Research work "Which antivirus program is better Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Avast or Dr.Web." Which is better, Kaspersky or Doctor Web: similarities and differences, pros and cons of using Which antivirus is better, Kaspersky or Doctor Web

Introduction

To protect your computer, work information and personal data, every user of the Windows operating system wants to find and install a modern antivirus on their PC, because No one wants to one day experience data loss, PC malfunction, or see a “black screen.” Accordingly, the question of choosing an antivirus arises.

Reading advertising articles from antivirus manufacturers, you are faced with the fact that everyone unanimously declares that their software product is the most advanced, modern and will not allow a single virus, not a single “worm” to pass through, the system will be 100% protected.

This is where the real puzzle begins - which antivirus is the best, how to make your choice? How to choose an antivirus? It all starts with searching for information on the Internet: you read articles by leading experts, visit forums and study people’s opinions, ask your friends, and in the end you come to the conclusion that there is no consensus, and all the answers to the seemingly simple question “are you satisfied with your antivirus » contradictory.

I would like to make some comparison of antiviruses and at least approximately answer the question - which antivirus is better to install, I will immediately say not all, but three, in my opinion, the most used are Kaspersky Anti-Virus (Kaspersky Internet Security), Avast (Avast!) and Doctor Web (Dr.Web).

Why did I decide to make this comparison, because very often, when choosing one or another antivirus, people, They rely on the wrong criteria. Many people think that since free means bad, and paid, on the contrary, is good, or the more expensive the better, and so on. Let's get a look.

Purpose of the study: to figure out which of these antivirus programs is better: Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Avast, Doctor Web.

Object of study:Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Avast! and Doctor Web.

Subject of study:which of these antivirus programs is better: Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Avast, Doctor Web

Research objectives:

1) Explain what antiviruses are and how they work?

2) Study the literature about Kaspersky antiviruses, Avast, Doctor Web;

3) Highlight the pros and cons of antivirus software;

4) Conduct research among school students about which antivirus software they trust;

5) Processing the received data, constructing graphs and diagrams;

Relevance is to protect your computer and choose an affordable, convenient and effective antivirus.

What is a virus?

Viruses are programs, applications, sets of scripts, macros created to destroy, steal information, penetrate a computer, increase user privileges, and infect applications.

Computer viruses are programs that can “multiply” and secretly inject copies of themselves into files, disk boot sectors, and documents.

Activation of a computer virus can cause the destruction of programs and data.

There are more than 100 thousand known viruses in the world. There may be more than a million unknowns - no one can know the exact numbers.

What is an antivirus?

What is an antivirus? Let’s immediately dispel one frequently occurring illusion. For some reason, many people believe that an antivirus can detect any virus, that is, by running an antivirus program, you can be absolutely sure of their reliability. This point of view is not entirely correct. The fact is that an antivirus is also a program, of course written by a professional. But these programs are able to recognize and destroy only known viruses. That is, an antivirus against a specific virus can be written only if the programmer has at least one copy of this virus. So there is this endless war between the authors of viruses and antiviruses, although for some reason there are always more of the former in our country than the latter. But the creators of antiviruses also have an advantage! The fact is that there are a large number of viruses, the algorithm of which is practically copied from the algorithm of other viruses. As a rule, such variations are created by unprofessional programmers who, for some reason, decided to write a virus. To combat such “copies”, a new weapon has been invented - heuristic analyzers. With their help, the antivirus is able to find similar analogues of known viruses, informing the user that he seems to have a virus. Naturally, the reliability of the heuristic analyzer is not 100%, but still its efficiency is greater than 0.5. Thus, in this information war, as, indeed, in any other, the strongest remain. Viruses that are not recognized by antivirus detectors can only be written by the most experienced and qualified programmers.

Thus, it is almost impossible to protect yourself 100% from viruses (this assumes that the user exchanges floppy disks with friends and plays games, and also receives information from other sources, such as networks). If you do not enter information into the computer from the outside, it is impossible to become infected with a virus - it will not be born on its own.

So what is an antivirus and how does it work?

Essentially, an antivirus is a type of security tool that scans your computer for self-propagating malware (usually viruses and worms) and neutralizes it. To achieve this goal, the antivirus uses a number of detection technologies:

1. Signature detection
2. Heuristics and approximation
3. Virtualized simulation

Kaspersky Anti-Virus

Kaspersky Anti-Virus Kaspersky Antivirus, KAV ) is antivirus software developed by Kaspersky Lab. Provides the user with protection against viruses, Trojans, spyware,rootkits, adware, as well as unknown threats usingproactiveprotection including a HIPS component.

Kaspersky Lab is an international group of companies with a central office inMoscow, specializing in the development of protection systems againstcomputer viruses, spam And hacker attacks. The company is one of the five leading global developerssoftware For information protectionfrom Internet threats.

Kaspersky Lab was foundedJune 261997a small group of like-minded people led by Evgeniy Kaspersky

The company is owned by six employees. The controlling stake is held byEvgeniy Kaspersky. In January 2011, it was announced that an agreement had been reached to sell up to 20% of the company to a large American investment companyGeneral Atlantic(the deal is valued at up to $200 million).

The CEO since August 8, 2007 is the founder of the company, Evgeny Kaspersky.

The total number of personnel of the company is more than 2,500 people. Leading virus analysts at Kaspersky Lab are members of the internationalComputer Anti-Virus Research Organization (CARO).

Performance indicators

The company's revenue in 2010 amounted to $538 million (an increase of 38% compared to 2009).

Global sales volume of Kaspersky Lab in2009— $391 million (an increase of 42%). At the same time, sales in Russia and the Transcaucasian countries accounted for only 18% of the total volume.

According to the company, the sales structure in2008:

1. Europe region — $188 million (an increase of 42%);
2. EEMEA region (Central Europe, Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia) - $97 million (46% increase);
3. America - $80 million (71% increase)
4. countries of the Asia-Pacific region - $26 million (an increase of 35%).

According to Forbes, the company's market share in the international market increased from 2.8% in 2008 to 3.2% in 2010. The main competitors are Symantec and McAfee, which accounted for 30% of the market in 2010.

Current Products

Kaspersky Lab develops solutions to protect both home users and corporate networks of any size. The company's product line includes solutions for all popular operating systems (Windows, Linux, Mac, etc.)

The software core of Kaspersky Anti-Virus is used in their products by such developers as: Microsoft (USA), Check Point Software Technologies (Israel, USA), Juniper (USA), Nokia ICG (USA), F-Secure (Finland), Aladdin (Israel) , Sybari (USA), Deerfield (USA), Alt-N (USA), Microworld (India), BorderWare (Canada), etc.

Kaspersky Lab products are certified by leading hardware and software suppliers:Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Cisco Systems, Red Hat, Citrix Systems, Novell and others

Dr. Web

Dr. Web - familyantivirusesdesigned to protect againstpostal And network worms, rootkits, file viruses,Trojans, stealth viruses, polymorphic viruses, disembodied viruses,macroviruses, viruses that infect documentsMS Office, script viruses, spyware (spyware), password stealers, keyloggers, toll dialers, adware (adware), potentially dangerous software, hacker utilities, trapdoor programs, joke programs, malicious scripts and other malicious objects, as well asspam, scamming-, pharming-, phishing-messages and technical spam. Developed by the companyDoctor Web.

The Doctor Web company was founded in 2003 by Igor Danilov, and its main specialization is the release of software products in the field of information security under the Dr.Web® brand. Despite the fact that the company is quite young, its flagship product - Dr.Web antivirus - is almost 20 years old, its first developments date back to 1992.

The Doctor Web company successfully develops and implements solutions to ensure comprehensive security of computer equipment for home and corporate users. The Doctor Web product line includes software products for a wide range of operating systems, including mobile devices.

The original core of the software product, constant close communication with users, as well as a global virus monitoring service, allow Doctor Web to quickly respond to the emergence of new computer threats and timely update anti-virus databases and solutions.

Since the founding of the company to this day, the head office has been located in St. Petersburg. The company employs over 230 people, about 100 of whom are directly involved in the development of software products.

The main products developed and supplied by Doctor Web:

1. for guard workstations And file serversgoverned byWindows;
2. for guard corporate networkand national-scale networks with centralized management of anti-virus protection;
3. AV-desk service for ISP;
4. for guard postaland file servers underUNIX- systems;
5. for guard Internet gatewaysunder UNIX systems;
6. to protect file servers underNovell NetWare;
7. to protect serversLotus Domino on the platform Microsoft Windows;
8. to protect serversMicrosoft Exchange;
9. for guard PDAgoverned byWindows Mobile;
10. for guard workstationsMac OS X;
11. for guard smartphonesgoverned bySymbian OS;
12. for guard smartphones And Internet tabletsgoverned byAndroid.

Awards

1. According to the results of a test for the treatment of active infections (October 2008), conducted by the site anti-malware.ru, Dr. Web was the only one of all participants who scored the maximum possible number of points (15) and received the Platinum Malware Treatment Award.
2. According to the results of a self-defense test of antivirus products (January 2009), conducted by the website anti-malware.ru, Dr. Web was the only one of all participants who scored the maximum possible number of points (38) and received the Platinum Self-Protection Award.
3. According to the results of a proactive defense test (March 2009) conducted by the website anti-malware.ru, Dr. Web came in second place and received the Silver Proactive Protection Award.

Platinum Self-Protection Award (September 2010) from Anti-Malware.ru

Avast

Avast! - antivirus program for operating systemsWindows, Linux, Mac OS, as well as for PDAs on the platformPalm, Android And Windows CE. Development of AVAST Software, founded in 1991 in the Czech Republic. The company's main office is located in Prague. For home it is available in several versions: paid (Pro and Internet Security) and free (Free) for non-commercial use. There are also versions for medium and large businesses (Business Protection and Business Protection Plus) and versions for servers (File Server Security and Email Server Security). The product is certified by ICSA Labs.

The name avast is short for anti-virus advanced set. The fact that the English language has the word avast (“stop”) was noticed later.

avast! Free is considered the most popular free antivirus. In total, avast antivirus! used by more than 160 million users worldwide.

Criticism

In general, criticism of the antivirus is positive. The free version is very attractive for users, as it has everything a home user needs without any restrictions. The main advantage of avast! is its low resource consumption and high scanning speed. However, there are also disadvantages. One of the most famous is the inability to disinfect infected files (despite the fact that this function is present) and, in the vast majority of cases, such files are either deleted or moved to quarantine. Other disadvantages include the inability to remove a resident virus (located in RAM).

Tests and awards

1. 2006 - Trust Award from the Secure Computing Readers for the best antivirus.
2. August 2008 - Advanced+ according to the rating of an independent testing companyAV-Comparatives.
3. February 2010 - the highest award, the Platinum Performance Award from the Anti-Malware Information and Analytical Center as the fastest anti-virus monitor.
4. December 2010 - VB100 award from the British magazine Virus Bulletin.

2010 - avast! ranked in the top ten most downloaded programs on CNET Downloads and was in second place

Pros and cons of antivirus software.

It’s impossible to say exactly which antivirus is the best, it’s up to you to decide what to use, but let me make some comparisons to make it easier for you to make your choice. Let's start with Kaspersky.

Kaspersky Internet Security

Pros :

1. Judging by the ratings, the most powerfulantivirusof all that exist (if I’m not mistaken, not only in Russia, but also in the world).
2. Deals with all viruses, malware, Trojans androotkits(of course, if it is updated, you need to have an Internet connection for this)
3. Minimal impact on computer operation. (indeed, when it works, in “passive security” mode, it uses very little RAM)
4. Well, there are a bunch of standard advantages present in all antiviruses, which I will describe below...

Minuses :

1. The price on the Internet is 1,600 rubles for a year, but in stores it’s more expensive.
2. Kaspersky is not one of the fastest antiviruses.
3. Well, the third, perhaps the last of the minuses is that when fully checking the computer it takes a lotrandom access memoryand it’s better to turn off all programs at this time...

Avast!

Pros :

1. There is a free version (which I use on my netbook, for example, and am very pleased with).
2. This is one of the fastest antivirus scanning files.
3. Updates are downloaded quickly and quietly, and you are notified about them after installation.
4. Voice prompts. That is, after performing any action, you are notified about it by a pleasant female voice.

Minuses :

1. The free version cannot cope with some viruses, or rather, it ignores them.
2. Does not block “bad” banners and advertising on the site.
3. The free version must be registered within 30 days. (not big, but minus)

Dr.Web

Pros :

1. There is a free and VERY powerful utility called Curelt!
2. Quite good scanning speed.

Minuses :

1. The Curelt! utility is constantly updated and about every month (or even week) you have to download a new version..
2. The paid version is not cheap...
3. And I also heard (but I only heard) that the key from your antivirus program can be stolen while you are using it (!!!).

We bought a computer and need an antivirus. Think about what you will use this computer for. If it’s just for fun, then it’s more advisable to install a free virus (for example, Avast! ). If it will serve not only for entertainment, but also for work, then it is better to install a paid antivirus.

Survey
The survey involved students in grades 8-9
(30 people)

Conclusion: According to our survey, the majority of students trust the protection of their computer to Kaspersky Anti-Virus; the free Avast anti-virus received the least votes.

Conclusion

I chose this topic because I wanted to find out how to protect your computer from viruses and which antivirus is suitable for each of us - which antivirus is better and which is worse, their pros and cons.

I believe that the topic I have chosen will be of interest to many, since many cannot choose which antivirus program to install on their computer.

The results of my research and the survey I conducted showed that each antivirus program has its own pros and cons.

I think the best way to protect your computer is to install on your computer, for example, Kaspersky antivirus and additionally the free Curelt utility from Doctor Web. At the end of each week, check your computer for viruses, first using Kaspersky antivirus, then using the Curelt scanner.

Many of my friends listened to my advice and use it, and also recommend this idea to others.

Let's say we have 49 copies of current malware, which are 100% known to antiviruses with modern databases. What could these antiviruses have done with them a week ago, when these malware had not yet fallen into the hands of virus analysts? How effective are the heuristics and proactive protection of modern internet security if you test it against real malware? And for this there is no need to invent a time machine at all - we’ll just preserve the experimental antiviruses in virtual machines without access to the Internet, and after a week we’ll test them against a collection of the latest malware, which is already detected by these antiviruses with up-to-date databases. But the antiviruses of the past, of course, don’t know about this yet :).

We will use KIS, Dr.Web, ESET and Windows Defender as guinea pigs. All except the last one will run in Win 7. The last one will run under Win 10 - there is hope that the “ten” is better protected and even with a sieve like Defender, viruses will not pass through. Well, let's check.

Once again about testing

Here's what will be checked: detecting the virus, blocking the virus from launching and treating the infection. The first test will be performed with protection disabled - in scanner mode. For the second and third tests, the antivirus monitor will be turned on.

After all this, we will update the database and compare the resulting detection with the previous result. Since there are many viruses, “exhibits” for launch testing will be selected by the antivirus itself. We will launch those viruses that are not removed as a result of the detection test. It is stupid to try to run a virus that is in the antivirus database - any antivirus will block it. The most interesting thing is to launch a virus that is “unfamiliar” to the antivirus.

All viruses in my collection were divided into groups: Backdoor, Worm, Virus, and so on. A list of all “program heroes” will be provided later. As you can see, there is plenty to choose from.

Your ideas

Your ideas inspire us to new research. We have already taken them into account. So keep gushing - comments on the article and are always open to your suggestions for improvements :).

All operating systems are fresh (specially installed for this article), and the Internet was turned off immediately after installing the antivirus so that the databases remained old with a 100% guarantee.

Let's start testing with the well-known Kaspersky Internet Security. As you can see from the screenshot below, the antivirus was installed six days ago (24 days of free use left).

Disable the antivirus, unpack the archive with viruses. We do not activate the antivirus, but we run a custom scan (so that it does not run everything in a row, but concentrates on one folder) and check the Virus folder. I remember once at a gas station they managed to fill a 20-liter canister with 23 liters. So in the case of Kaspersky - in a folder of 49 files, he managed to find 80!

Apparently, several infections are packed into one file and the antivirus displays each of them separately in the list. Let's look at the detailed report.

As can be seen from the screenshot, 45 threats were found (out of 49). For some reason, the Trojan.Win32.Waldek.jsu virus was neither deleted nor quarantined: the antivirus simply did not process it, although it detected it. There are a total of 11 files left in the Virus folder.

Most of the viruses survived in the RansomWare folder. As you can see from the screenshot, files numbered 2, 4, 7 and 8 were not touched by the antivirus at all. It will be interesting to see the detection after updating the databases.

Well, now we activate the protection and try to launch the “surviving” viruses from the Virus folder. I ran the first two files from the RansomWare folder (numbers 2 and 4). File number 2 was recognized as PDM:Trojan.Win32.Generic. The antivirus detected dangerous behavior of the program, “precisely characterizing it as malicious.”

He suggested healing the computer by rebooting. We agree. Treatment began, the antivirus canceled the actions of the malicious program and simultaneously eliminated file number 4.

I didn't like the results of the treatment. After rebooting I didn't get a clean system. Something was trying to boot, and files created by the virus remained on the desktop. The antivirus cleaned up some things, but it seems to me that not everything. Along the way, the antivirus, of course, tries to treat objects created by viruses.

I continue to run files from the RansomWare folder (numbers 7 and 8). Immediately after launching these files, as in the previous case, there was no immediate response from the antivirus, which allows programs to multiply. The antivirus began to respond after the viruses tried to send emails. Nothing worked for them - I have neither an email client nor an Internet connection!

It’s interesting, but Kaspersky anti-virus did not respond to file number 8. Go ahead. From the Scareware subfolder I launch the only file with the same name. I wait a few minutes. There is no reaction from the antivirus, and in the meantime the virus is most likely doing its dark deeds.

From the TrojanCryptor folder I launch a file named TrojanCryptor (1). The cryptographer is the heavy artillery. There was no response from the antivirus either. But a window appeared.

About the ransomware

The Trojan launched, there seemed to be no response from the antivirus, but the data remained unencrypted, as was the case with another participant in this test. But one of the antiviruses allowed data encryption, as you will see below.

From the Virus folder I launch files numbered 4 and 8, then from the Worm folder - files 6 and 8. For some reason the first one did not start (mistakes are made not only by developers of ordinary programs, but also by virus writers). But Kaspersky did not react to the second one.

I run a full scan of the computer. Its goal is to identify objects infected with viruses and try to cure the computer. After the reboot, let's see what happened with the antivirus. To be honest, I was not pleased with the results. The antivirus reported that no threats were detected. Although the malware remained on the computer. I didn’t dig deep - I just opened msconfig and looked at the startup list. As you can see, the antivirus did not clean out everything.

When I rebooted the computer, Kaspersky reported that it had decided to cure my computer - an active treatment process was detected, as a result of which the Ransomware (8.exe) file, as well as the worm (8.exe) file, were deleted.

It looks like it cleaned out some malicious files. After treating the active infection, KIS again reported that there were no threats.

Well, it's time to update the databases. The databases have been updated and the computer has been rebooted. After the reboot, the recovery after infection wizard started, offering to fix some issues. After the wizard works, I reboot the computer again.

The master restored some things, but not others. Yes, autorun is cleared. But not completely - as you can see, there are still those who want to start. -!RecOveR!* files created throughout the disk were also not deleted.

I give the antivirus another chance and run a full scan again - this time with new databases. No threats were detected; multiple files created by the virus remained on the computer.

Now repeat the detection test. I disable protection, unpack the archive and run a custom scan of the Virus folder. After updating the databases, Kaspersky neutralized all threats (49). In general, what was to be expected, because we specifically included in the test only real malware, known to the “antiviruses of the future.”

Dr.Web Security Space

In the Dr.Web line, we chose a real monster, the installation file of which weighs 466 MB - Security Space. The smaller Katana product wasn't an option because it doesn't have a scanner.

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Since the advent of the first Windows operating systems, issues related to protecting computers and networks from all kinds of virus threats have become very acute, since most known viruses (both then and today) are mainly designed to defeat operating systems developed by Microsoft. But what exactly should you choose to ensure security? Next, we will look at the two main and competing Russian antiviruses and try to find out which is better - Doctor Web or Kaspersky. Both developers have made their mark on the security software market quite a long time ago and are rightfully considered one of the leading ones in the world. However, the opinions of users and specialists regarding preferences or inclination to install any one software product are clearly divided. Let's try to compare some of them, taking into account such reviews.

Which is better - Kaspersky or Doctor Web? What to start from when comparing?

To begin with, each user must understand that both developers produce quite a lot of anti-virus software products designed for completely different situations. Among all that can be found, the most popular are standard antiviruses that are installed directly into operating systems on local computers, servers or network terminals, portable programs designed to neutralize threats on already infected computers, and special disk utilities that have their own bootloaders to start instead launching the OS in order to destroy threats in cases where Windows does not boot due to a virus attack.

Let us briefly look at all three types of applications, and also, as comparative characteristics, we will consider the issues of purchasing licensed software, the complexity of installation and use, the load on system resources and the quality of security.

Comparison of Kaspersky and Doctor Web: issues of cost and installation

As for free standard software products, both developers have practically none.

The only exception is the latest modification of the free Kaspersky Anti-Virus (and even then it must be activated in a timely manner). Doctor Web has no trace of this. The first round is for Kaspersky. All portable programs and disk applications are truly free. But if you purchase legal versions of official antiviruses, in fact it turns out that Doctor Web software products cost home and corporate users almost half as much as similar developments from Kaspersky Lab. There's no arguing with that.

But which of the standard tools is better - Kaspersky or Doctor Web? Neither specialists nor users have a consensus on installing this type of software.

Some believe that installing Doctor Web is easier than installing Kaspersky, others are of the opposite opinion. However, if you approach it with an open mind, opinions about the complexity of the installation look clearly far-fetched. The only exceptions may be server versions, when it is necessary to configure antiviruses either on each network terminal or directly on the central server. These questions should be left to system administrators, since the average user does not need such knowledge at all.

But Doctor Web can easily be installed to restore order to an already infected system, and problems with Kapersky in this regard are often observed.

Some differences in functionality

If we consider the standard security products of Kaspersky or Doctor Web in terms of the functionality they contain, a significant difference can only be noticed in the details, since the standard sets of both developers are almost the same.

But what looks somewhat unusual about Kaspersky is the ability to connect any other device with a similar product to the installed antivirus and manage the protection system through your personal account located on the My Kaspersky portal. This is a clear plus. As for cross-platform use, both antiviruses are in equal positions (their versions can be found for almost all known operating systems, installed on both desktop PCs and mobile devices).

Response to viruses and suspicious threats

Now let's see which is better - Kaspersky or Doctor Web when it comes to detecting threats and neutralizing them. It is tacitly believed that Kaspersky virus databases are the most complete. But one can argue with this. But in terms of scanning, some believe that Doctor Web clearly loses for the reason that it scans absolutely all files downloaded from the Internet, even if they do not pose a direct or perceived threat, which takes more time. In addition, the settings for scanning the computer in the background, used by default in both programs, also cause legitimate indignation among users when the scan begins at the most inopportune moment, which is why the programs begin to freeze, and system resources are fully used exclusively by antiviruses . However, this can only be said by those users who do not know how to set up a scheduled scan so that it occurs at those moments when the computer is in a state of inactivity.

Load on system resources

As for resource consumption, many people make an unambiguous conclusion about which is better - Kaspersky or Doctor Web.

For some reason, it is generally accepted that Kaspersky slows down the system incredibly, although the latest modifications (according to the developer’s statements) are no different. Apparently, this is due to an established stereotype that has existed since the release of the first antivirus products, when it was impossible to work even on powerful computers with the standard antivirus from Kaspersky Lab installed.

Portable and Disk Utilities

Naturally, among the Kaspersky and Doctor Web antiviruses there are also special treatment programs that do not require installation on the hard drive of a computer or laptop (KVRT and Dr. Web CureIt!, respectively). Both utilities are in almost equal positions in terms of their capabilities, but often dissatisfaction among users who scan their system with the portable application from Doctor Web is caused by the fact that it identifies many well-known optimizer programs or uninstallers as potentially unwanted software.

At the same time, it is believed that there is no way to disable treatment or removal for particularly critical cases, and after the scan is completed, the installed applications refuse to work completely. In addition, Doctor Web does not respond to activators such as, for example, KMSAuto Net. On the one hand, this is good for the average user, on the other hand, this is the most illegal activation of Windows. Kaspersky issues a warning that a legitimate activation program has been detected, but warns that it may contain malicious code. Disk utilities are at approximately the same level, although again it is tacitly believed that Kaspersky's Rescue Disk detects and neutralizes threats of any type better than LiveDisk from Doctor Web.

Which antivirus should you prefer?

So which is better - Kaspersky or Doctor Web? Alas, it is impossible to give a definite answer to this question. Everything from both developers deserves all sorts of praise, and the choice in favor of one often depends on user preferences or even a pre-formed stereotype. That is why you are given the right to make your own choice and install exactly the software product that you consider necessary and most effective.

There are a great variety of software products of this kind and their number continues to grow every year. While preparing this article, I have already weeded out the mediocre options and selected the four most famous antiviruses so that now, having studied their features in detail, I can find the best one.

Which antivirus is better - Kaspersky, Nod32, Avast, Dr. Web?

Degree of protection

The main criterion for selecting an antivirus is its ability to detect malware and then isolate or destroy it. Not every program copes with this task fully, but only shows false activity. What is the best antivirus for this component? Let's get a look:

1. Kaspersky is far ahead of all its competitors in terms of protection. Its mechanisms allow you to block all external threats at high speeds, in real time, even before they penetrate the computer. Even if the malicious code is archived, the antivirus will detect it and notify the user about it. Of course, you will have to pay a price for extensive opportunities, but more on that later.
2. Nod32 contains the entire set of tools necessary to prevent virus programs from entering your computer, and if they do manage to penetrate, it will be able to fight them thanks to file removal and disinfection tools. Unfortunately, everything is good only in words, but in reality there are enough security holes for some viruses to get through. Plus, the large number of false protection alarms on absolutely safe files is very annoying (you have to constantly remove them from quarantine and add them to exceptions).
3. Avast antivirus, as for free software, copes well with its tasks - it fights various kinds of threats, periodically scans the system and monitors operations with files and folders in real time, which makes it possible to quickly eliminate almost any threat. Even while the Windows screen saver is showing, Avast is already starting to check for malicious code in the system.
4. Dr. Web is an excellent solution for those who want to protect their computer from unauthorized intrusion from the outside. The program successfully fights file viruses, Trojans, polymorphic viruses, spyware and a bunch of other unwanted guests. The operating mechanisms are designed in such a way that most of the currently known viruses are not able to interfere with the operation of the algorithm or bypass it.

Easy to install and configure

There shouldn't be any problems installing and configuring security software, because its priority is to start protecting your computer as soon as possible. And it’s best if you don’t need to spend a long time fiddling with options before doing this.

There is nothing special to write about at this point and it is difficult to determine the best one, since most antivirus programs have long since arrived at a certain unified working model. To install each product, you just need to run the executable file and follow the instructions provided. Activation for paid versions occurs by entering a code and username, after which all functions will become available, including automatic updating. To fully start using the capabilities of the free product, you will have to go through the registration procedure. All the reviewed antiviruses have all the main services enabled by default - real-time protection, scheduled scanning and others, without which it is impossible to guarantee the security of the system.

Load on computer resources

One of the most important criteria in choosing an antivirus program, especially for owners of low-power computers. If the program is poorly optimized or full of unnecessary services, the user will experience performance problems.

1. No matter what the experts say who are trying to convince us that Kaspersky Anti-Virus does not load the system, it does not sound convincing, because any user can notice with the naked eye a significant decrease in performance during scanning and slow file opening, which is associated with the anti-virus constantly hanging in the processes monitor. The salvation from all of the above is a truly powerful PC configuration.
2. Nod32 has no problems with speed. Moreover, this is probably the fastest modern antivirus that is focused on minimal use of computer resources. I myself have long been a fan of this antivirus precisely because of its negligible impact on computer performance. At one time, Nod even ran on a computer with 256 megabytes of RAM.
3. Avast is famous for its low resource consumption and low requirements for computer resources. Even on low-power systems, scanning is fast enough and has virtually no effect on applications running in parallel by the user, be it a video editor, browser or 3D application. In February 2010, Avast was awarded the award for the fastest antivirus monitor.
4. Dr. Web shows average results in terms of load on computer resources and is somewhere between Kaspersky and Nod. Copying files, booting the system, browsing the web - all this happens quite quickly. The only thing I can complain about is the compression speed of ZIP archives when the maximum level of protection is enabled. At this moment the load increases significantly.

Additional functionality

Modern antiviruses not only perform the main task assigned to them, but also solve a number of other problems, for example, block users’ access to phishing sites, check the integrity of the registry, and so on (each program has its own characteristics).

1. In addition to virus protection, Kaspersky fights adware, checks Java and Visual Basic scripts, analyzes and blocks vulnerabilities in the Internet Explorer browser (this, in my opinion, is an unnecessary function, since this browser itself is a walking vulnerability and no one uses it ). Kaspersky Anti-Virus also has a set of tools with which you can create a system emergency recovery disk.
2. Nod32 doesn't have as many advanced features as its competitors, but what little it does provide users is implemented to a high standard. For example, an anti-spam module that allows you to filter out suspicious emails, thereby increasing the security of your work, or a personal firewall, which is many times more reliable than the standard solution from Microsoft or other operating system manufacturers.
3. Additional Avast functionality varies greatly depending on the version you choose. Of the shareware builds, it is best to take Premier, which has an antispam filter, the ability to remotely control a PC, a firewall and many other services. And if you shell out for a paid license, the most functional will be the Endpoint Protection Suite, which incorporates the capabilities of all other versions and has its own unique ones.
4. Doctor Web also boasts a wide range of additional functionality - here is the ability to backup data and then restore it, and centralized management of corporate network protection, and a behavioral analyzer. In general, the list can be continued for a long time, especially since the company is actively working to improve its product.

Updates

Attackers never sit idle and do nothing but invent new ways to harm you and your computer. Therefore, it is very important that the antivirus updates its defense mechanisms in a timely manner. Which one is better for this component?

1. Kaspersky AV updates occur automatically and quite often. The company's employees, in collaboration with users, look for new vulnerabilities and update anti-virus databases and the registry of phishing and other sites with potentially dangerous content. If automatic updating is disabled (in order to improve system performance, for example), you will have to launch it from the main menu of the program.
2. Nod32 is updated as critical updates to antivirus and other databases are released. If you wish, you can configure the launch of this function according to the task scheduler, at the time you specify. For example, by setting the update check only during the first start of the operating system and no more than once a day. It makes no sense to disable auto-updates, since they weigh little.
3. Avast functionality allows you not only to promptly download new anti-virus databases, but also to promptly update the version of the program itself without reinstalling it again. To do this, just go to the appropriate section of the menu and see if there is a newer version available, and then, if necessary, start the update process. This is a rather long procedure if a lot of time has passed since the previous update.
4. Doktov Web offers us a slightly inconvenient option for updating the program version, in which you must remove the old version before installing the new one. If an error occurs during deletion, or “bits” remain in the system, users are advised to use the disaster recovery utility or contact technical support. Everything is fine with updating the anti-virus databases - it happens automatically.

Mobile versions

In this paragraph, we will look at anti-virus software from the reviewed manufacturers, designed for mobile devices - tablets, smartphones, pocket computers. We will briefly describe the advantages and disadvantages of these programs, and try to identify the best one.

1. The mobile version of Kaspersky, called Kaspersky Mobile Security, works with the Symbian, Android and Windows Mobile platforms, providing electronic devices using these operating systems with a full range of security services. These include anti-virus protection, SMS spam protection and much more. Particularly noteworthy is the Anti-Theft function, which allows you to block a stolen/lost smartphone by sending an SMS message with a code.
2. The solution from ESET (Nod32 Mobile Security) also covers the three mobile platforms listed above and does an excellent job of its main task - protection against viruses and spyware, including the main problem of smartphones - applications that can automatically send SMS messages from your number to any another. Like its older brother, the mobile version is gentle on system resources.
3. Avast supports work with PDAs running on Android, Palm, and Windows CE systems. Other popular platforms, unfortunately, are not available. It comes in two versions - regular, containing only a basic set of features, and Premium, which has advanced functionality.
4. Mobile version of Dr. Web is extremely popular among users of portable devices. For example, in the Russian-language Android Market this antivirus application ranks second in terms of downloads. As in the Kaspersky program, there is Anti-Theft technology, black and white lists that allow you to filter calls and SMS messages coming from other numbers.

Technical support

Large antivirus companies usually provide their clients with additional online or offline assistance - additional resources, email, phone number. Let's evaluate the effectiveness of the technical support of our four competitors.

1. The developers of Kaspersky Anti-Virus are actively working to solve technical problems related to the operation of their product - user support is available around the clock, both online and offline. Unfortunately, many will be upset by the fact that older versions of this software (1.5-2 years old) are no longer supported, and for some, updates are not even released.
2. ESET, which develops Nod32 and other antivirus solutions, has a very developed online help system. There is even a feature where you give a technical support employee remote access to your computer and he will fix all the problems himself. Alternatively, you can simply express your problem to one of the specialists by calling or sending an email.
3. Avast has a detailed help guide, translated into more than 40 languages. Therefore, almost any common problem can be solved without even contacting technical support. However, you can always ask your question on the official forum, where not only experts, but also other users will listen to you, or fill out a form on the website.
4. Technical support The Web allows clients to get an answer to their question in the shortest possible time. If the problem cannot be solved on your own, with the help of a Virtual Engineer, company employees will gain access to your PC and fix the problem (of course, with your consent). In addition, if any file seems suspicious to you, you can immediately send it for analysis.

Let's sum it up

Choosing the best antivirus product is not as easy as it seems at first glance. There is quite powerful protection from Kaspersky, but it does not spare computer resources - if you have a powerful computer and want to protect valuable information, this is for you. There is Nod32, lightweight and fast - an excellent solution for an office or home gaming PC, it does not load the system, and somehow copes with its responsibilities. Well, you shouldn’t also forget about the shareware Avast and Dr.Web - suitable for those who don’t want to spend money on buying an antivirus (we don’t take piracy into account).

In general, each program has obvious advantages on some points and directly opposite indicators on others. Therefore, each user will have to decide for himself what is more important to him - speed, security, price or something else.

Reviews

Thank you very much for the article. I completely agree with the author of the article, but, however, I cannot help but add about an antivirus such as MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials). It is free, has a constantly updated virus database, works quickly, and is quite flexible in use. I can’t say that he was worse - he never “missed” an extra virus. I also highly recommend the utility from Dr.Web - Cure IT. It is free and is great for one-time or regular PC checks, as well as for treating PCs in critical situations, in safe mode, etc.

I talked about this topic with my hacker IT specialists, and everyone unanimously believes that buying anti-virus software is a waste of money, because... Each of the products on the market can successfully fight some viruses/spyware, but will also easily ignore others, or may do both poorly. The best way to protect your computer is to follow basic online safety rules. The most acceptable way that I found for myself is to install a Linux-based operating system - they either don’t have viruses at all or they do, but they are very unpopular. Plus, the security policy and remote access rights to the machine are implemented differently. True, it is very possible to infect a computer with a virus, but since... viruses are written in 99% of cases under Win, this will not affect the performance of Linux in any way (another thing, it can damage everyone’s favorite “windows”). Accordingly, there is no need to install an antivirus, although they are available.

There is no clear answer to the question of which antivirus is better. I don't like any of the listed antiviruses. I have been using VIPRE for many years now, in my opinion it is the best antivirus. But periodically I also clean it with herdProtect. It seems that God has been merciful so far.

Polina, by the way, I remember when I was using Windows and inadvertently picked up viruses - AVZ was a great help. A lightweight, simple antivirus that operates on the basis of scripts. It helps with a bang against known viruses or exploits, there is a special community that develops scripts for treatment. And if not, then you can scan the system yourself and send the log file for analysis. Virtual healing gurus always help

On Linux there really are no problems with viruses, but this system is not suitable for everyone. Regarding the issue of preventing infection, it is worth noting that the main flow of viruses (about 90%) is usually associated with executable files downloaded from the Internet, or those that are executable, but are disguised as other types, so to speak. For example, a torrent downloaded from an unreliable resource. So, to secure this main source, you can use browser add-ons that check the reliability of the resource, for example, “WOT” for Mozilla Firefox. Of course, you need to keep an eye on it yourself - a suspicious resource will always give itself away with an overly rubbery layout and “strained” comments. There are also special add-ons that allow the browser itself to check a file for a virus and block self-opening windows. If you follow these precautions, the chance of contracting the virus is extremely low.

I used it while using Linux. Either I’m doing something wrong or the sites around me are suspicious. I'm tired of constantly poking the button to close the warning and confirm that I intend to switch to an “unsafe” resource. And still there is no fear that I will catch the virus, a kind of state of surfing freedom. That's why I demolished it. And for Win users, of course, I also recommend installing this add-on.

Sometimes the assessment is not entirely adequate, or the resource is based on a third-party engine. It’s quite rare for me to have glitches or incorrect estimates, perhaps it’s gotten better now. There may be better add-ons, but I personally installed it because... it is the most popular and has the highest rating.

I don’t use any of the above antiviruses; I have Mc Affee.

I had it too. Very peculiar, once it missed a virus, another time it displayed unnecessary messages. How is it in your work?

Just great, only sometimes he swears at many sites on the Internet. Moreover, if he misses something, Panda will finish it off)

Yes, it’s hard to say which antivirus is better, Kaspersky is the most popular, that’s for sure. I used to use Windows and catch viruses with all antiviruses - Kakspersky, Nod32, Avast. Then I switched to a Mac and I’m not worried about the best antivirus, I don’t use it at all and everything is fine. But I’m afraid that soon the Mac will become popular and I’ll have to worry about choosing the best antiviruses again.

In general, it is advisable never to install a large number of antiviruses at the same time, because they can “detect” each other as viruses, because keep them in quarantine. In addition, it results in an unjustified load on the RAM.

I use Kaspersky and Avast antiviruses on different computers. There is definitely no need to install more than one antivirus at the same time, what are you guys doing? Which is better is an eternal question, just like in comparing Mercedes and BMW, some prefer one, others prefer the other. It would probably be more correct to ask the question not which antivirus is better in general, but to divide it into criteria:
Which antivirus is the fastest
Which antivirus is the easiest
Compare some settings
Etc
But in general, it is impossible to objectively answer the question of which is better: Avast, Doctor Web, Kaspersky, NOD32.

If your computer is weak in hardware, then nod32 is suitable for this case. If you think that your computer is of average health, then Avast and dr.web are suitable for this. Well, for powerful computers, Kasperskyi is suitable, well, this is my opinion, because it overloads the system. And also, never install nod32 and lasperskyi on medium and weak computers, because it will freeze very much.

I use Avastom, well, it constantly says “Threat”, almost every 12 hours “The virus database has been updated.” I’ve been using it for almost a year, there have been no problems with viruses, and if there are any, it’s entirely my fault. I’m skipping them myself once again)

I use Avast and am completely satisfied. Doesn't bother you with notifications and does a great job.

Everyone has their own opinion, but it still seems to me that Kaspersky is better. I used to have Doctor Web and it didn’t really help, in other words, I had to tear down the system and install a new one. And when I installed Kaspersky, initially I didn’t like that it blocked almost everything, but now I’ve been using it for about a year and I don’t complain because not a single infection gets in. My friends told me that Avast is still good. Otherwise, I don’t really know since I’m not a programmer or an expert in this field.

Here is a small test and comparison of four flagships in antivirus protection - ESET Smart Security 4.2.71.3, Dr.Web Security Space 6.00.1, Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 11.0.2.556, Norton Internet Security 2011 18.5.0.125.

For testing, 4 identical copies of the Windows XP SP3 operating system with all updates at the time of publication of the article were selected. This made it possible to make the most accurate comparison of antivirus products. Let's look at some interesting results.

Starting the system. The following test was carried out: first, the startup time of the operating system without an antivirus installed was recorded, and then a comparison was made with the startup speed of the system with each antivirus product separately.

Launch the browser. The test was done using a similar procedure. The browser is Opera 11.00.1156 International Final. The result records the time the program was opened (do not confuse the time of opening the program with a fully loaded web page!).

Unpacking the archive. The test shows how long it takes a system with antivirus installed to unpack the archive. To carry out the test, WinRAR 4.00 Beta 4 was used, with which 1 file of 510 MB was packed.

Checking the system disk. Each antivirus scanned the system disk, the files of which occupied approximately 4.5 GB. The maximum settings of antivirus products were used.

As you can see, in terms of performance, ESET won in three out of four tests. Norton won in system scanning speed.

Let's consider another interesting point - the load on the PC. Let's compare how much memory each antivirus product consumes during idle time (when nothing happens on the PC) and during scanning of the above-mentioned system disk.

And here again he takes the lead ESET– it used approximately 60-65 MB of memory during idle time and during scanning.

Someone who disappointed is this Dr.Web. During idle time it used 105-110 MB (!), and that's just the core itself!

To scan the system drive, Dr.Web uses a separate module – Dr.Web Scanner. A separate module used an additional 100 MB of memory. Together with the core, you get more than 200 MB of memory - too much, you agree.

Kaspersky Internet Security 2011, which many consider a “monster” for weak PCs, showed twofold results. In idle mode, it took up almost the same amount as ESET - 60-65 MB.

But during scanning, Kaspersky is truly a “monster” - 150-170 MB of memory

Norton Internet Security 2011 showed good results. During idle time it remained at the level of 60-65 MB.

And during scanning – 80-85 MB, which personally pleasantly surprised me.

In total, ESET Smart Security confidently climbed to first place, and Norton Internet Security was located very close to it. Of course, Dr.Web disappointed... With a fairly high level of protection, the product uses a lot of PC resources, and the scanning time of the system disk took 3 times longer than the third best result. Kaspersky Internet Security 2011, despite its high scanning speed (which is nice), used an indecent amount of memory during scanning of the system disk compared to other products.

In the end, I would like to note that these results in no way confirm or refute the quality of protection against malicious objects and other threats!