AV signature update

[David S]

I'm looking for a good (preferably free) AV with small signature updates. I'm unable to find good answers for a variety of friends in various parts of Africa. Norton can take 8 hours on dial up - no broadband available at any price. Does anyone know an approximate average size for AV signature updates?

[jscher2000]

I'm looking for a good (preferably free) AV with small signature updates. I'm unable to find good answers for a variety of friends in various parts of Africa. Norton can take 8 hours on dial up - no broadband available at any price. Does anyone know an approximate average size for AV signature updates?

Trend Micro Internet Security Pro (2010) has pattern files approaching 150 MB, which I can't imagine downloading over dial-up!

What is the threat environment for the computers at issue? Perhaps a weekly update would be sufficient?

I think some newer programs only download the difference between the existing signature/pattern file and the new one, but haven't researched that.

I don't know whether cloud-based protection would make sense; it minimizes local updates, but might only make matters worse if a lot of files have to be uploaded for scanning.

[Medico]

Try Microsoft Security Essentials Has had very good reviews, and the sig updates (daily) seem to be reasonably sized.

[CLiNT]

MSE updates appear to be small and frequent

[jscher2000]

Try Microsoft Security Essentials Has had very good reviews, and the sig updates (daily) seem to be reasonably sized.

MSE updates appear to be small and frequent

Can either of you locate the signature file and post its approximate size?

[Medico]

I am unsure of the signature file size, but generally the signature updates are approx. 1 MB or less. I have occassionalyy seen updates over 1 MB, but not that often. If a remember, when the next MSE sig update appears I will capture an image and repost to show the size. They come in at least once per day via Microsoft Update.I just checked and attached is today's sig. update:

[attachment=90766:mse sig.png]

This appears to be somewhat smaller than the norm, although as I stated they are not huge. I hope this is what your are looking for as the OP is interested in the update download sizes because of slow connection (?)

This post discusses MSE Virus definitions in some detail with links to MS for further info.

[CLiNT]

Can either of you locate the signature file and post its approximate size?

As Ted has pointed out, you can see an example of approximate size of a typical def file, but no indication of size of already installed defs.
Not even at "C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution" if they are even located there, or through WU.

I seriously doubt you will get any defs larger than a few MBs in MSE at any one time.

[Medico]

As an update, today the sig. update was 900 + KB. Again very reasonably sized.

[David S]

Thank you all so much for your help. We will try MSE.