This is the 2nd time in the last 2 years that my laptop was affected with some trojan which corrupted my entire hard-disk and made it practically un-usable. All I could do was replace my laptop with a brand new one or remove my 500GB hard drive and put in a new one. All this crap…thanks to some freak who loved to hack systems and get personal information and of course mis-using the same. I have atleast made it a point not to save my bank account numbers, passwords, personal contact details and stuff on any of my browsers or apps, and that gave me a sigh of relief.
Late last year, I had written an article on “How To Shop Online With Added Security” for Carolyn’s WonderOfTech which recieved quite good responses from her readers with many interesting thoughts on how to be safe and shop online with no hassles and worries as to the credibility of the website.
To take this a step further, I would now like to list down the Top 5 Anti Virus software products that are available free of cost, now who wouldnt like to get something free huh!!!! So let us dive in and see what we can come up with:
1. Microsoft Security Essentials 2012 – As the name suggests, this is purely designed for PC and Windows operated computer systems and has been rated the Top 1 in 2011 and 2012 as well. The features that takes this product to the #1 position is the ease of use, ease of updates, security features, light-weighted and doesn’t take up much of your CPU memory usage.
Most importantly, you can download this for free from the MicroSoft website, the only requirement is that you are running a Genuine Windows operating System. How to check this….just Click Here to test your system.
Download Microsoft Security Essentials
2. BitDefender Full Version Anti Virus Free Download 2012
BitDefender has been around for a while, but of late, it has gained much popularity and credibility as an effective Anti Virus tool for PCs and MAC against trojans ,viruses and all types of malware threats. It also has released newer versions of anti-spamming tools for your smartphones and mobile devices.
Download BitFender 10 Free Edition.
3. AVG Free Anti Virus 2012
AVG is one of the top ranked and highly recommended Anti Virus tools with positive reviews from CNET and PC World. It is known for its powerful anti virus and malware protection behind the screens, being light on your system and security against identity thefts. It comes with a free version of the software which is capable of protecting your home network to maximum extent. Try it free and you will not be disappointed.
Download AVG Anti Virus Free Edition 2012
4. Malwarebytes Anti Malware Full & Free Download 2012
Malwarebytes has been the less known of all these free anti malware tools available, but lately it is known to have upgraded for better protection for all operating systems. This is one tool I always have in addition to my anti virus software (which is AVG currently). This gives additional protection against any malware attacks on your PC via the internet at the system root level problems and threats.
Download the MalwareBytes Anti Virus and Anti Malware 2012 Version
5. Avira Free Anti Virus 2012
Avira is ranked one of the top 5 anti virus softwares available out there and is available free for use. Though the premium version costs a reasonable amount, you can try a trial-free option for 30days for your satisfaction before purchase.
It has some useful features like Scans every file you access, Eliminates viruses and spywares and also stops you from landing on harmful sites. The premium version has some additional features like file backups and monitoring your children’s online activity.
Download Avira Anti Virus 2012 Free Version
Over to You!!! Which is the anti virus protection that helps you be safe online and lets you blog without any hiccups? Do you have a home network where you have multiple laptops and desktops hooked on which needs more protection? How did you achieve that? Do you also monitor your kid’s online activities through any software tools, why don’t you share it here with all others? I would personally love to hear more from you on this subject. Do not forget to leave your comments down under…
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Great info Praveen!
I guess I am so far lucky that my laptop and the computers are all safe :)Perhaps I switched to a paid anti-virus software sometime back, so such problems don’t occur now. Even earlier the worst that ever happened to my laptop was the virus got into it, and I had to take it for repairs, but thankfully nothing as bad as what happened to your laptop happened to me!
The paid version we have can be installed on 3 computers, so it works well for us. Yes, the kids use one computer so it’s protected for them. And being cautious parents with kids who are allowed to surf the net for limited time period, things are working fine for us.
Thanks for sharing, and yes, for those who don’t have any anti-virus software installed these free versions would be real boon to have.
Harleena – Good for you that you have been safe and away from system crashes. And also the licensed versions of these tools are good for everyone.
To let you in on my version of AVG, it is the premium version valid until 2018 and I did not pay a single pie for the same…thanks for search engines, if you know what i mean 🙂
Hi Praveen, This is great information! Anti-virus software is essential these days for keeping your computer safe. I’m with Harleena, I use paid AVG but I know a lot of people want free anti-virus protection for their computers. This article is a fantastic resource for that.
Thanks for sharing this with us, Praveen!
Hi Carolyn – Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the same. I am glad you felt this would be something useful to some of the readers out there, and thanks for sharing the same.
I use the 3-system Kaspersky version. In spite of which my external hard disk managed to crash last July and I had a tough time retrieving the data. So far so good, though. I like my A-V. I used to use the free version of AVG. Now many people recommend Avira too. Useful post, Praveen.
Vidya – I hv lot of friends who have switched over to Avira these days, seems like a reliable tool and a safe protection for your system and data. Maybe you should try it out.
I think Panda Cloud is very suitable for netbook due to it’s size and databasa.
I have an in ground pool and I want to use my aerator. I have a red valve and a blue valve on the pool equipment.
I use AVG antivirus with the Free edition. I am very satisfied with it and i think it makes the job done, without a lot of popups and being annoying in general.
I use the AVG full version and I agree with you, it is quite handy and a good protective suite.
Microsoft security essential is surely on the top of the list. It works like a charm. Nice info Praveen.
Yes, Microsoft is surely a brand and they are protecting there name in a good way
I am also the one who use AVG. Undoubtedly the results are better. Neither it hangs nor get heat ups.
and also no popups.
Satisfied with the software.
Nice post thanks for sharing this, I am also the one who recommend Windows Defender. Undoubtedly the results are better.
My laptop was attacked by shorcut virus last year and all my personal data was removed and was convetred into shorcuts.And i didn’t even find a way to recover it.Can you suggest something for shorcut virus too?
Rich content shared. comprehensive post. thanks for sharing some helpful content. AVG is also good for android and also for windows
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I use AVG antivirus with the Free edition. I am very satisfied with it and i think it makes the job done, without a lot of popups and being annoying in general.
Such an informative article. Anti-virus is essential for computers. I have used AVG with a free version.
You have conveyed the matter in a very nice way.
Great guide! There’s a lot more options for antivirus software than many know, with each program catering to a variety of different internet browsing habits. I’ve had good experiences with AVG and also Avast, they’ve protected my devices from all sorts of threats. Thanks for sharing!