Must Read: Mint 15: Today's best Linux desktop (Review)

Topic: Windows

Anti-virus heavyweights missing from Vista-certified list

Summary: Some of the biggest names in the anti-virus business -- Symantec, McAfee and CA eTrust, -- are missing from the list of vendors shipping products with the "Certified for Windows Vista" logo or the "Works with Windows Vista" logo.

Ryan Naraine

By for Zero Day |

Some of the biggest names in the anti-virus business -- Symantec, McAfee and CA eTrust, -- are missing from the list of vendors shipping products with the "Certified for Windows Vista" logo or the "Works with Windows Vista" logo.

In the list of Vista-compatible apps released by Microsoft yesterday, only one anti-virus heavyweight -- Trend Micro (3 products) -- made the cut.

Symantec's absence from the list is an eyebrow raiser, especially since the company has publicly announced full Vista support for its core product lines. According to Symantec, Vista-ready products include Norton Internet Security 2007, Norton AntiVirus 2007 and Norton Confidential.

McAfee has also outlined plans for supporting the new operating system.

Microsoft's own Windows Live OneCare Family Safety suite made the list, but only in the "Works with Windows Vista" category. The only other anti-virus product to feature on the list was ALWIL Software's avast! Antivirus product.

While Microsoft's list is devoid of pure play anti-malware vendors, there is a growing list of security applications available for Vista (32-bit) users. They include Kaspersky Lab, F-Secure, CA Anti-Virus, ESET NOD32, Panda Software and Sophos Anti-Virus.

On the 64-bit side, avast!, AVG, Kaspersky Lab, CA eTrust, McAfee and ESET and Trend Micro are shipping anti-virus products.

Topics: Windows, Microsoft

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

19 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • Big Company Complacency...

    They think they got you hooked because of their name. I'm not letting it happen any more.

    When I moved to Vista, instead of reinstalling the bloated Symantec AntiVirus, I purchased NOD32.

    The only question I have now is why I didn't do it years ago.
    BitTwiddler
    Reply Vote

  • Hurray!

    Good riddance to companies whose business model seems to be based on filling up new computers with pesterware and "insert credit card" dialogs.

    It's not like there's no better alternatives to their products:

    http://www.thepcspy.com/articles/other/what_really_slows_windows_down/5
    jinko
    Reply Vote

  • Kaspersky is VISTA Compatible

    Last week's update of Kaspersky Internet Security 6 (week of Feb 12, 2007) made Kaspersky compatible with Windows Vista. Not surprisingly, Microsoft has not updated its compatibility list. As I recall, Microsoft has always been a bit slow adding newly-compatible applications to its list (for earlier versions of Windows).
    dl@...
    Reply Vote

  • Good!!!

    Symantec is as hard to remove from your system as any virus I've encountered.
    Hiwayman
    Reply Vote

    • Hahaha

      Agreed! It's (dare I say) worse to un-weld than an AOL install!
      xxn1927
      Reply Vote

    • Say it again

      Say it again brother. Their hooks run ridiculously deep, and no matter what removal surgery is performed, it seems next to impossible to fully clean the system and registry hives. This to me is the other great deficit of Norton AV, outside of the well known performance "tag" it places on otherwise zippy systems.

      In fairness, most independent tests I've seen over the years have generally rated NAV and SAV well for overall effectiveness, but unfortunately both come packaged with these negative side effects (NAV being the bigger glutton of the two). The poor removal routine that both seem to carry is inexcusable though.
      klumper
      Reply Vote

  • Microsoft security...

    Security in operating systems is only as good as the moment.

    Tell a good auto thief that he can't steal a new brand of car because it has a new unbreachable security system. Therein lies the challenge.

    Buying Vista because of new and "improved" security won't get it any longer for this fellow.

    When Microsoft finally dumps support for XP I'll be taking a look at alternative OSs to choose, first Linux (if its finally "matured" appreciably) because of mostly compatible hardware, or MAC. Both are less of a target.

    ~lek, SW MN USA
    lekoerber
    Reply Vote

    • What has this to do with the topic?

      Completely confused?
      No_Ax_to_Grind
      Reply Vote

      • No, But You Are

        MORON.
        itanalyst
        Reply Vote

  • Good.

    Well I will never miss them.
    All Good antivirus is vorking and the rest can stay away.
    Both Symantec and McAfee suck. S? why should any miss them?

    Greetz
    lindfalas@...
    Reply Vote

  • AVG

    whats wrongg with AVG??? never hear it mentioned on ZD Net, unless i missed it. works good for me. not bloated. not invasive. easy install/unisntall. reg updates. the big ones thumbs down from me. ....stohny
    morph000
    Reply Vote

  • How much does it matter?

    I have McAfee security suite on all my computers and it works just fine with Vista home premium.What's the issue?
    Insight Driver
    Reply Vote

    • No issue, just that it didn't go through certification.

      The infamous "list" is merely of those applications that have been through some kind of formal certification process to show that they were either 1) designed specifically for Vista or 2) compatible with Vista. There are thousands of applications that work just fine that never go through that formal process. McAfee security suite, that you mention, must be one of those.

      No one's forcing a software vendor to put their app through certification. But it certainly doesn't hurt to do so.
      PB_z
      Reply Vote

  • $40 GONE

    Microsoft that's a lot of power!
    BALTHOR
    Reply Vote

  • Alwil Software

    Hi,
    I have been using "Avast" Anti-Virus Software for a few years now, which I have had no problems with. Excellent product!

    I am very glad to read that this software is supported by my new OS-Vista Home Premium Edition.

    Regards,

    Anthony R. Walker
    pamton4@...
    Reply Vote

  • AVG number one in my book

    Got Vista day of release and installed AVG, works great.
    Also as mentioned in other post, it is lightweight.

    We use AVG in our company on 240 machines and never have had a virus.

    To me a virus is something that bogs down my machine, invades my personal space, getting rid of it is next to impossible and makes me want to format my drive....the last time felt like that is when I used Symantec.

    Makes you wonder if people are paid to make symantic look like a great product and never mention AVG.
    mames1701
    Reply Vote

    • AVG/Avast

      Have had some issue's with AVG in the past. I tend to use Avast Home. Tends to be a bit over protective, but at least it tells me what's suspected and gives me the choice if I trust the sender or not. Only thing that annoys me with Avast is the whitespcae detection. can't say if it runs in Vista, anybody know??
      PatrynXX
      Reply Vote

    • If you have tried AVG, you don't know what you're missing.

      Absolutely have to agree with you. Not only has AVG proven to be a trusted anti-virus solution for me and those I've referred it to, but it is one of the few that can be in the background without being a system hog. Norton is probably one of the worst products ever. When I got my first Athlon 64 it came with Norton...after many headaches and issues, I decided to get rid of it, and boy did the machine speed up tremedously. Installed AVG and absolutely no issues and performance never changed. Thanks to TechTV who originally mentioned it and made me take a look. AVG is by far the best anti-virus product for windows I've seen to date. I highly recommend people at least take a look at their eval version and try it out for yourself.
      GeiselS@...
      Reply Vote

  • There is a distinct lack of...

    business software on the list. No SAP. No Oracle Financials. No JD Edwards. No Mas-500/Mas-90. No ERP/MRP software at all as far as I can tell...not even any of the half-dozen or so that Microsoft now owns. This is why business will stay away from Vista in droves. Well, one reason anyway.
    jasonp@...
    Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close