antivir

Superdrug takes out common cold, other viruses

Scientists at MIT say they've developed a promising new drug that appears to not only be able to attack the common cold, but just about any other virus as well.

The drug goes by the name DRACO (Double-stranded RNA Activated Caspase Oligomerizer--uh, I'll stick with the acronym) and is made using the defense mechanism of living cells. The drug reportedly attacks cells that have been infected with a virus, without harming healthy cells. DRACO attaches itself to virus-tainted cells and contains a protein that initiates a process by which the infected cells kill themselves. If DRACO encounters a … Read more

Show viruses, malware the door

Avira's AntiVir has been a player in the security world for some time; however, in 2008 its status boomed because of its remarkably strong detection rates. It still remains near the top of independent antivirus efficacy tests, but while the 2009 version more or less kept pace with the competition, the 2010 edition isn't quite as good as it could be.

Both longtime and new users alike will note the pop-up ad that appears whenever a program update is downloading; it has been the unaddressed focus of critical and user dislike for several years. While the occasional ad … Read more

Set it and forget it in Avira AntiVir 9

Avira AntiVir 9 introduces several new features including one-click threat removal, full antispyware and antiadware protection, a new heuristics detection engine, and enhanced program security.

Combined with its highly rated virus-killing abilities, AntiVir is one of the strongest free security programs around. Check out what you can expect in this First Look video.

Avira builds better free security in AntiVir 9

Avira AntiVir started making waves a few years ago, scoring high on well-respected third-party antivirus detection and removal tests. Released today exclusively on Download.com, AntiVir 9 doesn't appear to have changed much--but that's only because the interface sports the slightest of what's new.

A refreshed banner logo tops the list of UI changes, but it's the long-awaited features in the free version of AntiVir that should pique most users' interest. Anti-spyware detection and removal is now available for the free version of AntiVir as well as the paid upgrades. There's new scanning tech that … Read more

Insider Secrets: Best free security apps

You don't have to pay a cent to keep your computer secure against the bad guys. Watch this discussion on best practices and best apps between CNET TV's Tom Merritt and Download.com's Seth Rosenblatt. When you're done, head on over to our Security Starter Kit to check out must-haves for both newbies and power users.

First Look: Avira Antivir 8.0

Barely noticed before last summer, Avira Antivir has received an increasing amount of attention since garnering the highest score of any free security program on AV-Comparatives independent testing service for on-demand testing.

It fares a bit worse on the "Retrospective/ProActive" test, although still better than any of the other applications tested. However, it's hard to find anybody who finds the virus definition file update speed to be fast: it's notoriously slow. We put Antivir through the CNET Reviews Labs benchmarking process and came up with some unsurprising results.

When running alongside other high-drain processes, such … Read more

Avira revamps AntiVir

One of the fastest rising security stars is Avira's AntiVir antivirus and antimalware. Since earning high marks from AV-Comparitives in 2006, it's stayed at the top of the pack and consistently earned scores near or at the top of the charts for both on-demand comparisons and retrospective/proactive tests. The latest update includes an overhauled detection engine that runs faster, a zippier definition file updater, and a retooled interface.

I've been impressed with AntiVir since I found it last October, and the new version works even better. It completed a full system scan on my Windows Vista … Read more

Killer Download: The Big Three free security applications

As users of the Internet we face security threats every day. Nefarious hackers (not all hackers), viruses, and spyware are rampant when online, and not taking precautions can mean lost data or even worse, identity theft. Frankly, if your computer is unprotected, you are rolling the dice every time you go online. Certainly many users already know this and are already using trusted software, or have other security measures in place to ensure safe surfing. This Killer Download is for those who don't or anyone who has questions regarding their safety online.

Whenever I get a new system or … Read more

Is there an antimalware Holy Grail?

Excluding Firefox and its 400 million downloads and 120 million regular users, the days of a killer free application dominating hearts and minds are deader than Pets.com. Yet a single malware destroyer is what we're all hoping for, especially since malware and virus threats are as chameleonic as their intentions are devious.

Three antimalware applications have made it to the top of my list: Avira Antivir, AVG Anti-Spyware, and A-Squared Free.

Antivir: Tough to say, but works well

The publisher Avira calls it Antivir. Who knows how it's supposed to be pronounced? What it's called doesn't matter as much as what it does, though, and Antivir is another in a growing list of free antimalware and antivirus programs that does its job well.