Anti-Virus? Why?

Seriously? Why Bother? I have had Norton, Mcafee, AVG and all kinds of others and yet no matter how carefull I am, I end up with viruses. spyware, trojans and all that other crap. They do not stop anything!

What is the purpose of payng for this stuff? Once you get a trojan, the firewall is useless

What does an Anti-Virus do? Do I really need it?

My computer runs faster without that stuff installed

Tell me why I need it

 

It's more of a security measure, I don't totally rely on anti-virus' program.

 

It will stop a lot of threats, no anti-virus or anti-spyware in 100% in catching everything, but if your getting threats now with anti-virus installed, god knows what your system would be like without it.

If your getting loads of problems and virus etc, you really need to look at your online habits, as the only way to be 100% secure is to be very careful about what and where you visit, and also what you download.

And on a side note, why are you paying for anti-virus's and internet security programs, the best ones out there are free!!!

 

Generally, if you have a decent antivirus installed, then it should usually prevent viruses from infecting the computer.
However, if your comp gets infected and it cannot be removed in standard mode, running the Safe Mode and scanning the system from there will quite likely be able to remove the thing.

Paying for antivirus software is unnecessary.
Norton was bad in the past (not anymore though), and I won't even comment on AVG.

I personally only use Microsoft Security Essentials for my antivirus/anti-spyware protection and I haven't had problems.
It's very light on system resources, fast, has a high detection rate (comparable to quality paid software), and most of all, it's free.

If you do not wish to have an antivirus on your system, that's your decision, but in this day and age, I really wouldn't recommend it.
A free antivirus solution that's decent will get the job done.

 

If I pushed you off a building would you rather have a one in a hundred chance of survival or zero chance OP? I for one appreciate having some margin of safety; and Norton (and others) has been tested to stop many forms of computer viruses as well as a number of other intrusive devices.

In any event, if you never go online or connect ANY unknown external device to your computer you should be pretty safe.

 

LOL! Thats too funny!

Back on topic I've stopped using anti-virus programs for about two years now and yet to have been infected. Oh well. If I had a faster computer with one of those fancy duo core CPUs, and more than 512mb of RAM I would...

 

I also wonder at the OP's habits if he/she still gets viruses despite having an antivirus installed.

I've went through lots of AVs(including AVG, Avira, MSE, Norton and Kapersky) and I haven't caught a genuine computer virus in years(the last one I recall was in the early days of my high school years) so it's definitely not the AVs' fault(regardless of how good/bad they were).

If anything, spywares and tracking cookies and such are more common nowadays than viruses.

 

@unnamed1 You have a Mac.. As a general rule, Macs don't get viruses.

 

Never had a virus. In Windows I usually use Firefox with Adblock Plus, Comodo Firewall Pro (not on full settings), and AVG Free or lately Avira. I don't use NoScript, but I don't download and/or open suspicious stuff.

(Or I just use Linux. )

 

Well I was talking about my PC I bought around 2000-2001...but also I don't know much about macs and could have 10+ viruses and not know >.< (fingers crossed)

 

Well Macs do have an architecture that makes them more difficult for viruses. But mostly it's because there aren't enough Macs around (<12%) to be worth it.

In addition, there are presently about 100 active viruses in circulation for Macs. While a PC has about 20 million.

 

Exactly my point. Kinda makes Norton for Mac OSX a hilarious proposition.

 

Well point to the matter, AVs aren't always necessary as lots of people could probably still be virus-free despite the presence of not of their AVs, but it's an additional layer of protection.

Same thing with firewalls, I doubt lots of people are victims of hacking or infiltrators yet most people have at the very least the built in firewall enabled(and usually a network firewall).

 

default installation with uac enabled, windows update always on and such, ans MSE from microsoft will give you all the technical security you need, without any loss in performance.

besides that, you'll have to learn to not use any illegal software, or download illegal movies, music, what ever. IF you do that.
and you have to learn to not say 'yes' to anything on the web, that want's to install a "new codec to watch that awesome movie for free" or similar things.

if you can get yourself to use common sense and the above noted config, you should, most likely, never get a virus.

 

A usefuly question when considering internet security.

Can a legitimate website become compromised and thus infected?

Depending on the answer, safe web habits might or might not ensure safety.

 

yes it can. gamedev.net got compromised once.

still, save web habits ensure MORE safety.

like, that virus gamedev got (actually spread trough an ad first, then implanted an into the webpage) tried to identify as a media player codec update package, which makes no sense to pop up on a forum, does it?

common sense FTW

 

If said legitimate website is well coded then it most likely won't be compromised. I mean, some websites aren't well coded and are vulnerable to exploits and stuff, but that's about it. It's still a possibility however.

So yes, basically the best protection against anything on your computer is self awareness aka Common Sense 2010.
- Don't go on dodgy websites
- Don't download anything dodgy
- Always scan your downloads(dodgy or not)
- Don't open any email
- Don't plug any random peripheral into your computer (or let someone else do it)

Stuff like that

I mean, an AV is like a door lock. They don't prevent people from stealing from your house and you could not have one and never ever get anything stolen from your house, but I'm sure a majority of people have their doors locked at night save a few exceptions here and there.

 

I also used to have northon, which seemed blind for trojans. Bitdefender was even worse (my pc died once it blocked a trojan, but it worked on my laptop though). Ever since I got Kaspersky security everything is going great.
I download tons of stuff, visit tons of most-virus-carrying websites and everything works fine. When I open the kaspersky blockers list, It says it blocked tons of trojans, so it seems like a good decent antivirus.

 

Exactly. Agree

My view is that it makes more sense to have anti-virus and internet security software. Meaning an additional layer of protection.

 

no. both do the same. internet security software is just a new term for the same old thing to sell.

 

www.mmorpg.com and www.prosportsdaily.com have both been compromised in my knowledge.

 

AFAIK internet security software included Firewall, but don't we all have Windows Firewall already?

 

yes, and as it's native integrated in the network driver, it's the best one can have. now there will be tons of posts stating it's wrong, but it isn't. some just interpret wrongly what the job of a firewall is. it's a passive security device, just like uac, just like ntfs file rights, and much more.

 

I certainly believe that legitimate websites can become compromised and thus infected. There are always security backdoors and loop holes coming to light.

That is why I dont rely on safe web habits alone. An Internet Security Suite (with AV) is just one of a number of protection layers to use for improved security.

 

Yes that's right.
It is just a Packet Filtering Software like all other firewall.
Some might say outgoing traffic doesn't give a prompt but it just the default ruleset configuration.
Anyway unauthorized outgoing traffic means my machine is already compromised and needs a reformat.

Does it make it more attractive?

 

outbound filtering makes no sense. any virus can get it's data out by launching iexplore to the homepage of the virus, and sending data trough it. i tested it with a simple setup.

the test only failed on systems that, doh, didn't had iexplore


edit: and i've seen viruses/trojaners/spyware doing exactly that.

 

Look at the end of the day you can't rely on anything solely. Yes, an AV is nice; yes a Firewall is nice; yes, common sense is even stellar , but that doesn't change the fact that there could be a compromise. Nothing is completely safe and nobody can predict unpredictable elements in life and that's part of life.

You could still have the most secure software in the world and even not be connected to the internet and still get compromised somehow(ex: someone plugging something in your computer).

So to the OP, yes, an AV will not guarantee your safety(if that's what you were asking). However, here at NBR, we try to advise people in the most efficient combination of security softwares for the average public. It's not a question of being 100% safe, but one of being as safe as we can be given the tools we have and the circumstances we're in.

 

yeah, the most important part about security is to understand that there won't be 100% security. then, relaxing and thinking how to life with THAT. offline backups for important data? why not? it's a simple "relaxer" for the soul.

giving that offline data to your parents when you visit them so that it's in their house save when your house burns down? why not?

it's all a balancing act on what you want to save, and how much it's worth you.

 

That is why use common sense and just enough security software for daily operations.
Don't give your money to things you don't need especially Anti-Virus Companies now that Microsoft is giving away Good Quality Security Software.

For those Microsoft conspiracy theorist you shouldn't be using Windows in the first place.
If I wanted to spy on your system I would have put it in the OS not a separate Download.

 

Microsoft Security Essentials is good and free but it has no internet browser plugin to alert of bad websites.

Could configure MSE as an on-demand scanner for additional protection. Turn off real time protection. Stop mse process and service so mse is not working. Only start MSE when you want an on-demand scan. Remember to stop all services and processes when finished to avoid any conflicts.

Then have an Internet Security Suite turned on all the time for main protection.

One of many approaches you could use.

 

True balance is important.

You could even wipe your parents' minds and have them say the location of your data on present of a codeword if you wanted But hey, it's all about balancing what you as an individual thinks is good for you.

Well the "daily" use will vary from person to person so it's not an iron rule applicable to everyone.

And money is the people's own. We can advise them against it but at the end of the day they can spend it if they want and we're only here to give advice. I mean, I could advise against buying a huge mansion for someone who will always live by themselves and never invite people over(and who doesn't have cleaning people hired say just to rub in the wound) but I'm sure there exists such people in the world who would still buy said mansion.

 

that plugin is not needed, ie has that in it. so does firefox. and the others should, too, afaik

and that approach would give you nothing.

 

I thought this was in GPL Common Sense 1.0?
Why do you need a anti-virus software to inform you about bad sites(Takes up extra system resources)?
Google and FireFox already does filter known compromised sites.
If you really really need to surf such sites , you should dualboot or virtualise and Sandbox a Linux/Solaris/FreeBSD installation.

 

I dont know if google has a filter. Never looked. Could have a second pc for internet banking only. A children not allowed to use pc.

 

What I am concern is how inferior NIS 2010 is.
If you watched GI JOE Rise of the Cobra there is a scene when Rex was going to download the data and NIS screen pop-up.
Makes me think NIS turned Rex evil resulting in the Rise of the Cobra.

 

Looks something like this Good if you never had to encounter this.

 

I am using Fire Fox now. Never seen that before. Does google also do something similar?

 

google marks malicious searhc results. firefox reports such pages, so does internet explorer, etc.


so, together with common sense, another thing would be helpful: know your tools.

the default security features of win7 + MSE are good enough. they do all what those fancy in-colourful-boxes sold internet savety suites tell you they do for you.

 

Didnt know that. I thought that was anti-virus software doing that.

If I removed anti-virus software from my pc, google would still put the green ticks next to the sites?

 

i haven't actually looked exactly how it handles it it reported it sometimes.

try to search something shady and you quickly find out

 

Stop making me laugh. My defence would be, I was only doing it for research.

How about you try and let me know?

 

how about you google about how google does it, then? they sure have it documented somewhere? (i'm not on my own network right now, so i won't do such badbad searches )


http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2008/04/google-phishing-warning.html

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2006/08/malware-warnings-on-google-search.html

 

Thanks. Might have a look at that later. Never seen that before with google.

 

oh, and, google up ie8 phishing filter, and firefox phising filter (and other browsers just for gathering knowledge about them).

i stated above in an edit the little addon:

common sense is important, and actual knowledge what the products you have at hand, is, too. most people don't even know how much windows saves you from troubles out of the box. so they buy software that does.. the same again.

 

I have only had one virus problem in the last 3 years. It was caused by a driver downloaded directly from Razer. But they made good for the problem (free messenger bag for the 30 minutes it took to reinstall Windows 7? Heck yeah.)

+1 on having a good backup. I had to recover a laptop that got hit hard for a boss that had a full hard drive and about 3 years worth of data, with no backups. I managed to save most of the files, but it was not a pretty site, and added hours to what should have been a simple job.

 

backup > everything indeed.

 

Common sense is the best anti-virus in the world, a dedicated anti-virus is there as a safe-measure for things that slip under the radar. No-one ever thinks they need an anti-virus until things go wrong. Even the best of us are not infallible.

I'd argue that the many free solutions out there should be enough for the average user of this forum. AVG isn't the only one, there's Comodo, Avira, Avast, even Microsoft's own Security Essentials Suite - there's enough out there to suit most people.

Admittedly I use McAfee Anti-Virus Enterprise, mainly because I get this for free through my university. Coupled with Spybot's Immunisation pre-emptive measure (and disabling the overkill Teatimer), Window's built-in Firewall and the hardware router, this gives a pretty secure PC without going overkill.

 

i, personally, do not use a computer with no antivirus, when i do clean installs, its always a/v before drivers...

 

Anyway anyone want to buy Common Sense 7.0 From me?
I promise you I would say to you in the meanest manner " You have been suckered " after you buy it from me.
I am sure you get some common sense after that.

 

unlikely..

(that they get common sense after that .. )