Henceforth begins a multi-part series in which I plan to install and test every different free antivirus program that I can find. Since 2002, I have switched between a handful of various free antivirus programs, but there are several available now that I have not tested.

Installation - No registration required, which is nice. Reboot required after installation.

Up for examination today is Comodo Antivirus. Review version: 2.0 Beta (build 2.0.17.58)

Up for review today is the free Avast 4 Home Edition. Review version: 4.7 (build 4.7.1074)

On the inspection table today is the free version of BitDefender. Review version: v10 (build 247) Product link: BitDefender 10 Free Edition

Installation - Like AVG, AntiVir is one of those rare programs that does not require registration, nor does it require a reboot after installation. Yay!

Although many organizations have deployed antivirus software, new viruses, worms, and other forms of malware (malicious software) continue to rapidly infect large numbers of computer systems. There is no single reason for this apparent contradiction, but fundamental trends are apparent from feedback Microsoft has received from IT professionals and security staff in organizations whose systems have been infected, including such comments as:

This chapter of TheAntivirus Defense-in-Depth Guide provides a concise explanation of the evolution of computer viruses, from the first relatively simple viruses to the diverse assortment of malicious software or malware that exists today. The chapter defines an assortment of known malware types and techniques, and also provides information about malware propagation and the risks it poses to organizations of any size.

All organizations should develop an antivirus solution that will provide a high level of protection. However, many organizations still become infected, even after installing antivirus software. This guide proposes a different approach to the malicious software, or malware, problem. As with network security design, Microsoft recommends a defense-in-depth approach to antivirus solution design in order to help ensure that the design safeguards your organization adopts will be reliably maintained.

This chapter presents a detailed set of considerations that you can use to identify a malware infection or outbreak, contain it, and then remedy the effects it may have on the infected systems in your environment. The need for a consistent, straightforward approach to incident response and recovery cannot be understated; malware incidents tend to create a sense of urgency that is not conducive to instituting well thought out procedures that will remain effective and successful in the long term.