Independent comparatives of Anti-virus Softwareclick on the "Comparatives" link on the left
TopTen Review: AntiVirus Software Product ComparisonsAntiVirus Software Comparisons for 2009Virus Bulletin <- requires registration
These types of comparative testing results will vary depending on who is doing the testing, what they are testing for, what versions of anti-virus software is being tested, etc. There are no universally predefined set of standards/criteria for testing and each test will yield different results. Thus, you need to look for detailed information about how the tests were conducted, the procedures used, and data results. Read
Anti-virus Testing Websites: An overview of testing sitesChoosing an anti-virus is a matter of personal preference, your technical ability and experience, features offered, the amount of resources utilized, how it may affect system performance and what will work best for your system. A particular anti-virus that works well for one person may not work as well for another. You may need to experiment and find the one most suitable for your use.
There is no universal "one size fits all" solution that works for everyone. Another factor to consider is whether you want to use a
paid for product or
free alternative.
My personal choice is
NOD32 Anti-Virus if choosing a paid for program or
avast! Home Edition Anti-virus if choosing a free one.
No single product is 100% foolproof and can prevent, detect and remove all threats at any given time. The security community is in a constant state of change as new infections appear. Each vendor has its own definition of what constitutes malware and scanning your computer using different criteria will yield different results. The fact that each program has its own definition files means that some malware may be picked up by one that could be missed by another. Thus, a
multi-layered defense using several anti-spyware products (including an effective firewall) to supplement your anti-virus combined with
common sense and safe surfing habits provides the most complete protection.