Antivirus software
Screenshots
ESET NOD32 is an antivirus software boasting highly-focused attention towards keeping you safe from malware. It is most famous for its versatility and low impact on device performance, making it one of the best choices for those looking for rock-solid protection. The program comes with very few bells and whistles, focusing instead on the features to keep malware at bay.
Messy but powerful
After your ESET NOD32 AntiVirus 32-bit download and installation, you'll run into a bit of a learning curve. The interface seems to be pretty slapdash at first. It’s jam-packed with buttons, links, status information, and sidebars. It takes a minute to get your head around all of the information you see in front of you. However, after fiddling with the Help function a bit, you'll discover how to create a manageable display for yourself.
The Tools menu isn't as intimidating. It provides you with visual representations of the processes that you can run. From here, you’re able to start the System Inspector or check program logs. You can also get to the task scheduler from here, or run the system cleaner. ESET antivirus is super-customizable, boasting plenty of features for a tool purely for malware detection and elimination.
System requirements
The latest version of ESET antivirus is 100% compatible with Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8 and 8.1, as well as Vista and Home Server. It also works on Mac, Android, and Linux.
As regards hardware, the system requirements are no different than for other malware protection solutions. You'll need at least 512MB of RAM and 1GHz of CPU for smooth, problem-free installation and usage.
Once you download the program, the ESET NOD32 AntiVirus 32-bit offline installer will launch. The only things you need to do are to enable the detection of potentially unwanted apps and to choose whether you want to participate in their feedback system.
Note that this program is not free. You'll need an ESET NOD32 AntiVirus 32-bit license key to launch it or work with the trial version, which is free of charge but limited to 30 days.
Features
NOD32 offers a series of exciting features. The principal protection is split into two sections - one for computer files and the other for Internet protection. These come in several modules.
The real-time protection of your files allows for various configuration options, activation, and deactivation of certain scan types. Plus, there's an anti-stealth tech module to detect rootkits, special malware type hiding activities in the background of other, wanted apps.
Once the antivirus detects a malware, it sends you a notification, after which you may decide whether to clean, delete, or do nothing to the file in question.
A different module deals with your online activities and is also quick and efficient. It includes a HIPS (host intrusion prevention system) technology as well, which monitors unusual behavior of pre-installed apps from the Web, preventing hidden infections.
Apart from those above, you may use a SysInspector, a feature that collects statistics about your computer's operations. This option comes in a bundle with SysRescue Live, which is quick to fix any outliers in the data.
Other tools you can activate within the program include a processes monitoring tool, an activity watcher, a checkup scheduler, and a reporting tool.
How good is ESET NOD32?
Three of the most prominent independent antivirus testing labs, MRG Effitas, SE Labs, and AV-Comparatives, have included NOD32 in their testing. All scores ranged from good to excellent. This shows how safe NOD32 is for users and is able to protect their systems from attacks.
When it comes to scanning, NOD32 is a bit slower than average, but after the first scan, the program optimizes all subsequent ones, after which it speeds up quite a bit. There's no quick scan option, but you can drop suspicious folders for a speedy checkup.
The antivirus is excellent in terms of malware protection, detecting over 90% of all malware and notifying you as soon as it finds anything.
When you’re browsing the internet, you’ll still be protected. As soon as you enter a dangerous URL, the program replaces the webpage with a banner and sends you a pop-up notification. This is to protect you from potential web-based hacking attempts, like phishing.
Phishing is the practice of attempting to replicate a more well-known website on a similar domain link. However, this copy of the site will attempt to steal your information. Phishing websites aren't as easy for NOD32 to detect as other, more apparent, types of malware, though.
This platform also offers services for businesses. The enterprise products are flexible, billing by the number of seats needed. If you own a small business, you could protect your employees' computers from malicious attacks. This is useful when dealing with internet-focused companies.
Resource-heavy
The most significant drawback of this release by ESET is its single-mindedness. It works as an antivirus and that only, without plenty of extra features. Moreover, it's tricky for beginners and consumes a lot of resources on custom scans.
If it wants to be more consumer-friendly in the modern era, the biggest improvement it could make is to draw down its resource demands on your computer.
Alternative antivirus programs
If you want an alternative, Kaspersky and McAfee are well-regarded for its performance and provide cross-platform support. McAfee, however, has a bad reputation and generally takes up a lot of system resources, slowing down your computer. Bitdefender boasts a feature set better than most others, too, making it one of the top choices for PC security. It’s also faster than a lot of other antivirus options.
A powerful protection tool
ESET is an excellent choice for anyone looking to protect their device. Although the UI can get cluttered and there are no extras in terms of privacy, its power and customizability packed in a lightweight bundle make it fantastic.
ESET provides daily updates that improve its malware definitions. In addition to this, they’ll also update their detection engine.
