Avira is a very popular Antivirus in Germany and is probably installed on more than 50% of all PC’s (this is just a guess, but it’s pretty damn popular). Popular does not necessarily mean it’s good or secure, but it does offer a basic protection. If you need advanced protection, you will find useful links at the end of this article.
Avira is regularly updating the virus definitions and provides a lot of reliable services – all for free. It includes a basic guard that is scanning running processes and is actively protecting you from potential threats. Avira also comes with an Anti-rootkit, but when it comes to rootkits I always recommend Sophos. (Rootkits are backdoors to your PC that can be used to gain root access (therefore the name rootkit).
The all-new Avira 10 has a very modern interface and is easy to use for beginners. It can protect you from Adware, Spyware, Dialers, Phishing and Fraudulent Software. Just like Windows, it will automatically update the software and the virus definitions and warn you if the update failed.
Avira 10 Free Download
You can download Avira 10 in 8 different languages over at:
Free-AV.com
Advanced Protection for Windows 7
As mentioned above, Avira 10 should only be your basic protection. Other security measurements involve installing anti-rootkits, spyware scanners and a good firewall. If you don’t have any clue what you should download, read the following guides: