Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition Features

Efficient


Real-time Shield - The real time shield is designed to protect access to the entire system. This means that files are scanned as they are accessed or copied. For example, the files you just downloaded from the Internet are scanned immediately.


Active Virus Control - Active Virus Control is an innovative proactive detection technology which uses advanced heuristic methods to detect new potential threats in real time and provides a layer of protection against new threats for which signatures have not yet been released. It monitors each program running on your PC, as it executes, and notes malware-like actions. If enough such actions are detected, the program which performed them is declared harmful.


Intrusion Detection System - This technology represents the heuristic monitoring of the applications trying to access network services or the Internet. What it means is that the application running on the computer receives a score whenever they perform an action on the computer. The software is evaluated from a malware point of view and if it reaches a certain level, then it is topped as being a malware.


B-Have - Bitdefender introduced a new technology, B-HAVE, to reduce dependency on virus signatures through proactive detection of unknown threats. This technology is based on behavioral analysis in a virtualized environment.


B-HAVE checks for characteristics known to be associated with malware. A program may be deemed to be malicious if it attempts to modify certain files, read from or write to a sensitive area of the memory or create a file that is a product of a known virus. If no malicious actions are detected, B-HAVE starts the program normally; if a suspect conduct is present, B-HAVE automatically quarantines or deletes the application.


HTTP Scanning - Analyzes and blocks websites that support various scams or credit card phishing attempts.


Anti-rootkit - This technology is used to scan for hidden malware also known as rootkits. A rootkit is a stealthy type of software, often malicious, designed to hide the existence of certain processes or programs from normal methods of detection and enable continued privileged access to a computer.


Periodic Updates - Bitdefender Antivirus Essential periodically updates itself without any user intervention, ensuring an optimal level of protection against new threats.


Light


Early Boot Scanning - This technology ensures that the system is being scanned at boot time as soon as all critical services are loaded. The scope of early boot is to improve virus detection at system startup, while improving boot time also.


Empty Slots Scanning - The Empty Slots technology is used for detecting short time intervals when the system usage is low, in order to perform other actions, useful to the product and the user. System resource usage is calculated considering the CPU and HDD usage.


Smart Scan - The files that have been scanned in the past will not be scanned again, using a smart skipping engine.

Comments

  • Hello :)


    The desktop line and the free version share the same engines and definitions.


    Merry Christmas!

  • Hello :)


    The desktop line and the free version share the same engines and definitions.


    The plus points are that it have the same Protection Technologies AVC, IDS, B-HAVE and RTP.

  • rootkit
    rootkit ✭✭✭
    edited December 2012

    Hello :)


    I will keep you up to date with all the new features via this topic:


    http://forum.bitdefender.com/index.php?showtopic=40736


    Take care.

  • Wow. This is a surprise. I'd been wondering when Bitdefender was going to release a free A.V. Even better, it's an amazingly simple, powerful program. Just how I like my Anti-Virus software.


    Thank you for the excellent product.


    One thing, however... An exclusion list would be VERY nice, where you could add files AND/OR folders.

  • Hello :)


    Thank you for your feedback.


    I will forward your request to our developers.


    Merry Christmas!

  • All righty. That's good.


    And thank you.


    Merry Christmas to you, too and a Happpy New Year.

  • Hi :)


    I will list all the updates and new features over here after each update:


    http://forum.bitdefender.com/index.php?showtopic=40736


    Take care.

  • Great free product. Seems to work very well!


    Is 'the Cloud' used and if so how?


    Many thanks


    Jlo

  • rootkit
    rootkit ✭✭✭
    edited December 2012

    Hello :)


    The cloud component is used to detect infected websites.


    All the links are interrogated on our servers.


    Take care.

  • Also, since Bitdefender just deleted a legit file (detected as a false positive during a full scan), I'd also like to see threats found during the full scan go to the quarantine, where the user has the option to either delete or restore.


    Thank you.

  • rootkit
    rootkit ✭✭✭
    edited December 2012

    Hello :)


    I will forward your feedback to our developers.


    Take care.

  • Hello :)


    The cloud component is used to detect infected websites.


    All the links are interrogated on our servers.


    Take care.


    Many thanks, The web blocker seems to work extremely well:)


    Jlo

  • In Russia very well received this product, reviews only the positive, we will transfer into the Russian language.

  • Members are very concerned about the lack of choice of action for found objects, and if false identification? Need the ability to choose what to do, the option to recover deleted files, the ability to recover files moved to quarantine

  • Members are very concerned about the lack of choice of action for found objects, and if false identification? Need the ability to choose what to do, the option to recover deleted files, the ability to recover files moved to quarantine


    They are removing some of the very fundamental and useful and basic features by their own. I can't understand what they dreamed of the user's skills? :rolleyes:

  • rootkit
    rootkit ✭✭✭

    Hello :)


    The situation with Quarantine, Scan log, Events and Exclusion was escalated to our developers.


    Thank you for helping us improve our products.


    Have a lovely weekend!

  • :rolleyes:

    Members are very concerned about the lack of choice of action for found objects, and if false identification? Need the ability to choose what to do, the option to recover deleted files, the ability to recover files moved to quarantine


    They should add a user mode feature.When malwere is found and if the feature is on ,the av should prompt for an action.


    An about the qarantine they should add recovery options,to restore files.


    Bitdefender free edition is rigid.That's his only trouble. :)

  • When i mentioned about the quarantine i wanted to say that i cant restore files to another location .Not original

  • State-of-the art Protection Technologies and optimum protection by Bitdefender but lacks a lot in basic features and usability......need much GUI and customization improvements.

  • State-of-the art Protection Technologies and optimum protection by Bitdefender but lacks a lot in basic features and usability......need much GUI and customization improvements.


    Hello ONT,


    Can you be more specific?


    About the quarantine with restore option I can tell you that we are working on it.

  • Hello ONT,


    Can you be more specific?


    About the quarantine with restore option I can tell you that we are working on it.


    1) No Quarantine Module


    2) No Product customization at all.


    3) Can't disable some very basic features.


    4) No Event Module


    5) No prompt for action......fully automatic which is totally illogical


    6) No Exclusions


    7) No Whitelisting


    8) No proper Notification system


    ....to be continue...

  • friendly_jacek
    edited January 2013

    The inability to undelete and restore from quarantine is a huge issue. I stared using BDF in a couple of days, and the AV already deleted one system file and quarantined 2 other programs that are legitimate: nircmd.exe, securitycheck.exe and combofix.exe. I can find no way to undelete or restore those files.


    I understand that high sensitivity of BD means lots of false positive. But if BD irreversibly deletes files, this is a huge problem for users.


    I was evaluating BD for use in my family of several PCs, but if this is not fixed, the BD is unusable for me.


    BD moderators, please let me know when this is fixed, prior to that, BD will not work for me.

  • We are working on an update which will add the restore from quarantine feature as requested.


    Also, the next update will include an improvement to quarantine all suspected files and not to delete them.


    friendly_jacek, I will investigate those files and come back with an answer.


    Thank you.

  • And what about other features?

  • 1) No Quarantine Module


    2) No Product customization at all.


    3) Can't disable some very basic features.


    4) No Event Module


    5) No prompt for action......fully automatic which is totally illogical


    6) No Exclusions


    7) No Whitelisting


    8) No proper Notification system


    ....to be continue...


    1. I suppose you are talking about "quarantine first, instead of delete" feature.. Will be in the next update


    2&3. We are preparing something here.. :P


    4. I'm sure you notice the "Event" tab ;), so please be more verbose about this


    5. BDAVFree will always be this way.. sorry


    6&7. Will be in the near future


    8. We use windows build-in notification, supposedly less intrusive.. How do you see/imagine this module?

  • 1. I suppose you are talking about "quarantine first, instead of delete" feature.. Will be in the next update


    2&3. We are preparing something here.. :P


    4. I'm sure you notice the "Event" tab ;), so please be more verbose about this


    5. BDAVFree will always be this way.. sorry


    6&7. Will be in the near future


    8. We use windows build-in notification, supposedly less intrusive.. How do you see/imagine this module?


    1) good to hear that :)


    2 & 3) waiting for that "something" :rolleyes:


    4) How to see the logs etc and entries in the Events?


    5) as expected like the main product line.


    6 & 7) hopefully that "near future" will be in few weeks at-most and not in few years :P


    8) Poor notification system like 2012 and 2013 versions, a security suite should have its own, and not to depend on others.

  • The inability to undelete and restore from quarantine is a huge issue. I stared using BDF in a couple of days, and the AV already deleted one system file and quarantined 2 other programs that are legitimate: nircmd.exe, securitycheck.exe and combofix.exe. I can find no way to undelete or restore those files.


    I understand that high sensitivity of BD means lots of false positive. But if BD irreversibly deletes files, this is a huge problem for users.


    I was evaluating BD for use in my family of several PCs, but if this is not fixed, the BD is unusable for me.


    BD moderators, please let me know when this is fixed, prior to that, BD will not work for me.


    Hello,


    I have checked the files you mentioned above and seems to be no problem with them.


    Can you please give me gzserv.log located where you have installed the AV?


    You can send them via http://www.sendspace.com or http://www.mediafire.com and after send me the link or more simply via PM.

  • 4) Events option is implemented....will update you when I have more points.

  • friendly_jacek
    edited January 2013
    Hello,


    I have checked the files you mentioned above and seems to be no problem with them.


    Can you please give me gzserv.log located where you have installed the AV?


    You can send them via http://www.sendspace.com or http://www.mediafire.com and after send me the link or more simply via PM.


    I tried to PM you with the file, but the browser hanged during the process of sending. Have you received it?

  • I tried to PM you with the file, but the browser hanged during the process of sending. Have you received it?


    Yes, I have received it.


    Also, I will send the programs mentioned above by you for further investigation.

  • Good day,


    If there is a developer of information when it is added to the antivirus settings the ability to restore files from quarantine?

  • Hello Laguna,


    As we mentioned earlier in this topic, it will be available within the next product update.

  • Hello Catalin Dobrescu,


    Thank you, I read this message. But I just wanted to know, when it is expected an update? This month, next month? Is there any information about the specific release date for this update?

  • Hello Catalin Dobrescu,


    Thank you, I read this message. But I just wanted to know, when it is expected an update? This month, next month? Is there any information about the specific release date for this update?


    Too bad laguna debanded by the way. i think they will deliever this very soon.

  • The inability to undelete and restore from quarantine is a huge issue. I stared using BDF in a couple of days, and the AV already deleted one system file and quarantined 2 other programs that are legitimate: nircmd.exe, securitycheck.exe and combofix.exe. I can find no way to undelete or restore those files.


    I understand that high sensitivity of BD means lots of false positive. But if BD irreversibly deletes files, this is a huge problem for users.


    I was evaluating BD for use in my family of several PCs, but if this is not fixed, the BD is unusable for me.


    BD moderators, please let me know when this is fixed, prior to that, BD will not work for me.


    Hello again,


    After a discussion with the antimalware team is seem that those applications are quarantined by some heuristics that identify those apps with potential risk of malware code injection.


    So, in the next product update, there will be no problem because it will be available the restore from quarantine option.

  • coolcool1227
    coolcool1227 ✭✭✭
    edited January 2013
    Hello again,


    After a discussion with the antimalware team is seem that those applications are quarantined by some heuristics that identify those apps with potential risk of malware code injection.


    So, in the next product update, there will be no problem because it will be available the restore from quarantine option.


    So the heuristics lacks to differentiate a legitimate apps and potentially suspected apps? And from your statement it seems that Bitdefender heuristics will still detect legitimate apps as malicious in future and move to quarantine (false +ve always) , but instead of improving the heuristics technique, you'll provide an option to restore the files from quarantine.


  • Efficient


    Real-time Shield - The real time shield is designed to protect access to the entire system. This means that files are scanned as they are accessed or copied. For example, the files you just downloaded from the Internet are scanned immediately.


    Active Virus Control - Active Virus Control is an innovative proactive detection technology which uses advanced heuristic methods to detect new potential threats in real time and provides a layer of protection against new threats for which signatures have not yet been released. It monitors each program running on your PC, as it executes, and notes malware-like actions. If enough such actions are detected, the program which performed them is declared harmful.


    Intrusion Detection System - This technology represents the heuristic monitoring of the applications trying to access network services or the Internet. What it means is that the application running on the computer receives a score whenever they perform an action on the computer. The software is evaluated from a malware point of view and if it reaches a certain level, then it is topped as being a malware.


    B-Have - Bitdefender introduced a new technology, B-HAVE, to reduce dependency on virus signatures through proactive detection of unknown threats. This technology is based on behavioral analysis in a virtualized environment.


    B-HAVE checks for characteristics known to be associated with malware. A program may be deemed to be malicious if it attempts to modify certain files, read from or write to a sensitive area of the memory or create a file that is a product of a known virus. If no malicious actions are detected, B-HAVE starts the program normally; if a suspect conduct is present, B-HAVE automatically quarantines or deletes the application.


    HTTP Scanning - Analyzes and blocks websites that support various scams or credit card phishing attempts.


    Anti-rootkit - This technology is used to scan for hidden malware also known as rootkits. A rootkit is a stealthy type of software, often malicious, designed to hide the existence of certain processes or programs from normal methods of detection and enable continued privileged access to a computer.


    Periodic Updates - Bitdefender Antivirus Essential periodically updates itself without any user intervention, ensuring an optimal level of protection against new threats.


    Light


    Early Boot Scanning - This technology ensures that the system is being scanned at boot time as soon as all critical services are loaded. The scope of early boot is to improve virus detection at system startup, while improving boot time also.


    Empty Slots Scanning - The Empty Slots technology is used for detecting short time intervals when the system usage is low, in order to perform other actions, useful to the product and the user. System resource usage is calculated considering the CPU and HDD usage.


    Smart Scan - The files that have been scanned in the past will not be scanned again, using a smart skipping engine.


    What is the difference between Bitdefender Antivirus+ and Bitdefender Free antivirus..??? Plz tell me simply..!! Thanks..! :unsure:

  • Hello again,


    After a discussion with the antimalware team is seem that those applications are quarantined by some heuristics that identify those apps with potential risk of malware code injection.


    So, in the next product update, there will be no problem because it will be available the restore from quarantine option.


    Has the restore feature been added? This was mentioned over 2 months ago but I don't see the option in the current release 1.0.14.889


    Thanks

  • Rampant
    Rampant ✭✭

    Probably a rhetorical question anymore, but still, the project is developing or already closed?

  • Nesivos
    Nesivos
    edited May 2013

    Okay I have a suggestion.


    Add sound but make it optional for the user. For example


    1. Your BD has been updated


    2. Your BD identified and blocked malware


    3. Your BD identified and quarantined/deleted malware


    Also add a user accessible log of all blocked, quarantined and deleted malware. This would be usefull for a number of things including indentifying FPs of which BD does not have a lot. :)

  • Almost a year, and I want to repeat the question, the project will develop or closed?

  • Almost a year, and I want to repeat the question, the project will develop or closed?


    Rampant posses a great question and I hope some insider gets to read it and some insider gives an answer. Users of this product get frequent updates and since the fine tune analysis is done on Bitdefender's servers some level of support must be going on.


    I am personally content with the product as it is and I would prefer no changes, except for the correction of a false alarm that may be triggered by encrypted/compressed files. I keep reading of some who may want bells and whistles but I prefer how simple and quiet this product is.


    Some are concerned about the automatic deletion of malware inside compressed files. This raises a worry about the deletion false positives. I have only seen this behavior by downloading the compressed version of the eicar test file, so I cannot say there is any danger regarding false positives. The behavior is consistent with the description of how the product disinfects, i.e., whenever possible the malware code is removed from infected files and otherwise the whole file is quarantined (so that cleansing may happen automatically in the future!). This procedure would cure an installer infected with malware inside. I would imagine the module that does this removal is very careful not to diagnose false positives, hopefully using little or no heuristics.


    On the other hand, I had an installer detected as a false positive by the Advance Virus Contol (AVC) module. It happened while I was not connected to the internet, which is the weak point of this product. The whole thing was quarantined and I can live with that. I wander if it would have been restored automatically after a signature update, but I was not patient enough to wait for that to happen.


    Yet there are still messages about missing the LOGS panel. Yet there are messages about possible compatibility problems. I hope to never encounter those problems and remain a happy camper. :)

  • I just register on the forum to ask the same question. Is the project still active?


    Is there a plan to actively maintain the software? Because as far I can tell, there is practically no feedback from the developers.


    And I'm frequently visiting this section to be in touch with any info regarding BD Free and there is nothing new for months now.


    I'm the kind of guy who hates to have software running in the background sneaking in on every movement. Avast, Avira, AVG .. and many other free antivirus I've tried are just annoying. On a high end PC running with a SSD, I can tell that the antivirus is doing his thing there.


    With paid software is worse, are even more bloated.


    BD Free is perfect for what I need, and is the first time a sw. like this is not bothering and leaving me to work in peace, but it pops up when is something fishy.


    It's would be a shame that a great software like this, with a great detection rate, great performance .. to go away.


    With a few tweaks it can easily become the best free antivirus/malware solution out there.


    Now I just formated my workstation, putting all together and I don't know what security software to install. BD is good but needs some cutting edges to be fixed.


    Come on developers, give us some feedback! As a Romanian I was pleased to find out how good this software is, now make us proud. (this sounds almost to poetical)


    Cheers.

  • Does Bitdefender Free Edition(2014) include real-time protection? Your support docs indicates it does not:


    "Important! Please keep in mind that Bitdefender Free Edition is only an on-demand scanner and does not offer real-time protection. If you are on an "always-on" Internet connection, it is important to know that exposure to threats has significantly increased. Therefore, we strongly advise you to consider using a more complex antivirus solution. "


    Or is this just outdated info?


    Thanks.

  • graciliano
    edited March 2014
    Does Bitdefender Free Edition(2014) include real-time protection? Your support docs indicates it does not:


    "Important! Please keep in mind that Bitdefender Free Edition is only an on-demand scanner and does not offer real-time protection. If you are on an "always-on" Internet connection, it is important to know that exposure to threats has significantly increased. Therefore, we strongly advise you to consider using a more complex antivirus solution. "


    Or is this just outdated info?


    Thanks.


    Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition does offer real-time protection. Refer to the correct page for the current product description. You linked an old page for an old product. Note it also has:


    "Bitdefender Free Edition works on Windows XP and Vista. " (The current product supports up to Windows 8.1)


    Also please note that current Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is a 2013 product not a 2014 (there is no such thing yet!). This is because it was initially released in December 2012. The latest version number 1.0.21.1099 (with listed updates and fixes) was released in October 2013.

  • TechMod
    edited March 2014

    Yes, I have since confirmed the real-time protection of the current version of Bitdefender Free Edition(BFE) using an anti-malware testing website for both executable and zipped malware downloads. BFE blocked web access to both. It also auto quarantined the files when attempting to download them.


    Thanks.


  • Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition does offer real-time protection. Refer to the correct page for the current product description. You linked an old page for an old product. Note it also has:


    "Bitdefender Free Edition works on Windows XP and Vista. " (The current product supports up to Windows 8.1)


    Also please note that current Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is a 2013 product not a 2014 (there is no such thing yet!). This is because it was initially released in December 2012. The latest version number 1.0.21.1099 (with listed updates and fixes) was released in October 2013.


    Bitdefender free is a 2012 product & not 2013 nor 2014.


    http://forum.bitdefender.com/index.php?showtopic=52796

  • Are BD Free protection capabilities the same as with Bitdefender 2014 apart from extra features that free version doesn't have. I want to know if AV-C and AV-Test results also apply to BD Free or they don't.

  • The free version has the previous 2013 engine and does not have " Photon".


    Antivirus Plus and upward have the latest specs.