What is the best antivirus/protection for win 10?

[kokokoko]

I was looking at a bunch of them and a lot of them sound good but I have no current experience with them. Do I even need an Antivirus?

Sites are saying McAfee is #1... I had it and it was **** and never did anything in the end but turn itself off. Is it good now?

What should I look for in a Antivirus, anti-malware, and stopping zero day threats, etc? What are your recommendations?

Is the internet privacy website (surfing, using net anonymously) good to use too? Can I use that software with online games or will they ban me for multiple IPs?

I may be using Win 7 or Linux instead of Win 10 depending on how they run with games and how good Win 10 is long term.

Thanks

[Sandman]

Do I even need an Antivirus?

No.

Windows 10 comes with Windows Defender enabled by default. Use an ad blocking browser extension (I like uBlock Origin for Chrome, but adblockplus.org is probably more popular) and a do a scan with the free version of Malwarebytes every once in a while. That and a little common sense is all you need. Also keep your important files backed up.

Traditional antivirus software is becoming less and less useful since most "infections" are PUPs (potentially unwanted programs) that come packaged with free software installers and you can usually opt out of installing them if you pay attention. There's also a lot of ransomeware browser scripts floating around the web - those annoying YOUR PC IS INFECTED CALL 1-800-INDIAN-SCAMMER IMMEDIATELY messages that come via ads on some websites. These are annoyances but not really infections. Ad blockers will block most of them, and for the ones that get through, they're usually easy to get rid of by checking the "prevent this website from displaying messages" box before closing or simply using the task manager. Do your future self a favor by hitting ctrl+shift+escape, clicking Options and checking "Always on top."

If you run a business and have dumb employees who open up email attachments like Invoice.zip, feel free to take more preventative measures like not giving them admin rights.

[kokokoko]

I understood everything you said and I will modify my computer to have the max security settings possible (get rid of win 10 tracking etc...) but...
would it hurt to buy Kaspersky, NOD32 and/or paid version of Malwarebtyes (Kaspersky has 3 years for $100, seemed decent plus I liked the reviews - did best in independent testing)?
Especially since I may not be the only one using it (if it were just me I would not even think of getting a Anti-virus).


Is it worth the money to pay for a firewall and antivirus or can I as a advanced user get by with doing the usual (as you outlined above) even though some one else may use the computer when I am not there to supervise?
Your saying just make a guest account for them? Should I always use a guest account to surf the web, etc?


Will Kaspersky or NOD32 avert a critical failure (all kinds of hax, including some one trying to attack my IP)?
I recently found out that someone I know may be (basically is) trying to hack my IP/Computers. Does this factor into me buying an anti-virus, will it help with a direct attack?
Because I have no idea how extensive this guy's knowledge is but I assume it at least involves some kind of advanced administrator knowledge (windows hax) and possibly some code writing, should I be afraid? How can I stop him?
Essentially I have been singled out for attack by one or more people, as of now one for sure but could have been more than one in the past.
I really do not want him or someone else to hack my new expensive computer... What do I need to change before I connect to the Internet?

Thanks for the always on top tip!

Thanks for your help, look forward to your response.
-Your a good guy.

[Sandman]

You can definitely get by with what I mentioned above. I haven't run any realtime AV on my personal machines since XP days and haven't gotten myself infected with anything since the CIH virus in 1998. But if you really want to pay for the peace of mind then the 3 products you mentioned are pretty solid as far as unobstructive use goes. I'd probably go with Malwarebytes premium and use it alongside Defender. That's what I setup for my clients.

Some extra measures you can take are not using an admin account, using noscript/scriptsafe extension, using a VPN service (hides your traffic and IP), using full disk encryption (bitlocker) if you're worried someone is going to steal your hard drive, or keeping sensitive information on an encrypted drive and only unlocking it when you need it.

If someone else is going to be using your computer then setting them up with a regular user account (non admin) would be a good idea. They'll need your password if they want to install anything or make system changes. Better idea: tell them to get their own dang computer.

If someone is targeting you, the only good way to do that anymore that I know of is via phishing attacks, ie tricking you into installing a backdoor or giving them your login info. So if random internet person tells you to download a program from his dropbox or some other fishy source, don't do it. Or do it and run it in a sandbox/VM if you're curious I guess.

[kokokoko]

Thanks so much Sandman!
I appreciate your assistance. Knowing all the bull out there on the internet, its hard to trust someone.
You have told me what I have learned on many legit security websites, so I have no reason not to.


I needed that reassurance.
My dad will buy his own but I will still have to monitor it, because he has no clue...
Then my mom, dad, wife and friends can use that one with out me worrying they'll **** up my rig.
Or if they must use mine just give them a ****ty guest account so I know they can't do anything bad and
if they ask for more I will know they either don't care or hacks and I will tell them **** you.
I needed to know all this stuff because I knew that I would have to maintain/monitor 2 computers anyway.
Knowing how to stop them is handy, especially for the computer I won't be on normally.
I can set up automatic stuff and still once and a while check it carefully myself.


I knew you (or one of the lurkers, lol) would be here somehow...
I trust you because of your business and all (BWHACKS REP +9000) (IT'S OVER 9,000!!!!!!!!!!!). Hope your doing great.


Peace