[janktastic]

Looking to pick one up sooner or later and just wanted to know what would be a good choice considering the atom processor and 2gb of ram?

[slbailey1]

I use the built in Windows Defender.

[Coreldan]

The new Windows Defender is indeed pretty good, I personally started using VIPRE antivirus back in the day with my netbook, mostly cos it was one of the lightest antiviruses around. I use it on all my devices and family's devices cos I happen to have a license that allows many installations.

I dont have DV8P though :P

[photobriangray]

Windows Security Essentials is what to search for and install. Free, fast and reliable...

[doomtuba]

I honesty just use the built in MSE. I haven't installed anything x86 other than office and I use metro apps 99% of the time.

[slbailey1]

What is the deference between Windows Defender and Windows Security Essentials?

[troylytle]

Nothing. No difference EXCEPT Microsoft security essentials WILL NOT run on windows 8 because you already have it in Windows defender.

[berty6294]

I don't use anything, but if I were to use one it would be Webroot. Thing is light as a feather and does a good job. That or Kaspersky.

[sahib lopez]

I use windows defender ( the built in anti-virus) the reason why is because its light and gets he job done :D

[nedcline]

Me Using Protegent Antivirus since last year and working great as they eagerly saying that it can run on ever 256 MB of Ram.

here : Antivirus Solution Software - Protects from Latest Security threats - Protegent

[anon(20964)]

I use webroot on my DV8P. Mostly because it was the only product that was able to clean and fix my Dell XPS 3 years ago.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[pankaj981]

I have been using Avast 2014 on all my devices, never had any issues whatsoever

[rmeigs]

Windows Defender + Malwarebytes: Malwarebytes : Free Anti-Malware

[greedypnguin]

McAfee, used to use Kaspersky

[Roderick Aspiras]

I stopped using 3rd party AV more than a year ago. Windows Defender does seem to do a good job plus if you are really careful and not opening attachments from unknown people and not downloading files off some crack websites then your chance of getting infected is next to none.

[WPmunkey]

I stopped using 3rd party AV more than a year ago. Windows Defender does seem to do a good job plus if you are really careful and not opening attachments from unknown people and not downloading files off some crack websites then your chance of getting infected is next to none.

That is what I do. I use MS Security Essentials. On top of that I am very careful how I browse. And I never let anyone use my computer unsupervised lol.

[rculver9056]

Microsoft recently said that defender is a bare-bones scanner, better than nothing. And it is currently way down on the av comparison charts.

These days I use Kaspersky antivirus and malwarebytes

[NFLPLAYBOOK]

I just use the built in Microsoft security as well. Light weight and I don't visit anything to risky on the 8 pro anyways.

[TheArcaneFlame]

Microsoft recently said that defender is a bare-bones scanner, better than nothing. And it is currently way down on the av comparison charts.

I believe this is the original article from which consequent articles took snippets of the interview and, in my opinion, misinterpreted them calling Microsoft's commitment to and the effectiveness of it's security offerings into question. (Even there you don't get to read the full interview but get enough to provide some needed context for Holly Stewart's comments.) When those snippets are expanded and taken in context I believe a different picture is painted. To quickly sum it up I read it as so: Microsoft decided that instead of trying to "look good" by working to predict how tests would be run against Security Essentials, they instead decided to focus their resources on actually "being good" by working to further protect their customers from real world threats. They state that they work to predict developing trends in security threats and share that data with the Anti-virus industry as a whole to help 3rd parties improve their own security products. They feel that by doing so and helping to ensure that there is diverse and robust spectrum of security products available it makes it harder for virus authors and strengthens the industry across the board...

Here is an article that falls in line with my quick summary but followed up directly with Microsoft on this and offers an expanded analysis of the situation.

Additionally Microsoft did offer this official response to the article: "We are committed to protecting our customers, and our Microsoft antimalware solutions provide strong, comprehensive defence against malicious code and attacks. We believe in these products and are proud of the protection capabilities we provide to well over 150 million computers worldwide."

Yes, that's a standard corporate canned response but it asserts their commitment and belief in their offerings. For more in-depth technical info on Microsoft's position on security protection and some further analysis of test results you can read the following which are direct from Microsoft.

Key Lessons Learned from Latest Test Results

Evaluating Microsoft's Protection Performance and Capabilities (PDF)


On a personal note, I have been using Security Essentials on my computers ever since it was released and I cannot remember the last time any of them were infected with a virus. That said, I do have relatively safe browsing habits which is important because the single biggest hole in any security strategy is the human element.

Expanding upon that, we moved to Security Essentials as our sole malware/anti-virus client at work a couple years ago moving away from McAfee VirusScan Enterprise. We have been very pleased with the protection it has offered and the improvements we have seen within our environment. What we found somewhat shocking is that upon install Security Essentials occasionally found and removed threats on our systems that McAfee had not detected. As an added bonus, our users have not experienced the system slowdowns that were all too common with McAfee. We have been so pleased with Microsoft's offering that we recently made the jump to System Center Endpoint Protection (formerly Forefront Endpoint Protection) which is the enterprise version of Security Essentials adding centralized management that's integrated with System Center Configuration Manager. Considering that I'm the one responsible for managing that environment it's in my best interest to ensure we have adequate protection and safeguards in place... or else it's more work for me trying to clean it up and answering to my boss as to why our systems are getting infected. For us, this has been a great move.

Now, I'm not saying that test results don't have their place or that they are meaningless, but in this instance I'll side with my first hand experience and real world results as opposed to some tests run in a lab which are trying to emulate those real world scenarios.

With that all said, I am an open supporter of Microsoft and their "vision" but this isn't some rabid fanboyism blindly running to their defense. Microsoft isn't by any means perfect and when I have a problems with them, I voice my complaints as needed. However, in this case, I think the articles saying Microsoft's security offerings are wholly inadequate or that they aren't committed to them are fundamentally wrong. Take it for what it's worth but this is my opinion of the situation based upon 17 years of professional IT work and another 5 of personal experience prior to that. I will continue to use Security Essentials at home, we will continue to use SCEP at work and when asked by family, friends and coworkers as to what they should use, I will continue to wholeheartedly recommend Security Essentials.

[Eric Mahler]

Best antivirus is to use common sense when surfing the web, downloading, and opening files/emails. Also pay attention when installing programs and uncheck toolbar installs and other crap they try to get you to install.

[greedypnguin]

Jesus Christ TheArcaneFlame, you wrote so much that when I tried to quote you it crashed the wp central app xD

[jmshub]

What is the deference between Windows Defender and Windows Security Essentials?

Security Essentials was the name of the product when it was a downloadable program that you could install on XP, Vista and 7. With Windows 8, it was built into Windows and given the name Windows Defender.

[UncleGrandpa]

Other than anti-virus the best recourse to get healthy again is good ole...windows system restore. ...to a previous state.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rculver9056]

@thearcaneflame

Woah, man! I'm a Microsoft fanboi through and through.

That was something I read on some tech news site somewhere (probably via Weave). I can't find the source now lol.

And in things like avcomparatives, Microsoft is always low down.

In our family I am the (unfortunate) 'one who knows about computers', and until recently had security essentials on several of their computers ( and my own). And that was for ages too. I only moved a couple to Kaspersky because I got a deal on 3 keys - the rest are still with security essentials. And it stops all of these '.mp3.exe' files that idiots in my family keep downloading lol

[TheArcaneFlame]

@thearcaneflame

Woah, man! I'm a Microsoft fanboi through and through.

Oh no worries. Wasn't my intention to call you out or question your loyalties. haha I just wanted to correct what I felt was an inaccurate statement. I understand you just reposted what you had read, it happens... I've done that before. We likely all have since we don't always have the time to research everything we read for accuracy! It was just something I had been dealing with lately and it was fresh in my mind. I suppose I could have just said "that's not true" but wanted to back that up with a bit of information. :)