Entered CNET Catalog: 08/08/2006
SKU: CNETAOLACTIVEVIRUSSHIELD
Manufacturer: America Online, AOL
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 08/08/2006
Installation requires that you give AOL your e-mail address; it will in exchange send you an activation code good for a year of product updates. AOL may also send you additional information on other security products yet to be offered. When you download the Active Virus Shield, AOL offers Internet Explorer users an additional toolbar that will show a real-time update on your computer's security status via Active Security Monitor, a password manager, a pop-up blocker, and a link to the Whois domain registration database to find more information on potentially suspicious sites.
While it doesn't match what you get if you'd paid, AOL gives you a much better package than you'd expect for free. Like the free version of Grisoft AVG, AOL Active Virus Shield provides real-time protection against active virus threats, meaning the program constantly scans your system for malware as opposed to waiting until you open an infected file, and it also protects against e-mail viruses. Like the paid antivirus programs, AOL Active Virus Shield can pause its antivirus protection for a predetermined time while installing new software, and it allows you to schedule antivirus scans hourly, daily, or weekly, if you prefer. You also get hourly antivirus signature file updates with the AOL product, which is important because other free antivirus apps, such Grisoft AVG, allow only one daily update. In the middle of a widespread virus attack, when a virus might change its signature frequently to avoid detection, you'll appreciate having AOL Active Virus Shield.
What you won't get are rescue disk capabilities; the creation of an emergency boot disk should a virus ka-pow your system is standard with paid antivirus utilities. Also missing are some additional scanning capabilities. But the protection that you do get is good, and AOL Active Virus Shield won't slow your system or otherwise affect its performance. For complete antivirus test results, see our CNET antivirus performance test page.
User opinions
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User Rating: 
8/10
Re-installation
Pros: Very good virus protection with low overhead
Cons: Re-activation doesn't work with previous serial keys and new ones can't be retrieved from AOL anymore.
User Rating: 
9/10
It's unobtrusive --- and free!
Pros: Free, unobstrusive
Cons: What's it really doing?
User Rating: 8/10
Very good AV software
Pros: Easy to use, thorough, all in one adware and spyware protection.
Cons: No boot time scan (to my knowledge)
It has found adware, spyware and other malware than avast! Antivir, Spybot S&S and AD-Aware (all highly rated products) missed.
The only draw back I can see is that there is no option to schedule a boot time scan. If there is one then I apologize.
User Rating: 8/10
Very well done
Pros: efficiant,easy to use and great results
Cons: the quick scan takes too long
User Rating: 
7/10
A good anti-virus software.
Pros: It is very user-friendly.
Cons: It is required for the user to uninstall other anti-virus software before installing it ,othwise installation would not be allowed.
User Rating: 
1/10
load of *****
Pros: has no pro features
Cons: prevents functions
User Rating: 8/10
Fantastic program "Wonderfull"!!!!
Pros: Beats both McAfee & Nortons hands down
Cons: The only con i found is the full scan is slow
User Rating: 9/10
Better than Norton Antivirus Where it Counts
Pros: Protection against viruses, adware and Malware, especially in email, all in one. And it's free!
Cons: None yet...
I was very impressed that the product caught viruses and malware that had been lurking in email that had been sitting on my computer since I first set it up and imported the email folder from my old computer. All this time since I bought this computer back in 2003 I had thought that Norton had been keeping me clean. Kapersky found over 80 missed trojans, malware, worms and other viruses that Norton has been missing all thnis time!
I have been a loyal Norton customer since way back in the early nineties before viruses existed and Perter Norton released the Norton Utilities for DOS. Since being aquired by Symantec the quality of the utilities has been steadily dropping, the price has been rising (for example, you did not used to have to pay to renew viruses yearly), and the support has sunk into the toilet. It is good to see Kapersky take this creative approach. Even if they decide to charge later, they are penetrating the market and that will perhaps wake up Symantec to the need to provide better support and not gouge their customers.
I saw the mention of the rescue disk not being a feature of Kapersky. You know what? I don't have much confidence in rescue disks. Hardly anyone uses them and they need to be maintained to really provide a true rescue. The best protection is prevention, and Kapersky resoundingly beat Norton hands-down in my personal home network test.
Very nice product, Kapersky! Oh, and the companion free product form AOL, Active Security Monitor, rocks when used with Kapersky. Active Virus Shield and Active Security Monintor make a very nice product suite!!!
User Rating: 9/10
Great Free Virus Protection
Pros: 4 Online Scanners, Frequent Updates And Detailed Reports
Cons: Can Disconnect Internet At Start Up
this also updates about every 3 hrs and not only has files protection but also email protection and has a detailed report for the scans.
i would give this an 8.5/10 solely cause it can kick u offline. which isnt bad considering all u have to do with dsl is turn the box off then on until u get a full signal, but it is a small nuicense. otherwise this would get a 10/10 for a free virus protection goes
my free virus apps ratings
1.AntiVir 9.0
2.AOL Active Virus Shield 8.5
3.AVG 8.0
Honorable Mention
Avast: Havent Fully Tested It Yet But Is Rated 2nd Highest Free Virus Remover By PC World((AntiVir was 1st))
my free spyware apps ratings
1.SpyCatcher Express- 8.0
2.SuperAntiSpyware-8.0
3.Ad-Aware SE Personal-7.0
Note: SuperAntiSpyware is best free spyware remover but with no shield it gets a pts hit. ALSO KEEP SETTING ON SPYCATCHER TO MEDIUM OR U MAY LOSE EXTRA FILES.
User Rating: 8/10
cant download Virus Shield
Pros: if I can download it would be helpful
Cons: seems good thought looking forward
User Rating: 
4/10
AO-Marketing, One Care kicks its butt
Pros: The price is right? I think.
Cons: U get what you pay for, goodluck
User Rating: 
10/10
Very easy to use
Pros: Works well
Cons: NoCompared to others there are no cons.
I must change my rating to a 6. I now only use AOL for email. Their software dragged my system to a halt.
User Rating: 
2/10
Shield, Not a Scanner
Pros: Live protection
Cons: If a virus does get in, you're doomed
User Rating: 7/10
WRONG - AVG/GRISOFT has offered a free AV all along!!
Pros: Free, made by Kaspersky, a reputable and excellent AV vendor
Cons: I'm not sure AOL is a good guy yet after what they did to Netscape and WInamp
