Antivirus tools (Kaspersky, V3, Alyak, etc.)

The most popular Anti-virus tools I used in the past.

Kaspersky

Kaspersky was the undisputed king of anti-virus software during its prime. It provided a distinct sense of satisfaction to run a full system scan, review the detected malware logs, and wipe them out. However, its high subscription fees prevented it from becoming a household name for the general public.

AhnLab V3

Often called the “Kaspersky of Korea,” V3 was developed by Ahn Cheol-soo, a physician and computer scientist who is currently a member of the National Assembly. Because it was distributed for free, it gained massive popularity and became the standard security software in South Korea.

ESTsoft ALYac

ESTsoft was originally known for its file compression utility, ALZip. However, the company eventually entered the security market with ALYac. It steadily increased its market share and became a go-to choice for many users by 2010.

GoClean

GoClean was a free yet powerful utility in the 2000s that optimized Windows performance by removing unnecessary registry entries, clearing browsing history and cookies, and terminating unused background processes. Through these functions, it also contributed to basic system hardening by reducing unnecessary system exposure. However, as Windows OS became more advanced, hardware performance improved, and users grew more aware of security risks, GoClean gradually lost its market relevance.

My thoughts on them

I have experimented with various antivirus and anti-malware programs in the past. However, I eventually stopped using them because of their intrusive advertisements and the frustrating irony that the software itself often felt like malware. Nowadays, built-in Windows security features are considered more than sufficient for users who avoid suspicious links or high-risk downloads. Consequently, the trend of installing third-party antivirus software on personal computers has significantly declined.