[Healeys] Antivirus comparison OFF-TOPIC -Don't reply to list.

[RThrift]

This is a topic that has come up recently and is relevant to the majority of us on this list, as PC users.  I want to share a resource, but don't want to start an "oil thread" (one based on personal opinion, biased, based on tiny sample size)

Google, in warning against a malware-infected website that a search turned up, recommended the following site:
http://www.stopbadware.org/home/badware_remove

which suggested this site,  among others:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/
Click on the "comparatives" tab, then look at the 2 latest reports, 19 & 20.  

The "retrospective" "proactive" tests are probably the most important as far as real-world effectiveness; for explanation see
http://www.mcafee.com/us/local_content/white_papers/threat_center/wp_imuttik_vb_conf_2001.pdf
This also shows the errors that you will get in the ratings if you don't test a huge number of viruses & other malware in your comparison.

Recently on the Healey list there have been several free & paid antivirus programs discussed.  At av-comparatives.org, free programs tended to show more false positives, resulting in lower ratings.  It was mentioned on the forum that this site is starting to consider use of system resources by the AV programs (which was mentioned prominently in the Healey list discussion) , but I didn't notice this yet in the comparison summaries.  

Bottom line: many AV programs are acceptable, some are better, none are perfect.  
Over the years there is much random & systematic variation, so you need to consider results over several years.
http://www.av-comparatives.org/forum/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=798

My take from personal experience: The risk of hardware failures may exceed the risk of viruses & malware, but to deal with BOTH you'd better be darn sure to do full system backups on a scheduled routine.   Some people will learn this the hard way - & some won't learn.

regards
Richard Thrift