristics engine watches process behavior to detect malware that signatures won't catch. A new code emulator lets avast! evaluate behaviors without letting a process run and also examine programs that are packed to conceal their contents.

This version adds scheduled scanning and detection of less risky "potentially unwanted programs." Avast! uses a new virus database format optimized for incremental updates. And the app's new gaming mode suppresses popups when it detects a program running in full-screen mode. Other notable features include boot-time scanning, wake-up from sleep mode to scan, and automatic scanning of files received via e-mail, IM clients, and P2P clients. And unlike AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0, avast!'s free edition has all the power of the paid Pro edition.

VIPRE(R) Antivirus + Antispyware from Sunbelt Software Wins VB100 Award for Malware Detection on Win

Sunbelt Software, a leading provider of Windows security software, today announced that its VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware product has received the VB100 award from Virus Bulletin, the highly-respected independent comparative testing group, in the December 2009 issue of its online publication.

The test was conducted on the Windows 7 platform and Sunbelt Software, in its first-ever entry into this prestigious test, successfully detected all "in the wild" viruses without creating a single false positive. Viruses are generally categorized as "in the wild" when they are spreading as a result of normal day-to-day operations on and between the computers of unsuspecting users. The outstanding level of malicious program detection recognizes the depth and accuracy of Sunbelt's VIPRE antivirus technology.

Virus Bulletin tested several different antivirus products for their detection rates, lack of false positives, and speed of scanning on Windows 7. VIPRE successfully detected 100 percent of viruses in the wild. 35 of the 43 entries were awarded the VB100 designation.

"Perhaps one of the most long-anticipated VB100 appearances ... it is with great excitement that we finally get to record and report some results," wrote Virus Bulletin in the review. "The WildList proved no obstacle despite the set of tricky Virut samples, and with no false positives either VIPRE earns a VB100 on its first appearance; we hope to see many more."

Virus Bulletin conducts independent comparative testing of antivirus products. The tests focus on virus detection rates and scanning speed, as well as look at how each product fares when scanning set files that are known to be clean. In order to display the VB100 logo, an antivirus product must have demonstrated in Virus Bulletin tests that: It detects all viruses currently spreading throughout a diverse user population during both on-demand and on-access scanning; and it generates no "false positives" when scanning a set of clean files. The product must fulfill these criteria in its default state.

Unlike some other similar-sounding testing schemes, Virus Bulletin uses the most up-to-date WildList - available from the WildList Organization - in its tests. This means that products that are 'plugged in' to changing threat generation are the ones most likely to be granted VB100 awards. More information about Virus Bulletin can be found on its website: www.virusbtn.com.

"Inclusion in the VB100 is a mark of distinction among antivirus providers and confirms Sunbelt's VIPRE product line as one of the most accurate and effective on the market today," said Alex Eckelberry, CEO of Sunbelt Software. "Real-time detection of viruses in the wild has been a point of emphasis for us, and has never been more important considering the rising level of cyber attacks."

About VIPRE and MX-Virtualization(TM)

Sunbelt's VIPRE integrates the most sophisticated technology on the market today, including a compact, high-speed virtualized Windows environment called MX-Virtualization (MX-V), which performs rapid behavioral analysis of potential malware. Without any user interaction, malware is executed in an environment that mimics many core Windows functions, and analyzed for certain malware signatures and behavioral characteristics. This functionality enables VIPRE to detect many types of malware without the necessity of creating a constant stream of dedicated signatures and heuristic systems.

MX-V is part of a number of other detection methods used by VIPRE, including classic signature detection and heuristics. The performance impact on a user's system is virtually unnoticeable, in keeping with Sunbelt's commitment to delivering next-generation antivirus without the large memory and CPU footprint common to other solutions.

  To download a free trial of VIPRE, visit http://www.vipreantivirus.com/.
 
  About Sunbelt Software

Headquartered in Tampa Bay (Clearwater), Fla., Sunbelt Software was founded in 1994 and is a leading provider of Windows security software including antivirus, antispyware, email security, and malware analysis tools. Leading products include the VIPRE® and CounterSpy® product lines, Sunbelt Exchange Archiver(TM), CWSandbox(TM), and Threat Track(TM).

Free Antivirus y Antispyware

Cada equipo necesita protección. Pero ¿y si no tienes dinero para el software de seguridad? No te preocupes - no hay software de seguridad de energía y servicios que pueden mantenerse a salvo, de forma gratuita.
La Internet está llena de ideas brillantes, el software maravilloso ... y el peligro. Es absolutamente necesario utilizar la protección antivirus y antispyware si se conecta a Internet. Incluso si su equipo está bloqueado en un WiFi a prueba de Jaula de Faraday sin conexión con el mundo exterior, amenazas como el gusano Conficker pueden deslizarse a través de unidades extraíbles. Va sin el software de seguridad simplemente no es una opción. Pero lo que si la economía de este año ha dejado un cero gordo en la columna de seguridad de su presupuesto? Nunca el miedo todavía puede obtener una protección razonable, sin pagar un centavo.
Si se decide a pagar por la seguridad, Spyware Doctor con Antivirus 2010 es la opción de nuestros editores independientes para la protección de malware; Prevx 3.0 es otra buena opción con un enfoque innovador. Usted tendrá que pagar un poco más de un paquete completo, sino que también obtener una protección más amplia. Norton Internet Security 2010 es la opción del editor de nuestra suite de seguridad, es lo que yo mismo uso. Opciones de BitDefender Internet Security 2010 y ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010 también son buenas. Pero todas estas aplicaciones le costará dinero, dinero que no pueda tener.
La mayoría de los productos gratuitos que he revisado ofrecer la gama completa de protección contra el malware (que incluye virus, spyware, rootkits, y así sucesivamente). Ellos dos a eliminar el malware que ya está presente en su sistema y mantener cualquier nuevo malware que se instalen. HouseCall 7.1 toma un enfoque diferente. Es una herramienta de exploración no sólo con la protección en tiempo real. La edición gratuita de Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.36 es también de exploración de "sólo tiene que pagar si desea que la protección en tiempo real. En el lado positivo, no tiene que preocuparse acerca de los conflictos en tiempo real o bien, por lo que estos dos hacen una buena "segunda opinión" escáneres.
IObit de Seguridad 360, AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0 y avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta todos se emparejan con las ediciones gratuitas. Edición de pago de AVG incluye más características de protección que la edición libre. Los otros dos son completamente funcional, la única razón para conseguir la edición de pago es si usted está utilizando el producto para el negocio.
HouseCall de nubes y Panda Antivirus Free Edition 1.0 evitan la base de datos de firmas tradicionales en favor de una "nube" que es la base de datos siempre al día. Usted nunca necesita actualizaciones de firmas de virus con estos productos. Sin una conexión activa a Internet, sin embargo, no pueden conectar con sus en-la-inteligencia de las nubes. Panda intentará un análisis usando datos locales, pero advierte de que la detección eficaz requiere una connection.The diversos productos de Internet tienen diferentes puntos fuertes y débiles. Panda, nuestro Editor's Choice de libre anti-malware, eclipsa incluso los programas comerciales en su capacidad para mantener el malware se instale en un sistema limpio, sino de seguridad de Microsoft Essentials 1.0 obtuvo la mayor puntuación en este grupo en la limpieza de los problemas existentes. IObit hizo mal en la prueba de casi todos, pero logró buenos resultados para el bloqueo y la eliminación de scareware (software de seguridad falso).
Dado que estas herramientas son libres que libremente puede experimentar y encontrar lo que más te guste. Usted podría incluso instalar una combinación, como Panda para la protección en tiempo real y avast! (con protección en tiempo real desactivado) para la digitalización. No deje que la falta de fondos de dejar el equipo desprotegido.
Productos Gratis mencionados en este artículo:
avast! logoavast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta
Sin valorar (beta)
Libre
avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta ofrece muy buena protección contra el malware sin costo alguno. Es especialmente bueno en la eliminación de malware y las pruebas de eliminación de rootkits, y ofrece un control preciso sobre la configuración y presentación de informes detallados.
LogoAVG AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0
Libre
AVG cree que todo el mundo merece una protección básica contra amenazas de Internet gratis. Ofrece un servicio gratuito de la compañía de que la protección antivirus, y es mejor que el producto gratuito de Microsoft. Por supuesto, lo mejor para el pago herramientas anti-malware son incluso mejores, pero no todos pueden pagar.
Trend Micro HouseCall 7.1Trend Micro HouseCall 7.1
Libre
HouseCall de Trend Micro se pone a trabajar rápidamente y utiliza una base de datos de nubes de malware para encontrar virus y otras amenazas. Es genial para una segunda opinión junto con su solución actual, ya que no se ejecuta en segundo plano cuando no la exploración. De que la falta de protección en tiempo real también significa que no debe ser su única solución contra el malware.
IObit Seguridad 360IObit de Seguridad 360
Libre
IObit Seguridad 360 instalaciones y escanea con rapidez. El problema es, simplemente no hacer el trabajo de eliminación de malware o impedir la instalación de malware.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.36Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.36
Libre
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware hace un buen trabajo de limpieza de malware, especialmente los programas de seguridad molesto delincuentes, aunque no es eficaz contra keyloggers comerciales o rootkits. Y la protección en tiempo real en la edición extra costo Pro no vale la pena el dinero. Pero asegúrese de agregar la edición gratuita de su arsenal de seguridad.
Fundamentos de seguridad de Microsoft betaMicrosoft Seguridad Essentials 1.0
Libre
Instalación de la libre voluntad de seguridad de Microsoft Essentials proteger su sistema de malware en un grado. Pero te vas a una mejor protección de uno de los otros conocidos productos de libre anti-malware.
Panda logoPanda Nube Antivirus Free Edition 1.0
Editors 'Choice Logo
Libre
Nube de Panda Antivirus ofrece protección contra malware libre en un paquete ligero con un diseño ultra-interfaz de usuario nuevo. Es el mejor all-around aplicación antivirus gratis que hemos probado, la que gana se Editors Choice '.
Libre de los productos no mencionados en este artículo
BitDefender 8 Professional PlusBitDefender Internet Security 2010
$ 79,95 directos (con tres licencias)
BitDefender ofrece todo lo que esperas en una suite y mucho más. Es especialmente bueno en la detección de malware y ofrece una mejor antispam, control parental, protección de la privacidad y que la mayoría de ellas suites. Afecta el rendimiento más que algunos, pero es una muy buena opción para todos-en torno a la protección.
Norton Internet SecurityNorton Internet Security 2010
Editors 'Choice Logo
$ 69,99 directos (con tres licencias)
La utilización de tecnologías innovadoras que poner encima de la protección de su PC sin empantanamiento su desempeño, Norton Internet Security 2010 sigue siendo la mejor suite de seguridad global en el mercado.
Prevx 3.0Prevx 3,0
Editors 'Choice Logo
$ 29.95/year (directo)
Esta visión de futuro el comportamiento anti-malware basado en la herramienta es increíblemente pequeño y rápido, porque su inteligencia en la vida de la nube. Se detectó más amenazas que otros productos y, en general se calificó mejor que su competencia basada en la firma. Un punto débil de su limpieza deja muchas huellas. Aun así, ganó Editors Choice a PCMag 'para antispyware.
Spyware Doctor con Antivirus 2010Spyware Doctor con Antivirus 2010
Editors 'Choice Logo
$ 39,95 directos (con tres licencias)
Spyware Doctor con Antivirus 2010 numerosos añade nuevos "guardias" contra el malware y promete una mayor detección de malware y de limpieza y entrega. Este producto, nuestro más reciente Editors Choice ', rompió todos los récords en mi eliminación de malware y los programas maliciosos de bloqueo de pruebas.
ZoneAlarm logoZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010
$ 69,95 directos (con tres licencias)
Extreme ZoneAlarm Security 2010 cuenta con características impresionantes, incluido el cifrado de disco completo. Pero que ralentiza el rendimiento, la instalación es la tortura, y sus resultados de anti-malware son sólo tan-tan. Todavía es un buen producto, pero no estoy tan emocionado con ella como yo el año pasado.

Free Antivirus and Antispyware

Every computer needs protection. But what if you've got no money for security software? Don't worry--there's power security software and services that can keep you safe, for free.

 

The Internet is full of brilliant ideas, marvelous software…and danger. You absolutely must use antivirus and antispyware protection if you connect to the Internet. Even if your computer is locked in a WiFi-proof Faraday cage with no connection to the outside world, threats like the Conficker worm can slip in via removable drives. Going without security software is simply not an option. But what if this year's economy has left a big fat zero in your budget's security column? Never fear—you can still get reasonable protection without paying a cent.

If you decide to shell out for security, Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 is our Editors' Choice for standalone malware protection; Prevx 3.0 is another good choice with an innovative approach. You'll pay a bit more for a full suite, but you'll also get more comprehensive protection. Norton Internet Security 2010 is our Editor's Choice for security suite; it's what I use myself. BitDefender Internet Security 2010 and ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010 are also good choices. But all of these apps will cost you money—money you might not have.

Most of the free products I've reviewed offer the full range of protection against malware (which includes virus, spyware, rootkits, and so on). They will both remove malware that's already present on your system and keep any new malware from installing. HouseCall 7.1 takes a different approach. It's a scan-only tool with no real-time protection. The free edition of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.36 is also scan-only—you have to pay if you want real-time protection. On the plus side, you don't have to worry about real-time conflicts either, so these two make good "second opinion" scanners.

IObit Security 360, AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0 and avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta all pair up with non-free editions. AVG's paid edition includes more protective features than the free edition. The other two are fully functional—the only reason to get the paid edition is if you're using the product for business.

HouseCall and Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition 1.0 eschew the traditional signature database in favor of a "cloud" database that's always up-to-date. You never need virus signature updates with these products. Without a working Internet connection, though, they can't connect with their in-the-cloud intelligence. Panda will attempt a scan using local data, but it warns that effective detection requires an Internet connection.The various products have different strengths and weaknesses. Panda, our Editor's Choice for free anti-malware, outshines even the commercial programs in its ability to keep malware from installing on a clean system, but Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 scored highest in this group at cleaning up existing problems. IObit did poorly in almost every test but managed good scores for blocking and removing scareware (rogue security software).

Since these tools are free you can freely experiment and find which one you like best. You might even install a combination, like Panda for real-time protection and avast! (with real-time protection turned off) for scanning. Don't let a lack of funds leave your computer vulnerable.

Free Products Mentioned in this Article:

avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta
Unrated (beta)
Free
avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta offers very good malware protection at no cost. It's especially good at malware removal and rootkit removal tests, and it offers fine control over settings and detailed reporting.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0

Free
AVG believes everyone deserves free basic protection against Internet threats. The company's free antivirus offers that protection, and it's better than Microsoft's free product. Of course, the best for-pay anti-malware tools are even better, but not everyone can afford to pay.

Trend Micro HouseCall 7.1

Free
Trend Micro's HouseCall gets to work quickly and uses a cloud-based malware database to find viruses and other threats. It's great for a second opinion alongside your existing solution because it doesn't run in the background when not scanning. That lack of real-time protection also means it shouldn't be your only anti-malware solution.

IObit Security 360

Free
IObit Security 360 installs and scans quickly. The problem is, it just doesn't do the job of removing malware or preventing malware installation.

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.36

Free
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware does a good job of cleaning up malware, especially those annoying rogue security programs, though it's not effective against commercial keyloggers or rootkits. And the real-time protection in the extra-cost Pro edition isn't worth the money. But be sure to add the free edition to your security arsenal.

Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0

Free
Installing the free Microsoft Security Essentials will protect your system from malware—to a degree. But you'll get better protection from one of the other well-known free anti-malware products.

Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition 1.0

Free
Panda Cloud Antivirus offers free malware protection in a lightweight package with an ultra-fresh user interface. It's the best all-around free antivirus app we've tested, which earns it an Editors' Choice.

Non-free Products Mentioned in this Article

BitDefender Internet Security 2010

$79.95 direct (for three licenses)
BitDefender offers everything you expect in a suite and more. It's especially good at malware detection and offers better antispam, parental controls, and privacy protection than most suites. It affects performance more than some, but it's a very good choice for all-around protection.

Norton Internet Security 2010

$69.99 direct (for three licenses)
Utilizing innovative technologies that crank up your PC's protection without bogging down its performance, Norton Internet Security 2010 remains the best overall security suite on the market.

Prevx 3.0

$29.95/year (direct)
This forward-looking behavior-based anti-malware tool is incredibly small and fast because its intelligence lives in the cloud. It detected more threats than other products and overall scored better than its signature-based competition. One weak point—its cleanup leaves behind many traces. Even so, it earned a PCMag Editors' Choice for antispyware.

Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010

$39.95 direct (for three licenses)
Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 adds numerous new "guards" against malware and promises enhanced malware detection and cleanup—and delivers. This product, our newest Editors' Choice, broke records in my malware-removal and malware-blocking tests.

ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010

$69.95 direct (for three licenses)
ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010 boasts impressive features, including full-disk encryption. But it slows performance, installing it is torture, and its anti-malware scores are only so-so. It's still a good product, but I'm not quite as thrilled with it as I was last year.