Is Windows defender adequate?

[Daz33 10]

Hi,

I have just purchased a HP laptop with Windows 8. Is Windows defender adequate protection against viruses or is there better free virus software I can download?

 

Thanks in advance

[geared 319]

I don't trust it tbh, Avast antivirus is pretty good and free.

 

I used to use AVG, but a couple of years ago it started getting rubbish and I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole now.

[Ghozer 112]

Windows Security Centre (Microsoft Defender) is probably one of the best out there...

 

I used to run AVG, but have since moved to purely MS Defender only, and haven't (yet) looked back.

 

Avast, honestly (from personal experience) is one of the worst, it misses loads, and even told me that a game I tried to load was a virus once (I hate false positives)

[scimsfan 10]

http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/home-user/windows-8/janfeb-2013/

 

This ( report Feb 2013 ) indicates it only provides "baseline" ( basic ) protection and almost any free product is an improvement !

 

Products such as AVG/Avast never stay still, with new versions and program updates all the time. A product that was rubbish a year ago may now be totally different and worth another look.

AVG Free is now version 2014 and Avast is now version 8.

[maxwell1945 10]

If I use avast do I have to stop window defender on win 8?

[Jace 10]

Windows defender for me was like having nothing, I Have had Zonealarm antivirus and firewall for over a year, and subsequent scans with it and tests by other AV software reports that nothing gets on my system.

[Mikes10 10]

Several years ago I used to read the reviews of AVS by various computer magazines and I got the

distinct impression the magazines just wanted to have a dig at the Microsoft offerings albeit

IE / Office/ or AVS products, and thus influence and make the reader feel inferior.

 

Corporate organisations generally use Microsoft Enterprise products, thus they will have access to

both Managed and Enterprise versions of Xp, Windows-7, Office 2007/10/13 and MSE (or Defender).

Only its not called Defender its called 'Forefront'. So, I hear you ask what's the difference between

Defender and Forefront?

 

( Note: Enterprise versions of MS products are not normally available to the general public )

 

Forefront can be installed on MS severs and can scan networks, the crucial thing to note is both

products use the same signature database and the same scanning engine ( That was the case about

9 months ago ).

 

What many people think is getting the most expensive AVS with all its available modules will protect

them against 99.9% of malware. Well that's just misguided thinking, because these same people want

to visit salacious websites, download and install cracked versions of Office or other expensive software

and expect to be protected.

 

What many people ought to do but don't is learn how to manage their computer. So its not only have suitable

AVS its also ensuring you keep your OS and third party software up to date, and keep your wits about you

whilst online.

 

Anyway, I'll stop now before it turns into a rant. Just to say MSE/ Defender is fine and forms just one

part of a computer management strategy.

[gumtree93a 10]

I have advanced system care ultimate and it comes with an antivirus which is very good

[megalithic 10]

Yup, Defender is perfectly adequate. I use nothing else and it's yet to let me down.

[walkerx 10]

I use defender and malwarebytes anit-malware on the off-chance something is missed