I have to assume it works, but I have no way to trigger its protection for testing purposes. The UEFI scanner also runs in the background, making sure no malware has subverted your firmware. UEFI (which stands for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is what modern computers use instead of the antique BIOS. The boot sector scan I mentioned also triggers NOD32's UEFI scanner. From the custom scan menu you can scan memory, boot sectors, or any local or network drive. It offers to scan each removable drive you mount. You can drop suspect files or folders on the scan page for a quick checkup. NOD32 doesn't offer the quick scan option found in many antivirus products, but it gives you several custom scanning choices. A second scan finished in just four minutes.
During that initial scan, NOD32 also optimizes for subsequent scanning, marking known good programs that don't require another look. That's quite a bit better than the current average of 66 minutes.
I timed a full scan of my standard clean test system and found that NOD32 finished in just under half an hour. Among products tested by all four labs, Kaspersky Anti-Virus is the big winner, with an aggregate score of 9.9. ESET's 9.3 aggregate score is decent, though not up to the 9.9 score it held when last reviewed. Bitdefender is the only product with Advanced+ in all three.įor each product that receives scores from at least two labs, my scoring algorithm maps all the results onto a 10-point scale and generates an aggregate lab score. In the three tests from this lab that I follow, NOD32 takes one Standard, one Advanced, and one Advanced+ rating. A product that passes any test receives Standard certification, while those that go beyond the minimum passing score can take Advanced or Advanced+ certification. Another quarter of the products, ESET among them, take 17.5 points.Īt AV-Comparatives, testers don't assign numeric scores. More than half the products in this lab’s latest test earn a perfect 18 points. Any antivirus that earns at least 17.5 points is named a Top Product. Antivirus tools can earn up to six points each for Protection, Performance, and Usability, for a maximum score of 18. Wrongly flagging valid programs as malicious is detrimental to a program’s usability. Protection is important, naturally, but so is a low impact on performance. Out of a dozen products tested, only ESET, Bitdefender, and Norton pass both this lab’s tests in the latest round.Įxperts at AV-Test Institute examine antivirus products for three important criteria. Tests by London-based MRG-Effitas are especially grueling. Three of the four independent testing labs I follow include NOD32 in their testing, and its scores are mostly excellent. This may not become an issue, though, as the software's default configuration is tuned for optimal security.
As with Norton, you don't have to page through all those options to find the one you want-you can just start typing in the search box. Like Norton AntiVirus Plus, NOD32 gives you a ton of settings for tweaking its configuration. If NOD32 needs your attention-to show the results of a completed scan, for example-you see the number of notifications next to the corresponding menu item. If there's a configuration problem, the green security banner changes color. To launch a scan or an update, you can use either the left-side menu or a pair of large blue panels near the bottom of the window. The main window includes plenty of whitespace, along with a picture of ESET's blue-eyed cyborg mascot.
McAfee costs $59.99 per year, but that lets you install McAfee protection on every device in your household, including devices running Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS. Kaspersky, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, Webroot, and quite a few others come in at or near that $39.99 price for one license.
Each additional license adds $10 per year. How Much Does NOD32 Cost?Ī NOD32 subscription costs $39.99 per year. In addition, some of its advanced features may be too complex for the average user. It scores well in most tests, both lab tests and our hands-on tests, but it did turn in a few poor scores. Among other bonus features, NOD32 includes a Host Intrusion Prevention System, a scanner for your PC's firmware, and an elaborate device control system. Some products stick to those essential activities, while others, like ESET NOD32 Antivirus, go quite a bit beyond them. The core task for every antivirus utility is to exterminate any malware infestations that took root before its installation and then maintain vigilance to prevent any further attacks.