nod32

ESET returns, but to tough turf

The bottom line: Back from the nearly dead, or at least the un-updated, ESET returns with high-level security that's light on your system. But for a top-tier suite, it's also light on features. Good thing it's priced lower, too.

Review:

The last time ESET updated its two security suites--the antivirus and anti-malware-only NOD32 and the more feature-heavy alternative Smart Security--it was a different computer security world. It was March 2009: Anonymous barely existed, Stuxnet hadn't gone public, and ransomware was the stuff of science fiction.

Version 5 of ESET Smart Security is a solid, creative attempt … Read more

Pricey but effective

As far as reputations go, ESET's NOD32 is practically unimpeachable. Version 4 of the popular and effective antivirus and antispyware builds on that rep, emphasizing its community-sourced ThreatSense for preventing attacks before they occur, a slick interface, and some of the highest independently-tested detection rates married to low rates of false positives.

Installation is clean and straightforward. Greatly improved from its humble beginnings as separate scanners that once littered the desktop, NOD32 can be toggled between standard features and more advanced options. Scans were neither blazingly fast nor excruciatingly slow, but the real-time defenses produced no noticeable drags on … Read more

Amazon.com has the ESET NOD32 3.0 Antivirus System - Windows DVD for $31.99, after $18 savings.

Save $18 on the ESET NOD32 3.0 Antivirus System - Windows DVD from Amazon.com >> Regular price is $49.99 >> Sale price is $31.99 >> Savings $18 (36.01%) >> Click here for deal

First Look: NOD32 antivirus version 3

Although it has it's annoyances, in general, I like NOD32 antivirus vesion 2, from ESET. But a new version was recently released and new software scares me. As I wrote about in November, I hold this truth to be self-evident:

All new software contains bugs and design mistakes.

I recently worked on a Windows XP computer whose copy of NOD32 version 2 had expired the day before. If it's possible to renew a copy of NOD32 v2, then finding out how eluded me. After clicking around everywhere in the user interface, and not being able to learn anything … Read more

Killer Download: Top antivirus programs for Windows

A few years ago, it seemed like we would hear about a new virus threatening to hijack computers around the globe every week. Though it may feel like we're out of the woods these days, it is probably only because many users and companies are now much more aware of potential threats than they used to be. Even computer manufacturers have gotten the message and take more precautions by including some form of pre-installed protection. But when the limitations on these demos run out, it has been my experience that many people just hope for the best because of how little we hear about new threats. Of course, these are the same people who later call me up asking why their computers no longer work.

Even though we don't hear about as many threats in the news, there are just as many viruses out in the wild and some viruses have become even more destructive. At work, your company probably has an antivirus system that protects you from most new strains and an IT department that keeps it updated. At home you are the IT department, and if you want to keep your files safe, you have to remain vigilant.… Read more

NOD32 antivirus won't shut down

The NOD32 antivirus program from ESET has its share of enthusiasts. After a long, detailed review of the field, Scot Finnie in February called it the best antivirus product of 2007.

Based on Mr. Finnie's reviews and recommendation, I've been installing NOD32 on the computers of some of my clients. I've also lived with it a bit on one of my computers and had no major gripes.

Until yesterday.

I was about to run Microsoft Update on a Windows XP machine for the third or fourth time, and was getting tired of waiting for it complete. So … Read more