Are subscription antiviruses worth it now?

[Dragon Angel]

I have just recently reinstalled Windows onto my laptop, and when I finished it a little question entered my mind... Should I purchase another Kaspersky Internet Security license (I've had good experiences with it in the past), or should I happily continue to use Microsoft Security Essentials/Windows Firewall, as I have done for the past half-year?

I honestly like both of them, but I was wondering if all those extra features that Kaspersky advertises would actually be worth me spending $85 on it? On the other hand, I don't frequent malware-laden websites, but I am admittedly a bit paranoid about sites that have been "hacked" and injected with malware. (I am doing my best to wean myself off of NoScript after all!)

Also, besides installing a secondary scanner such as Malwarebytes, is there anything else really that I should do to secure my laptop (and my other Windows computers while I'm at it)? I'm thinking I might be behind the times with only having that standard antivirus-and-firewall combination.

[Edi]

I wouldn't shell out that much for Kaspersky. MSE and Windows Firewall is quite sufficient and if you want extra protection for your browser, install spybot Search & destroy and Spywareblaster to your machine. Just remember that you must NOT enable the TeaTimer component in Spybot!

The passive protection features in those two programs prevent all kinds of malware attacks executing on your browser, so they offer added protection and since the protection is passive, it's not going to interfere with your antivirus either.

I don't personally use MSE, because I've been happy with Avira's free version, but other than that, same setup. Avira, Windows Firewall, Spybot S&D, Spywareblaster. Haven't had a malware infection in years.

[HeadCreeps]

I am doing my best to wean myself off of NoScript after all!

What prompted you to want to do that?

[Elheru Aran]

And why shouldn't you enable TeaTimer? I've got it running lately and I do think it eats up processor space, but...

[Edi]

And why shouldn't you enable TeaTimer? I've got it running lately and I do think it eats up processor space, but...

Because that component enables the system protection features which then pester the fuck out of you by requiring separate permission for every single goddamn registry entry change, which for normal users is an almost surefire way to practically brick their machine and at the very least a colossal pain in the ass.

It provides more drawbacks than benefits, hence it's not just worth it in the cost benefit analysis. If a program is going to pester the end user, it had better have a good fucking reason to do so and 99% of the time TeaTimer does not have one.

[Dragon Angel]

install spybot Search & destroy and Spywareblaster to your machine. Just remember that you must NOT enable the TeaTimer component in Spybot!

Aahh, I completely forgot about Spybot's immunization! Thanks for reminding me about that. Spywareblaster looks like it could help in that regard as well.

What prompted you to want to do that?

Well, mostly because of two reasons. First, I mostly prefer to use Google Chrome over Firefox now, but no one has yet released a NoScript-like extension for Chrome, so that creates a bit of a problem... (well technically I did find one, but it has not really been updated for awhile...so I'm guessing that it is near-dead if not dead-dead)

Secondly, though, and this has been sitting in my mind for a little while, I've started to grow rather tired of micromanaging sites that use Javascript. And also running into random issues with sites that I've even whitelisted! (because of them offloading something random outside of their domain, like images or their payment system [grumble...]) It's kind of like how Edi described his annoyances with TeaTimer -- I have not seen many "suspicious" sites to justify my browsing being interrupted in that way constantly.

[HeadCreeps]

Ah, ok. Bah, another one jumps ship. You'd almost get the impression that Chrome is, I don't know, good or something.

[Qwerty 42]

I confess that I haven't looked at the issue in any sort of depth, only heard from friends who work in IT, but isn't the free version of AVG a really good security suite?

[Civil War Man]

AVG is quickly moving the way of Symantec and McAfee. Now that they are one of the big dogs, their software is becoming more and more bloated.

You are far better off with Security Essentials.

As for the OP, same answer. A vast majority of individual users get everything they need from free antivirus programs. Only companies really need the subscription packages, partially due to the amount of information/money most companies handle, but also due to licensing issues that require them to purchase subscription versions (a company using AVG Free actually violates AVG's terms of service, for example).

[Enigma]

And why shouldn't you enable TeaTimer? I've got it running lately and I do think it eats up processor space, but...

Because that component enables the system protection features which then pester the fuck out of you by requiring separate permission for every single goddamn registry entry change, which for normal users is an almost surefire way to practically brick their machine and at the very least a colossal pain in the ass.

It provides more drawbacks than benefits, hence it's not just worth it in the cost benefit analysis. If a program is going to pester the end user, it had better have a good fucking reason to do so and 99% of the time TeaTimer does not have one.

I use TeaTimer and have yet to have any issues with it. I do get an occasional prompt but that like days or weeks before I get one.