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  • #2239167

    Free Antivirus For Small/Medium Size Of Company

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    by virgoan ·

    Currently my company is subscribing to Symantec antivirus annually! Due to cost saving therefore the management intend to evaluate the free antivirus software instead. If everything is ok then i will need to implement it. My questions are:-
    1) For a company < 80 PC/notebook users is it wise to unsubscribe the current antivirus license and run those freeware softwares that downloaded from Internet? 2) Which will be the best freeware solution (antivirus) in the market right now? 3) For a country like Singapore does it worthwhile to implement those freeware just for the sake to save those few hundred bucks yearly? Please give your valuable feedback and comments on this issue. Thanks in advance.

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    • #2475600

      Limited Options

      by thechas ·

      In reply to Free Antivirus For Small/Medium Size Of Company

      Have the manager who suggested the free-ware option actually read the free-ware EULA for the packages they suggested.

      For almost ALL of the free-ware anti-virus solutions, you are only allowed to use them on personal PCs as a home user. ANY business use at all violates the EULA. Even a home based part time business!

      About the only free-ware anti-virus you can use in a business is the Open Source software ClamWin.

      The problem with ClamWin for a business, is that it is a system scanner and not a real-time active virus monitor.

      That said, it would not hurt to go out and get quotes from providers including a new quote from Symantec.

      Weight the costs carefully. There is no savings at all if a virus gets through and takes even a portion of the PCs down.

      Chas

      • #2476017

        Thanks!

        by virgoan ·

        In reply to Limited Options

        Precisely! That’s not save company money as what i have had in mind initially. I do not believe in FREE software where it usually just a catch!

        Heard of “comodo” antivirus before? Any comments on this? As evaluation is part of my duty therefore i do not mind to carry out my task…

        • #2482349

          Comodo

          by thechas ·

          In reply to Thanks!

          I am running Comodo Firewall on one system and have no complaints.

          I have not been able to find the EULA for their free AV to read it in detail.

          It might be worth at least trying.

          My first key would be how often they update the AV protection database. Any less than once a day would concern me.

          Chas

        • #2482329

          TheChas, can I ask somethin on the comod firewall

          by danlm ·

          In reply to Comodo

          I run boinc(for seti project), and because of the firewall settings. When ever another dll loads, you are asked if it should be allowed to. Ok, np… But, when boinc loads the screen saver.. roflmao, i’m never there to say yea.. And when I switch to catch the question… I miss it.

          Any suggestions?

          Dan

        • #2473743

          Security Options

          by thechas ·

          In reply to TheChas, can I ask somethin on the comod firewall

          Hi Dan,

          Open the Comodo Firewall application.

          Click on the Security tab, then the application monitor button.

          Click on add.

          Browse to the application and if need be, learn the parent.

          If you are sure about the application, click the check box to allow all activity.

          If you need to specifically allow the DLL, then click on the Components button, select add and browse to the DLL file.

          Chas

        • #2482161

          EULA

          by virgoan ·

          In reply to Comodo

          Please check from here its EULA
          http://www.comodo.com/repository/index.html

          Thanks for your valuable feedback on this AV ya…!

        • #2473740

          Did not see any exclusions

          by thechas ·

          In reply to EULA

          Well,

          In a brief review I did not see any exclusions in the EULA that would preclude you from using it for your company.

          Select a few machines for a trial run and see how it goes before rolling it out to all users.

          Chas

        • #2473547

          Evaluation In Progress…

          by virgoan ·

          In reply to Did not see any exclusions

          Yah! Might evaluate for a couple of weeks to months…if this software has been legalized, of course i might tell management to purchase it if the product is really worth buying…Thanks for your advice by the way!

        • #2482332

          I was going to ask about comodo firewall

          by danlm ·

          In reply to Thanks!

          I just installed it, and so far… It’s not bad. I went with AVG for anti virus though, I’ve used that over the years and just like it.

          Also, has anyone used the paid version of avg products? avg firewall specifically.

          My Trend subscription just ran out, and I didn’t like trend. Like I said, I’ve used avg before. I was going to purchase their security suit… But, I couldn’t find any write ups on the firewall.

          Dan

        • #2480136

          I have AVG

          by cmiller5400 ·

          In reply to I was going to ask about comodo firewall

          I have the AVG Internet Security Suite. I have used their antivirus for years, but I did not want to keep on paying for ZoneAlarm Pro. I ended up upgrading my license for AVG to the suite for less than what it would have cost for ZoneAlarm. I have had it running for about 2-3 months and have no complaints. The interface seems to be pretty straight forward.

        • #2480000

          Thank you, your the first I’ve talked to that has used the Security Suite

          by danlm ·

          In reply to I have AVG

          I’m going to see how this comodo does… So far, I like it better then trend… But, time will tell.

          Dan

        • #2473553

          Thanks!

          by virgoan ·

          In reply to Thank you, your the first I’ve talked to that has used the Security Suite

          Thanks for your feedback! I too still evaluating this comodo for another couple of weeks to months…

    • #2482127

      get to know a reseller.

      by thevirtualone ·

      In reply to Free Antivirus For Small/Medium Size Of Company

      Some resellers 🙂 in order to gain market share may be willing to reduce their retail price by 15% in order to sell 100 licences of any AVG product.

      if you were to contact a reseller I would suggest that you send him a private message. 🙂

    • #2443955

      My Rant: Open is Not Free

      by jasenward ·

      In reply to Free Antivirus For Small/Medium Size Of Company

      Economy works because people have a understanding of the definitions for “value” and “fair.” When those definitions break down, economy collapses EOL.

      If “free” is in your vocabulary for acquiring property or rights then what you are acquiring is either worthless or its cost has already been paid by a past/future asset or experience. Those who ignore this law will one day be asking themselves about a mysterious negative number/experience that will exactly equal what they should have used in place of the zero they used when they equated it with “free”.

      An honest estimate of costs IMHO follows:
      ClamAV costs: $0 + 1 well educated computer expert user per computer willing to do his/her own work to secure his/her own system without automation or supervision and who has no qualms using other software to filter spam and monitor applications while working + 1 Network administrator who does not want to put security software onto his/her servers or has an alternative enterprise solution already.

      Microsoft Security Essentials costs: $0 (for up to 10 machines) + 1 computer user per computer of any expertise level that does not want or need a spam filter solution + 1 network administrator that has an alternative solution for his/her servers and who does not use Microsoft Exchange.

      Comodo, AVG, Kaspersky, ESET NOD32 each cost: $10-$30 each user annually + 1 average level user for each computer that does not need or is willing to buy their own spam filter system + 1 network administrator that already has an alternative for Microsoft Exchange or does not use it.

      Trend, Symantec, McAfee, Panda and Co each cost $50-$100 for each user annually + 1 user of any level of expertise per computer + 1 network administrator willing and able to configure advanced features to be remotely deployed to all systems.

      I reviewed three such tools earlier last year and tested them against an actual virus root kit on Examiner.com. They are all decent options, each with weaknesses and strengths.
      http://www.examiner.com/information-technology-in-indianapolis/jasen-ward

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