DOS Days

Anti-Virus Utilities

6th April 2022

Unlike other software at DOS Days, you probably shouldn't opt for older versions of anti-virus software unless you're on this page purely for nostalgic reasons, as they won't contain the very latest updates. Whilst its highly unlikely any viruses that run in DOS have been written since the late 90s, it makes sense to get the one with the most up-to-date virus definitions.

Competition in the anti-virus software market heated up massively throughout the 90s, with the number of viruses detected and removed being the key metric to measure of which one of these tools you ought to buy - their functionality was similar, with things like heuristic analysis, trojan virus detection/removal, and macro virus detection/removal coming along during this timeframe.

My recommendation for higher-spec DOS PCs is Kaspersky Antivirus 32. This DOS version is understandably no longer supported but Kaspersky Labs kept the same mechanism for updating its daily virus definition files (in daily-downloadable ZIP files) right up to late 2009, though I only have a working set up to 2002 which works on the version 3.0 found here. The last of their cumulative virus definitions ZIP file is present if you wish to try and get it working. You will need an 80386 or higher processor and at least 180 MB of free disk space to run Kaspersky.

For older, slower DOS PCs, F-PROT is my recommendation - you can download the latest virus definitions file from 2009, it runs on any DOS PC, and requires only 17 MB of free disk space.

To jump straight to a section, use these links:

 

Central Point Anti-Virus

Anti-Virus v1.2
Evaluation Version

Detects and cleans only the Michelangelo
and Friday 13th viruses

Anti-Virus v1.3
15 Jun 1992

With 1,237 virus definitions from the same date

Anti-Virus v1.4
19 Oct 1992

With virus definitions from the same date

Anti-Virus v2.2
1 Jan 1996

With 4,281 virus definitions from the same date

Anti-Virus v2.x Signatures
1 Sep 1996

With virus definitions from the same date. This was the last virus signature file for CPAV for DOS. Run UPDATE.EXE from a different directory to where CPAV is installed.
  

 

Frisk International F-PROT

F-PROT.EXE has a number of command-line arguments. If running it with out-of-date virus definitions, run using the /OLD parameter to ignore the check. From version 2.0 onwards the product came with a nice menu-driven user interface, which was further updated in version 3.0.

F-PROT v1.14
w/ Virus Defs from 21 Jan 1991

A set of anti-virus utilities including a memory-resident detection utility. All utilities are command-line driven.

F-PROT v2.02
w/ Virus Defs from 7 Feb 1992

Version 2 onwards provided a menu-driven user interface which combined the previous set of utilities into one convenient place.

F-PROT v2.11
w/ Virus Defs from Feb 1994

 

F-PROT v2.14
w/ Virus Defs from 15 Sep 1994

A new scanning engine has been added.

F-PROT v2.18
w/ Virus Defs from 20 Jun 1995

 

F-PROT v2.24a
w/ Virus Defs from 20 Aug 1996

Detects Word and Excel macro viruses as well (first introduced in v2.23). Using /OLD to ignore outdated signatures doesn't work these days. Try setting your machine's system clock to sometime in 1996 and retry.
.

F-PROT v2.24c
w/ Virus Defs from 7 Sep 1996

F-PROT v2.27
w/ Virus Defs from 7 Sep 1996

This was the last version 2.x released.

F-PROT v3.00
w/ Virus Defs from 24 Apr 1998

Revised user interface and faster engine. Combined macro virus checks within the main program instead of having to run FMACRO.EXE separately.

F-PROT v3.08b

Version 3 onwards got a revised user interface. You can run these using /OLD with a current system date/time and it will work just fine.

F-PROT v3.11
w/ Virus Defs from 22 Sep 2001

F-PROT v3.11a
w/ Virus Defs from 25 Oct 2001

F-PROT v3.16b
w/ Virus Defs from 9 Feb 2005

F-PROT v3.16c
w/ Virus Defs from 15 Jun 2006

F-PROT v3.16f
w/ Virus Defs from 8 Jan 2009

Not all files present in this ZIP

F-PROT v3.16f
w/ Virus Defs from 15 Jun 2006

All the files for this version. Downloaded directly from the F-PROT website.

FP3 Utils

A collection of Anti-Virus utilities from the
F-Prot site (ftp.datafellows.com) to complement F-Prot v3. Some are Dis-infectors, others are special for Script AV scanning and automated Macro updates, etc. All FREEware.

AVDisk v4

A tool to easily create anti-virus (emergency boot) startup disks using F-Prot for DOS

Virus Definitions
7th July 2003

Virus Definitions
11th March 2005

Virus Definitions
15th June 2006

Virus Definitions
8th January 2009

 

  

 

Kaspersky Antivirus

Antivirus 32 v3.0 Build 135
no Virus Defs (AVP set)

The final version for DOS, released in 2001.
Requires an 80386 or higher

Virus Definitions
8th September 2002

This definition set works with the above version 3.0. Contains 57,174 virus signatures

Virus Definitions
29th September 2012

Does not work - reports "old or corrupted
antiviral base: <file>.avc" for numerous files. *FIXED* Corrupted .AVC files removed from August 2012. Contains 521,125 virus signatures

McAfee VirusScan

VirusScan v2.2.7
w/ Virus Defs V9510 (30 Oct 1995)

English language

VirusScan v2.5.3e
w/ Virus Defs V9611 (5 Nov 1996)

English language

VirusScan v3.0.0e
w/ Virus Defs V3000 (13 Feb 1997)

English language

VirusScan v3.0.4
w/ Virus Defs V3008 (19 Aug 1997)

English language

VirusScan v3.1.4
w/ Virus Defs V3011 (11 Dec 1997)

Dutch language

VirusScan v3.2.2
w/ Virus Defs V3112 (15 Dec 1998)

English language

VirusScan v3.2.2 Protected Mode
w/ Virus Defs V3112 (15 Dec 1998)

English language
For 386 systems and higher (runs in Protected Mode)

VirusScan v4.5.0
Evaluation Version
w/ Virus Defs V4054 (1 Dec 1999)

English language

VirusScan Defs
Virus Definitions V3212 (Dec 1999)

VirusScan v5.1
w/ Virus Definitions V4073 (15 Apr 2000)

English language

VirusScan v4.12.0
w/ Virus Definitions V4106 (15 Nov 2000)

English language
  

Virus Definitions V9510
30th October 1995

Oddly named, as this implies a very late set
of virus defs, but it's not. It's for VirusScan v2.x

Virus Definitions V3011
11th December 1997

Came with VirusScan v3.1.4

Virus Definitions V3212
15th December 1999

The last DAT files to work on v3.x.x.
Requires a version higher than v3.1.5 for DOS or
any v3.x.x version of VShield for Windows

Virus Definitions V4073
15th April 2000

Virus Definitions V4106
15th November 2000

  


Norton Anti-virus (later Symantec Anti-Virus)

Because Symantec is still an operating company, I will not provide downloads of commercial software here.

Norton Anti-Virus v2.0
Free "Michelangelo Edition"

Only good to detect and remove the Michelangelo virus.

Other Anti-Virus Programs

Anyware Antivirus v3.01.480
w/ Virus Defs from 21 Nov 1997

AVAST! v7.70
(Unknown date of Virus Defs)

Registration file needed for this to function. For DOS and Windows 3.1.

PC-Virus Index v4.0
(1991)

Not an anti-virus program, this is a database of known viruses along with information on which utilities can disinfect/remove

Thunderbyte Antivirus v2.3
1 May 1991

Unregistered version-

Thunderbyte Antivirus v7.04
2 Aug 1996

Unregistered version. Virus definitions include 3,013 viruses.

Thunderbyte Antivirus v8.03
1 Sep 1997

Unregistered version-

VET v9.531
(Unknown date of Virus Defs)

Known to work on 8088 and 80286 based PCs (later versions of the software do not)