The best way not to have malware is, like stated above, not inviting them on your system. Some people call me extremely paranoid or even delusional when I say that I don't even have Java and Flash
installed on my computer, but then my results of not having malware on my computer speak for themselves. The only problem tough is that flashy (as in graphic only) sites sometimes only use one Flash or Java (sometimes both at the same time) without offering any normal alternative choices to the user visiting the site... When I encounter such sites, I always end up thinking that the site is badly done and that it's probably a big security risk to get there in the first place anyways, because all those extremely new plugings and external kernels usually are way less protected and full of security holes than those who been patched a few times. Plus, those flashy sites seems to be the most popular sites on the internet at the moment, which all add up to be a recepy for disaster when malware is concerned.
I use Firefox 1.5 with a few blocking scripts (plugins) added up. Those plugins allow me to decide whatever happen with what come thru FF, and that's what I think should be the minimum best defense against the WWW attacks such as malware. Some sites send you so many cookies in a single page (Ebay for a starter) that it's scary, and there is no real indication that those cookies are usefull in the first place. One pub banner on two also try to send you a cookie, and most flash and java pub banners will also try to send you malware "on the side" (CometCursor, I hate you! Good thing I found a way to stop you 7 years ago on my old, unprotected computer...) without you even realizing it. Those are really annoying, but if you prevent them from running on your browser page in the first placd then they can't harm you... And if you prevent their cookied from being sent to your computer, you are basically surfing with an invisibility cloak to them.
I never found a good Anti-virus up to now. It's not like I ever needed one in the first place anyways... My problem with Anti-virus is that most of them are way too intrusive in my own system to allow me to do whatever I want in peace. I want a goddamn anti-virus, not an anti-virus/firewall/anti-spyware/malware blocker/whatever you can think of all in one damn program! <_<
I'll try Avira to see if it's good. I don't think I ever tryed that one.
As far as firewalls are concerned, the minimum should be Zone Alarm free edition. Windows firewall? A sheet of paper around your modem will give you more protection. The point of a firewall is to be able to decide by yourself which program have the right in the first place to connect to the internet... I have some Windows critical programs blocked by default on my computer in my firewall because I know I have no need for them... And by doing this, while my computer normal operation is not harmed, I safeguard my computer against invisible attacks from hackers and such. Unless the hacker can get in my computer in the first place and disable my firewall, they might get in... But they can't get out back to them.
As far as anti-spyware is concerned, the one and only best I've found is Spyware Doctor. It's fast, efficient, and always end up finding spywares other anti-spywares don't find. If you want to have ultimate protection tough, install a version of each free anti-spyware on the market and run them once in a while once after another to cover the best chances that you'll find something. Sometimes, one anti-spyware will find something the other don't... But so far, Spyware Doctor have never let me down.
And if you ever get infected by a spyware or malware and wonder where it come from... Check if you don't have Atari games on your computer. As far as producers go, Atari is the worse one I've found so far on that matter. Some (most of the recent) games from them install a spyware
every single time the game is started... :angry: